Remains of ancient harbour found near Portorož

Excavations at the Fizine site have been conducted in several campaigns since 2017 with the final phase of the underwater survey focusing of the search for evidence of the ancient harbour.

The Institute of Underwater Archaeology has told the STA that the findings confirm the existence of a small harbour with a mooring and a wooden structure. Particularly important are the mast finds.

The wooden structure discovered near Bernardin beach could have been used in the past to allow access from boats to the shore or as a breakwater.

More than 3,000 ceramic fragments have been found in the Roman layers at the site. "The findings so far show the majority are imported late antiquity pottery: amphorae, kitchenware and fine tableware," the institute told the STA.

In addition to pieces of ceramic vessels, the site also yielded a sail element, a large number of wooden stakes and two pieces of different masts found.

Dated from between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, the mast pieces were probably in secondary use as a mooring for a vessel or as a supporting beam for a wooden structure.

The first mast was made of fir wood. The piece found is about one metre long and had an integrated oak pulley. The second mast is made of spruce wood and is about one and a half metres long.

The institute says findings of masts and sails from antiquity are extremely rare, and interpretations are mainly linked to experimental archaeology and to visual historical sources such as reliefs, statues, drawings, paintings, depictions on coins and mosaics.

"If the interpretations of the two Fizine elements are confirmed, these are unique examples on a global scale," the researchers say. In fact, they are extremely rare examples of ancient masts, considering the finds from at least the past 20 years throughout the Mediterranean region.

The wooden finds will be conserved with melamine resin at the restoration centre. All finds will be handed over to the Sergej Mašera Maritime Museum in Piran, which also keeps other finds from the Fizine area.

Two other Roman sites were earlier discovered in the area. The first was explored in 1998 and comprises the remains of a settlement with a farm building near where there is now a fuel station.

The second site is now under the sea level. In 2004 and 2005, archaeologists explored the foundations of what was an ancient fish farm. The remains of two ancient ponds along the promenade next to the former salt warehouses are still clearly visible from above.

Slovenia has one of the longest traditions of underwater research in Europe, the first of which was carried out in 1884 in the Ljubljanica River near Vrhnika.