Ancient Brijuni burial site reveals 3,000 years of human presence

(Photo: Public Institute Brijuni National Park)

Archaeological research at Vrh Kosir (Rankun) on Veli Brijun, part of Croatia’s Brijuni National Park, has been successfully completed, uncovering compelling evidence of human presence spanning several millennia.

The extensive research project was carried out by experts from the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula, in close cooperation with Brijuni National Park.

The aim was to systematically study and better understand the cultural heritage and long history of one of the park’s most significant archaeological sites.

At the centre of the investigation was a Bronze Age tumulus, a stone burial mound constructed more than 3,000 years ago. Excavations began in spring 2024, with fieldwork conducted between March and April.

During this phase, archaeologists made a significant discovery: a complete human skeleton buried within the mound.

Radiocarbon (C14) analysis dated the remains to the first half of the 14th century, placing the burial in the late Middle Ages. This means the individual was interred approximately three millennia after the tumulus was originally built.

(Photo: Public Institute Brijuni National Park)

Such practices, where burials are placed into much older structures, are known in archaeology as secondary burials.

To complete the research and examine whether additional remains were present beneath the stone construction, the archaeological team returned to the site in March 2025.

Alongside the previously discovered skeleton, researchers uncovered a separate human jaw on the opposite side of the tumulus, as well as a large number of small bone fragments.

Detailed analysis revealed that the remains belonged to multiple individuals. The total number of recovered teeth exceeded 50, clearly indicating several secondary burials and pointing to a complex and prolonged history of burial activity at the site.

(Photo: Public Institute Brijuni National Park)

The work at Vrh Kosir has demonstrated the importance of meticulous and methodical archaeological research.

Each find contributes to a broader understanding of the historical development of the Brijuni Islands, revealing layers of human activity and burial customs stretching from prehistoric times through to the medieval period.

(Photo: Public Institute Brijuni National Park)

With the completion of this research, Brijuni National Park has once again highlighted the value of systematic archaeological study in preserving and interpreting Croatia’s cultural heritage.

The park expressed its gratitude to all experts, collaborators and partners involved and confirmed its ongoing commitment to the protection, presentation and interpretation of archaeological sites for both visitors and the scientific community.