National Museum Čačak

National Museum Čačak

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Late Roman necropolis in Čačak

The locality is situated in the suburb of Čačak, on average distance of 250 m from the place where the Roman baths were found. The archaeological excavations started in 2001 and lasted until 2007. It was financed by the City of Čačak, Ministry of culture of the Republic of Serbia and organization ACDI/VOCA.

On the excavated surface of 620 m2 a multilayer site was confirmed. The oldest layer belongs to the prehistory, the most probably the transitional period from the Bronze to the Iron Ages. The younger cultural horizon was dated to the Antiquity and it was characterized by two separate horizons. The foundations of two larger objects (objects II and III) belonged to the older horizon. It was made of stone and pebbles tied with mud and weak lime mortar. They are dated to the 2nd-3rd century and are synchronous with the baths from Beljina.

During the 3rd century (the most probably not before its half), the purpose of this area was changed and a necropolis was formed around the object I, whose foundation (5 x 5 m) were preserved. However, this unit was completely peculiar by the richness and diversity of architectonic decoration, whose fragments were found in its vicinity. The biritual mortuary rite was practiced. There were found 71 grave units in total where 51 graves with the incinerated deceased while in 21 were skeletal inhumation. In 32 graves cremated bones were placed directly into the pits, while in 18 they were in ceramic urns. A unique finding represent a small stone cist, opened and robbed, the most probably used as a burial.

The necropolis was used from the 2nd half of the 3rd century until the 2nd half of the 4th century. Coins indicate that the most intensive burial were in the period from the period of first phase of tetrarchy until the time of Constantine’s successors.