jurica bezak | Croatian Conservation Institute (original) (raw)

Papers by jurica bezak

Viški boj 1866. Zbornik radova sa znanstvenog skupa održanog 2016. godine povodom 150. obljetnice boja, 2023

In the past twelve years, the remains of three ships which took part in the Battle of Vis in 1866... more In the past twelve years, the remains of three ships which took part in the Battle of Vis in 1866 were discovered on the seabed in the waters around the island of Vis. These are the shipwrecks of the Italian armored frigate Re d’Italia and the armored gunboat Palestro, as well as the shipwreck of the Austro-Hungarian frigate Radetzky. The Battle of Vis took place in 1866 and its outcome left an indelible mark on an entire period of Dalmatia’s history. Also, a large number of Croatian sailors participated in the battle, which is another reason why this battle is considered one of the most important naval conflicts in the Adriatic. Although the approximate location of the shipwreck had already been known from numerous historical sources and battle descriptions, the wrecks were identified by using archaeological methods, i.e. only after underwater archaeological exploration had been carried out. These wrecks have remained hidden and inaccessible for 139 years, within a large water area, at depths ranging from 90 to 120 m. The situation changed when the wreck of the Italian armored frigate Re d’Italia was discovered in the first underwater archaeological exploration in 2005. This research project, conducted by the Department for Underwater Archeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, was important for Croatian underwater archaeology, and its success facilitated further development and implementation of techniques and methodologies necessary to protect underwater cultural heritage at great depths. Exploration of the wrecks from the Battle of Vis in 1866 continued in 2014-2016 in cooperation with the Coast Guard of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Navy and technical divers who located the wrecks of the Austro-Hungarian frigate Radetzky and the Italian gunboat Palestro. The paper presents the documented condition of the wrecks, the interpretation of their material remains, and the description of the methodology applied in the deepest underwater exploration undertaken in Croatia to this day. The wrecks were identified by their characteristic features: the dimensions and type of material from which the hull was made, the beak-shaped bow, the type of naval cannons, and by comparing the shipwrecked remains in relation to the causes of ship sinking.

Underwater archaeological heritage of the island of Hvar - development and recent research, 2019

Twenty nine underwater locations have been investigated during the four-year underwater reconnais... more Twenty nine underwater locations have been investigated during the four-year underwater reconnaissance of the maritime zones of the islands of Hvar, Brač and Šolta from 2012 to 2015 by the Department of Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute. Six new underwater sites that have not been known before were discovered in these surveys, as well as a number of individual archaeological finds. In the waters of the island of Brač a shipwreck of an unknown steamboat from the transition from the 19th to 20th century was found. In the maritime zone of the island of Šolta, close to Marinča cape an ancient shipwreck was located with the remains of Dressel 10 and Dressel 20 amphorae of Hispanic origin from the 1st/2nd century, that are rarely found in the Adriatic. As for the individual finds, there were ceramic vessels of different types and datings, but also a number of stone and lead anchor stocks and several Byzantine and post medieval anchors that tell a story of maritime routes, anchorages and uninterrupted continuity of sailing in the littoral of the central Dalmatian islands. These newly found sites and finds complement our previous knowledge, offer new information on the underwater cultural heritage of these islands and at the same time emphasize the need to continue systematic survey of our seabed.

Portal 5, 2014

In the course of 2010 and 2011, a team of experts from the Department for Underwater Archaeology ... more In the course of 2010 and 2011, a team of experts from the Department for Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute, in cooperation with the Lošinj Museum, conducted an archaeological survey of the Kvarner underwater. Systematic inspection of the seabed revealed numerous archaeological finds which can be dated to periods from the Antiquity to the Early Modern age. Diverse archaeological material found at as few as six sites, of the islands of Lošinj, Unije and Ilovik, is clearly indicative of the necessity for systematic inspections of the underwater that has not yet been fully researched. The discovery of two new types of amphorae, previously unknown in the Croatian underwater, is of particular importance, in addition to the finding of a 19 th century shipwreck of a vessel transporting bricks and ceramic wine jugs. The information gathered adds to our knowledge of the rich cultural heritage of the Kvarner underwater, and represents the most recent contribution to the study of maritime trade and sailing routes in this region.

