| Abstract | Zahvaljujući svom povoljnom geografskom položaju, plodnoj zemlji i dostupnosti pitke vode, Mljet je naseljen vrlo rano, a prvi njegovi zabilježeni stanovnici bili su Ardijejci. Rimljani su osvojili otok 35. g. pr. Kr., a od njega su ubrzo stvorili agrarni posjed na kojem su izgradili palaču za upravitelja otoka. Unatoč tomu što se mljetskom palačom tijekom godina bavio niz autora, danas još uvijek nisu u potpunosti jasne sve okolnosti njezine gradnje. Smatra se da pripada tipu raskošne vile s kraja 3. i prve polovice 4. st. po. Kr., a mogući je graditelj bio car Licinije. Antička povijest otoka Mljeta uvelike je zanemarena i neistražena, a kopnena arheološka nalazišta danas su u lošem stanju. Podvodna arheološka nalazišta daleko su brojnija, poznatija i istraženija. Prva su se rekognosciranja mljetskog podmorja provela 1970-ih godina, nastavila su se istraživanjem otoka Glavata od 1988. do 1990., a nakon duže pauze, od 2007. godine sustavno ih počinje provoditi Odjel za podvodnu arheologiju Hrvatskog restauratorskog zavoda. Najviše je brodoloma otkriveno upravo na ulazu u uvalu Polače, ispred palače. Oni nam svjedoče o izazovnoj i opasnoj plovidbi, ali i o važnosti palače za trgovinu i popravke brodova te opskrbu vodom i hranom za nastavak plovidbe. Posebno je značajno sidrište pronađeno kod otoka Ovrate, sa sidrima različitih oblika i iz različitih vremenskih razdoblja, koja ukazuju na učestalost prometa i dugi kontinuitet uporabe luke. Nalazi upućuju i na činjenicu kako je luka vjerojatno bila korištena i kao trgovačka dostavna luka. Premda su mnoga podvodna nalazišta devastirana, nekoliko netaknutih je istraženo, a to su primjerice Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, uvala Gonoturska, rt Glavat, rt Pusti i Zaobraslo Prijeslo. S ciljem dobivanja potpunije slike antičke ostavštine na otoku, ali i zaštite postojeće kulturne baštine, potrebno je valorizirati dosadašnja istraživanja i postojeću dokumentaciju kao i temeljito istražiti otok Mljet. |
| Abstract (english) | Due to its favorable geographical position, fertile land, and the availability of drinking water, Mljet was inhabited very early, and its first recorded inhabitants were Ardijejci. The Romans conquered the island in 35 BC, and it soon became an agrarian property on which a palace for the island's governor was built. Despite the fact that a number of authors have dealt with the Mljet palace over the years, all the circumstances of its construction are still not completely clear today. It is considered to belong to the type of luxurious villa from the end of the 3rd and the first half of the 4th century BC, and the possible builder was Emperor Licinius. The ancient history of the island of Mljet is largely neglected and unexplored, and the archaeological sites on land are in a bad state today. Underwater archaeological sites are far more numerous, well-known and researched. First underwater explorations on Mljet were carried out in the 1970s, they continued with the exploration of the island of Glavat from 1988 to 1990, and after a long break, in 2007, the Department of Underwater Archeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute began to systematically conduct them. Most of the shipwrecks were discovered right at the entrance to Polače bay, in front of the palace. They bear witness to the challenging and dangerous navigation, but also to the importance of the palace for trade and ship repairs, as well as the supply of water and food for continued navigation. A particularly significant anchorage was found near the island of Ovrata, with anchors of different shapes and from different time periods, which indicate the frequency of traffic and the long continuity of use of the port. The findings point to the fact that the port Polače was probably also used as a commercial delivery port. Although many underwater sites have been looted, a few untouched ones have been explored, such as Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, Gonoturska Bay, Cape Glavat, Cape Pusti and Zaobraslo Prijeslo. With the aim of obtaining a more complete picture of the ancient legacy on the island, as well as protecting the existing cultural heritage, it is necessary to valorize previous research and existing documentation, as well as thoroughly explore the island of Mljet. |
