1,800-year-old Roman watchtower discovered along Croatian Danube

(Illustration)

MOHOVO,  6 July 2025 (Hina) – A unique archaeological discovery has been made in Mohovo, a village on the banks of the Danube near Ilok.

The director of the Institute of Archaeology, Marko Dizdar, presented the results of recent excavations which began in early April and have revealed a Roman military watchtower previously unknown in Croatia.

The watchtower was part of the Limes, the frontier of the Roman Empire along the Danube, dating from the end of the second century.

“This Roman watchtower is so far the only one of its kind found in Croatia. The closest similar structure is located near Budapest,” said Dizdar. “We have identified potential sites for other towers between Ilok and Batina, but this is the only one that has been fully excavated.”

According to Dizdar, the wooden watchtower stood three storeys high and was surrounded by defensive ditches six metres wide and 2.5 metres deep. It was used by Roman legionaries to monitor the empire’s border along the Danube.

The research is part of efforts to include the Limes on the UNESCO list of protected cultural heritage.

A range of artefacts were discovered at the site, offering a glimpse into life at the Roman frontier. These include brooches, weapon fragments, horse gear and pottery, which provide insight into the diet and daily life of the soldiers. Among the most notable finds is an iron axe, likely used as a tool.

Excavations also uncovered remains from an earlier prehistoric settlement belonging to the Vinkovci culture.

“This culture emerged at the beginning of the Bronze Age, between 2500 and 2200 BC, in the regions of Srijem and eastern Slavonia, before spreading across the southern Carpathian Basin,” Dizdar explained.

Researchers found pits containing fragments of ceramic vessels and animal bones, offering rare evidence of everyday life in one of the few known and explored Vinkovci culture settlements, alongside those in Vinkovci, Ilok and Sarvaš.

Some unusual objects were also discovered, the origins of which are still being determined.

The excavations in Mohovo are funded by the Ministry of Culture and Media and are expected to continue next year.