We had learned and appreciated Robert and his team as part of our project journey "A journey of Intimacy and Culture along the Roman Roads" and within his conception to the creation of a truly genuine archaeological cultural tourism so far hardly explored environment in cooperation with the competent authorities, organizations, museums and archaeologists as new perspective for obtaining cultural property that can really create new ways.

Gladly we are prepared to accompany this path here as part of alaturka.info editorial. At the first excavation that will be held from September 20 to September 28, 2015 in Split and Siculi, we ourselves will take part in the excavation and continue to report.

Touristic and archaeological campaign of the Kaštela Bay will not leave anyone indifferent. It is an active and educational vacation spent in a beautiful and colourful environment where green and blue colours of nature dominate the area between Split and Trogir. All this will provide a unique experience for all participants. The rich and turbulent history of this area offers an endless source of findings from different historical periods, and it is therefore easy to understand why it is still insufficiently explored.

The ancient village that will be explored, recently pinpointed as the SICULI, is a Roman settlement mentioned by the Roman author Pliny the Elder, built on an earlier Hellenistic grid. It was inhabited by Roman veterans from the 11th legion of the Emperor Claudius in the 1st century. During many years of research, numerous findings were discovered (numismatic, ceramic...) Next to the site there are two submerged ancient ports that you could visit

within a diving course. An added value to this program are organized guided tours to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the towns of Split and Trogir, and in particular a visit to the ancient ruins of Salona, a town which used to be the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia.

DAY 1 - Mon

• Arrival to Split / airport welcome / organized transfer to the Resnik Tourist Resort or Adria Hotel

• Accommodation in bungalows or double rooms
• Visit to Kaštela Town Museum (Vitturi VittorioCastle) – introduction to the expert team and history of the Siculi site

• Buffet dinner

DAY 2 - Tue

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Field work at the Siculi excavation site - basic instructions and introduction to the excavation site (8:00 – 15:00)

• Buffet lunch
• Visit to the Oil mill including a guided tour of the olive oil production, olive oil tasting and ancient cuisine. Lecture by archaeologist Ivanka Kamenjarin: “Kaštela Bay in the Classical Period – Ager Salonitanus”

• Buffet dinner

DAY 3 - Wed

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Field work at the Siculi excavation site (8:00 – 15:00)
• Buffet lunch and some free time
• Tour to the ancient metropolis - Salona, guided tour
• Buffet dinner

DAY 4 - Thu

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Field work at the Siculi excavation site (8:00 – 15:00)
• Buffet lunch
• Free time and sport activities in Resnik Tourist Resort
• Buffet dinner

DAY 5 - Fri

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Field work at the Siculi excavation site (8:00 – 15:00)
• Buffet lunch
• Restoration and documentation workshop in the Kaštela Town Museum (ceramics, metal, glass)

• Buffet dinner

DAY 6 - Sat

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Departure for Split – guided city tour of Split and a visit to Diocletian’s palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Archaeological Museum of Split – lunch in the city

• Free time in Split
• Buffet dinner

DAY 7 - Sun

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Optional: diving course and the tour of submerged ancient ports in the morning
• Buffet lunch
• Departure for Trogir (UNESCO World Heritage site) – guided city tour and a visit to the Trogir Town Museum

• Buffet dinner

DAY 8 - Mon

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Workshop on processing and documenting the findings in Kaštela Town Museum
• Buffet lunch and free time
• Farewell dinner in a family household including the wine tasting (original Zinfandel)

DAY 9 - Tue

• Breakfast (7:00 – 8:00)
• Check out from accommodation / organized transfer to the airport

CAMPAIGN DATES:

20 - 28 September 2015

12 - 20 October 2015

3 - 11 November 2015

NUMBER OF DAYS: 9 days / 8 nights

PLACE OF DEPARTURE: Split

TOUR PACE: hard

MIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 6 persons

MAX NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 16 people

*In case of rain, other indoors activities will be provided within the programme, such as processing of findings, documentation, restoration and additional workshops.

Program schedule is subject to change depending on the day of your arrival (in line with the sessions); since excavations and restorations are not performed on weekend (Saturday – Sunday), those days are reserved for guided tours.

DURING FIELDWORK

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• How to excavate and which archaeological techniques to use.
• How to use and handle the tools that are used during the excavation process
• Basic principles of stratigraphy
• How to record the data obtained during the excavation using the Harris Method
• Practical guidelines for the recognition of archaeological materials and

Roman findings on the site

• Basic procedures for sample collection
• Cleaning, labelling, classifying, restauration and documentation of findings

IN WORKSHOP

• Restoration workshop in the Kaštela Town Museum: ceramics, numismatics, faunal

remains, metals and glass.

• Findings documentation workshops.
• Relative dating based on the classification of archaeological objects

discovered in stratigraphic sequence.

THEORY & LECTURES

• History, archaeology, economy and culture of the Roman civilization in this area.
• Introduction to the History of the Siculi Site.
• Lecture: “Kaštela Bay in the Classical Period – Ager Salonitanus” by archaeologist Ivanka Kamenjarin.

MUSEUMS AND GUIDED TOURS

• Trip to Split: guided tour of Diocletian’s palace (UNESCO World heritage site) and visit to the Archaeological museum of Split

• Trip to Trogir: guided tour of Trogir (UNESCO World Heritage site) and visit to Museum of the town of Trogir

• Trip to the Ancient Metropolis of Salona: guided tour
• Diving course of submerged Hellenistic and Roman ports (facultative, by request – extra charge)

Please download the PDF for more details on the concept!