In a continuous archaeological journey in the heart of Dalmatia, Croatia, a team of archaeologists has made a rare and remarkable discovery. Four years after finding an ancient Illyrian helmet over 2000 years old in Zakotorc, Pelešac, the same researchers have uncovered another similar artifact, but even older than the first. This sensational news was revealed by Marta Kalebota, an archaeologist at the City Museum of Korčula and a member of the team excavating in Zakotorc, local media reports.
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| Illyrian helmet of over 2000 years old found in Pelješac, today's Croatia |
"The moment Hrvoje lifted the stone and started shouting that he had found another helmet! It's hard to describe the feeling; it's phenomenal. I am extremely excited, an amazing find for the second time. This helmet was found about ten meters away from the location where the first one was discovered. It's slightly different, distinguished by features that indicate it dates back to the 5th – 6th century BCE, which means it's older than the first one, but we still need to investigate further," archaeologist Kalebota is quoted as saying.
Apart from her, the team consists of Dr. Hrvoje Potrebic from the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, who found the helmet, and Domagoj Perkiq from the Dubrovnik Museums, who leads the team and finances the excavations.
Kalebota revealed that the helmet was found in a semi-circular annex, surrounded by stones in a large pile, while the first was found near a burial site with many other artifacts such as spearheads, wheels, ceramic vessels, amber, and more. Archaeologists are still speculating whether it was a votive offering dedicated to a fallen warrior or if it was valuable for the entire community, possibly serving in other burials as well. It's in very good condition, with slight damage at the top.
Details about it will be published soon. The reason why such valuable helmets are found in Zakotorc is undoubtedly the Pelješac Channel. For thousands of years, the 12-kilometer-long sea channel separating the island of Korčula and the Pelješac Peninsula has been and remains the safest and shortest trade and travel route to Dubrovnik. The Pelješac Channel is also the reason for many other archaeological sites on the island and the peninsula, and the people who lived there were both prosperous and prone to piracy, as evidenced by the expensive artifacts found, mostly luxury objects. Archaeologists have concluded that the first helmet likely belonged to Illyrian warriors, and more will be known about the second after analysis.