False past horizons8 I n the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia lies the Island of Cres ( pronounced Tres). Only 42km long and in places only 1km wide, this unique island is home to many archaeological treasures, and contains amazing bio- diversity with more plant species than the whole of the UK, several of which are found exclusively on Cres. The north of the island is known as Tramuntana, and on its rocky sea cliffs nest most of the surviving Eurasian Griffon vulture population. This magnifi cent bird, with a huge three- metre wingspan, has witnessed every period of human occupation of this area, and has been rescued from the brink of extinction by the work of an eco- centre near the picturesque hilltop village of Beli. Past Horizons was intrigued to explore the connection between the Griffon vulture and the ever- evolving landscape as it has changed through human intervention. Goran Susic, an ornithologist and founder of the eco-centre, asked us if we could carry out a survey of the surrounding archaeological features, and soon we came to realise that this near unexplored ( archaeologically) island has an incredible depth of potential, with recognisable sites stretching from at least the Bronze Age to the present. Before the fl ooding of the Adriatic region around 20,000 years ago Cres was a long limestone ridge overlooking a wide valley. There are several known caves on the island, and recently brown bear bones were recovered from one, as well as some Iron Age pottery. Evidence from similar sites in the region have shown that careful examination may locate Palaeolithic occupation and Cres: Text and images by david connolly & Maggie Struckmeier The village of Beli

False 9past horizons these early inhabitants would have shared the cliffs with the Griffon vulture. By the time the fi rst farmers settled in Cres the wide valley would have long been fl ooded, becoming the Adriatic Sea, with the limestone ridge now dramatic sea cliffs. Due to the nature of the landscape most of the monuments are of stone construction. During our initial investigations it became possible to disentangle the confusing network of walls, structures and natural features into recognisable types and patterns. There is clear evidence that each new period either re- used or respected the previous constructions. Inserted within a wall in Beli, for example, was a stone bearing a cup-and- ring and boss- and- ring motif that bore striking resemblance to Bronze Age ceramics found on mainland Croatia. We started to notice possible tombs from this period, including an unusual one in the shape of a heart, and aerial photographs showed the exciting possibility of an excarnation site where humans and the Griffon vulture may have been ritually linked, though this hypothesis requires further examination. An intriguing arrow- shaped settlement might also date to this pre-historic period. Cres was already settled by the sea- faring Liburnians before 400BC, though a local legend claims that the village of Beli was named after a Celtic king. In the 1st century AD after the conquest by the Roman Emperor Tiberius, this area of Cres was renamed Caput Insulae ( Head of the Island). The village of Beli with its harbour below was converted into a military garrison and a network of Roman roads, including the only surviving Roman bridge in the eastern Adriatic, were constructed. It is still possible to walk these 2000- year- old roads even now. Seemingly contemporary with the roads are thousands of narrow terraces that cover the steep slopes of Cres, designed to hold rows of olive trees for the large-scale production of olive oil. It is entirely possible that some of the present olive trees date from that time. The next major phase of land use came with the Venetians during the mediaeval period, the landscape planted with vast oak forests to provide wood for their navy. Strict laws regulated everything from the number of pigs allowed in the forest to the access for sheep, to island of the griffon vulture Stone terraces and enclosures Heart shaped tomb? Griffon Vulture ( credit: Dan Linwood) continued ? ?