Sveti Pavao Shipwreck - A 16th Century Venetian Merchantman from Mljet, Croatia, 2014

Dal 2007 al 2012, durante le sei campagne di scavo sul relitto post-medievale di Sveti Pavao, son... more Dal 2007 al 2012, durante le sei campagne di scavo sul relitto post-medievale di Sveti Pavao, sono stati ritrovati oltre un centinaio di reperti metallici. Gli oggetti in metallo relativi all’artiglieria, all’attrezzatura navale e alle monete sono stati analizzati in contributi separati, mentre in questo articolo sono trattate tutte le altre categorie di manufatti metallici, quali gli oggetti d’uso quotidiano e quelli di funzione più varia come, ad esempio, la campana di bordo, le stoviglie, i candelabri e altre componenti. Il recupero della campana di bordo costituisce inoltre un importante contributo per la precisa datazione del relitto. I restanti reperti metallici ci offrono l’opportunità di ricostruire alcuni aspetti della vita di bordo sulle navi mercantili veneziane.

Jurišićev zbornik, 2009

The discovery of the wreck of a World War II aircraft on the seabed off the southern coast of the... more The discovery of the wreck of a World War II aircraft on the seabed off the southern coast of the island of Vis, near Rukavac Cove, prompted research on the part of the Croatian Ministry of Culture’s Department for the Protection of Underwater Archaeological Heritage. The unknown bomber was successfully identified on the basis of the serial number located on the tail of the aircraft, while the entire event was reconstructed and the surviving members of the crew located with the help of the database of the Heavy Bombers association of US air force veterans. The Boeing B-17 G bomber, serial number 44–6630, was a part of the 340th Squadron, 97th Bomber Group, 15th US Air Force. On a 6 November 1944 return flight from a strategic bombing run over Austria, the aircraft suffered heavy damage above Maribor from anti-aircraft fire. A safe return to the base in Italy was not possible, and the pilot choose a route to the nearest Allied airport on the island of Vis, in the hopes of saving the aircraft and its crew. The aircraft’s engines failed in an attempt to approach the airstrip and there was a forced landing at sea. Nine of the eleven crew members survived, while the remains of one of the crew are probably to be found in the aircraft to this day. The aircraft has been located, and initial dives established that it is lying on a sandy bottom at a depth of 72 metres, and that it is an exceptionally well-preserved specimen. It is precisely by its high level of preservation that this aircraft stand out among many other almost unrecognisable and, unfortunately, devastated aircraft wrecks in Croatian waters. Reconnaissance and rescue archaeology at these depths required the use of the most modern diving technology available and the use of breathing gas mixtures. And since this was the first such research effort that involved the official and organised use of the Trimix blend and deep-diving technology, it was given the title of the B-17 G Trimix Project. Divers using the Trimix blend made 25 successful dives in groups of four divers to explore the wreck. The condition of the aircraft was documented with photographs and video footage. The aircraft is leaning on the left side of its landing gear and its tail wheel, with the right wing lying in the sandy bottom. The bottom of the aircraft’s nose is crushed from the crash on the seabed, while the cockpit and the rest of the aircraft remain intact. The side windows of the cockpit are open and the interior of the cockpit is visible through them. An open parachute was found in the sand under the aircraft’s fuselage, radio equipment is visible in the radio cabin as is the gun turret in the tail of the aircraft. The divers succeeded in entering the interior of the fuselage, where a small number of small finds were located, for the most part the personal equipment of the crew. The locality was placed under legal protection after the research had been completed with diving permitted only under the supervision and guidance of authorised diving centres. The B-17 G Trimix Project set a new standard in deep water archaeology without which the protection and exploration of both located and unexplored finds in our waters is not possible. The great significance of this project lies not only in the new scientific knowledge gained, but also in the media presentation of underwater cultural heritage. A great number of reports were published in print media during the research, and a documentary film was aired on the national TV station. The interest of the domestic public for the exploration of deep water localities can have a positive effect on the willingness of international expert institutions to co-finance these kinds of undertakings, and thereby on the development of Croatian (underwater) archaeology.

Journal of the Ordnance Society , 2018

IZNIK osmanska keramika iz dubine Jadrana - Ottoman pottery from the depths of the Adriatic, 2016

Books by jurica bezak

Ottoman pottery from the depths of the Adriatic, 2015

Between 2007 and 2015 the Department for Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Inst... more Between 2007 and 2015 the Department for Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute carried out underwater excavations of the unusually well – preserved wreck of a 16th century Venetian merchantman in the Sv. Pavao shallows of the shorten shore of the island of Mljet, Croatia. The excavations uncovered many personal possessions of the crew as well as number of bronze artillery pieces and the ship’s equipment. The merchantman was carrying a rich oriental cargo intended for the western markets. The most numerous and best preserved part of the ship’s cargo was pottery made in the Ottoman town of Iznik.