ROMAN EMPERORS IN THE FIRST CROATIAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM „IN SITU“

By: Vid Mesaric, Croatian Radio

The remains of the ancient Roman temple of Emperor Augustus from the 1st ct. BC became a big construction site two years ago. In order to protect the old heritage and display it in the best possible way, future Archeological Museum Narona built in a small town of Vid in fertile river Neretva valley was designed as a transparent showcase of the antique temple walls and well preserved Roman mosaic. The collection of the future museum, which should be opened in early spring 2007, shall consist of 800 various artifacts from the period between 1st ct. BC and 4th ct. AD, which had all been excavated on this site during 20th ct. The very valuable archeological site of the ancient city Narona, which was one of the centers of the Roman province Dalmatia, had hidden numerous tools and coins, but the most valuable objects are marble statues of Roman emperors and heads of Emperor Vespasian and Livia, which makes that site one of the most important localities outside ancient Rome. Due to lack of representative space for artifacts’ display, the valuable proofs of Roman civilization have been dispersed throughout museums in Croatia and abroad, and once the Museum is finished they will all finally be a part of single, unique collection. This project, which will be the first Croatian museum in-situ, is one of the largest investments of Croatian Ministry of Culture. The construction works have been recently finished, and that was a good reason for our journalist Vid Mesaric to visit the project site and speak to managing director of the Museum Narona Mr. Hrvoje Manenica: