Exploring Prehistory in Lika and Kordun: Caves as a Window into the Past/

Dr. Mario Gavranović, lead researcher and deputy director of the Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften), has been studying prehistoric periods in Southeastern Europe for many years, with a particular focus on the Bronze and Iron Ages.

In cooperation with the Public Institution Barać Caves,speleological club Ursus spelaeus and his colleague from the Institute, Dr. Alberta Arena, he is currently conducting archaeological research at two sites: Varićakova špilja Cave in the Municipality of Rakovica and the Bobinac Kozerina špilja Cave above the village of Sinac (Lika-Senj County). Varićakova špilja Cave has already revealed a number of fascinating traces of life from the Bronze Age, including human remains displaced by water and ceramic fragments dating back to the 15th century BCE.

These investigations utilize modern technologies such as 3D modeling and digital site documentation, and are conducted through interdisciplinary collaboration with historians, geologists, biologists, chemists, and physicists. Chemists and physicists, in particular, contribute through radiocarbon dating of bone, wood, and other materials, allowing for more precise dating of the finds.

Interestingly, the area of Lika and Kordun was densely populated between 2000 and 1000 BCE, with intensive use of caves, pits, and other underground spaces—a phenomenon almost unique in Europe. While cremation was the dominant funerary practice across most of the continent (known as the Urnfield culture), burial was practiced exclusively in this region, pointing to a distinct, locally developed cultural identity.

In addition to everyday uses such as shelter or food storage, caves also had an important ritual function, serving as sites for sacred ceremonies.

The next research phase aims to connect cave findings with hillforts—fortified settlements located on elevated, strategic positions—and burial sites such as tumuli in the area of Lički Osik. Only by comparing all three categories can we form a more complete picture of life, beliefs, and social networks during the Bronze Age.

These studies confirm that the area between Karlovac and Velebit still holds many secrets—and each new excavation offers valuable insights into one of the key periods of European prehistory.

Photo: Hrvoje Cvitanović