Rare Ancient Greek Theatre Mask Found in Croatia’s Illyrian Sanctuary

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Greek theatre disguise recovered successful Croatia

A uncommon intact terracotta caput depicting a Greek theatrical disguise dating from the 4th to 3rd period BC has been discovered during archaeological excavations successful confederate Croatia.

The find astatine the Crno Jezero cave connected the Pelješac peninsula was made during probe carried retired by the Archaeological Museum of the Dubrovnik Museums.

The hollow terracotta mask, which features a tiny spread for hanging, was apt primitively displayed connected a wall. Archaeologists accidental specified masks are intimately associated with past theatre, traditionally linked to Dionysus, the Greek deity of vino and patron of theatrical performances.

According to archaeologist Domagoj Perkić, caput of the Archaeological Museum, researchers judge the cave whitethorn erstwhile person served arsenic an Illyrian sanctuary wherever rituals were performed.

“Whether Dionysus, oregon his Illyrian counterpart, tin beryllium connected with the vino vessels and the disguise recovered successful the cave remains unfastened to interpretation,” Perkić said. “Most of the sanctuary-related finds were discovered successful the entranceway and broadside sections of the cave, which had remained hidden and buried until excavations.”

He added that the secluded and untouched quality of the cave helped sphere the artefacts successful singular condition, describing the tract arsenic “a frozen representation much than 2 1000 years old”.

Miniature past Greek vessels besides discovered

Croatia Week reports that erstwhile excavations conducted successful 2025 established that the cave was utilized for antithetic purposes implicit respective humanities periods, from the Bronze Age to the extremity of the Late Iron Age.

Radiocarbon investigation of quality remains dated the burials betwixt 1012 and 481 BC, indicating that the cave functioned arsenic a necropolis for much than 500 years. After burials ceased, researchers judge the tract was transformed into an Illyrian sanctuary utilized from the precocious 4th period BC until the mid-1st period BC.

Evidence for this includes galore miniature vessels, chiefly of Greek origin, including amphorae, bowls and kantharoi, alongside locally produced pottery. Archaeologists accidental these items were apt near arsenic votive offerings during spiritual ceremonies.

Fragments of luxury Greek pottery utilized for storing and drinking vino were besides uncovered. Researchers enactment that specified vessels were not typically utilized successful mundane Illyrian life, but alternatively symbolized wealthiness and presumption wrong section prehistoric communities.

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