FOREWORD

It should certainly be emphasizedthat it is a happy

The idea of creating an exhibition about the
phenomenon of early Christianity in the continental
circumstdnce that Zagreb is also celebrating the 900tlt
'anniversary
of the foundation of the episcopal see of
regions of Croatia, a subject that has been insufficiently
Zagreb in this year, 1994. Although the Archaeological
researched and indeed unjustifiably ignored, was
Museum is also preparing projects directly related to the
conceivedat the moment when the National Organizing
earliest past of the city, we nonethelessconsiderthat this
Committeefor the XIIIth International Congressof Early
early Christian theme is an excellent supplement to the
Christian Archaeology redefined certain elements of the
previously planned program of accompanyingelements
other events planned for this celebration.It should be
for this scientificmeeting, deciding to have minor thematic remembered that with the establishment of a bishopric,
Zagreb opened a route to the construction of its own
exhibitions in various Croatian cities in place of one
historicalidentity, and that the new episcopal see was
"major", central exhibition in Zagreb. The reasonsfor
practical
a
nature.
decision
were
mainly
of
One
of
informally the successorto the previous, early Christian
a
such
dioceseof Sisak.
them, probably decisive, was concernedwith possible
The contentsof this exhibitibu will be discussedin
problems in organization,particularly those that might
more detail in one of the introductory texts and in the
occur while collecting exhibition material from various
partsofCroatia, especiallyfrom occupiedregions.
catalogueof the material. Those who read the catalogue
and those who visit the exhibition will be able to see for
Consideringthe fact that this is an exceptionally
themselvesthe attempts of the authors to present the
important scienffic meeting (the hoststhis time being Split
greatestpossible amount of material from various regions
and Solin, who also organizedthe very first Congressof
years
held
exactly
100
ago,
of continental Croatia. It was nonethelessinevitable that
Early ChristianArchaeology
particular attention would be paid to the monumental
and Pored), the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb
heritageof important Roman (and late Roman) centers:
consideredit well worth while to incorporatethe Croatian
Sisak(Siscia),Osijek (Mursa) and Vinkovcl, (Cibalae), as
capital into the program of events to take place in the
well as VaraZdinske Toplice (Aquae lasae), Ludbreg
above coastal centers at the end of September and
(Iovia), Daruvar (AquaeBalissae), and Dakovo,
into
1994.
We
decided
to
enter
the
of
October
beginning
SlavonskaPoiega, Ozalj, Prozor, Zagreb, and so forth. It
adventureofpreparing an exhibition about the beginnings
should also be noted that the results of the research
of Christianity in the continental regions of Croatia, even
requiredfor this exhibition have exceededall expectations
knowing in advancethe many difficulties awaiting us in
this project. We naturally had to rely upon the cooperation based on previously available data in the literature
available on this topic. Seriesof monuments unknown to
of the many relevant institutions in northern Croatia, and
datehave been "discovered",certain objectshave been rewe were not disappointedin this trust. We could not,
interpreted, and others evaluated according to different,
however,foreseeall of the problems that were to occur
modern criteria. This exhibition is undoubtedly more
during preparationof the exhibition. One such problem is
extensiveand interesting than the original one plannedin
the fact that outside the Croatian coastalregion, there are
the early stagesof pleparation. This should in fact be
very few experts and scholarswhose specialty is early
consideredthe most vhluable achievementof the project.
Christian archaeology,and hencethe entire burden of the
Although the interpretation and dating have exceededthe
conceptual formation of the exhibition was the
schematic boundaries of the ingrained systems of
responsibilityof a small number of individuals who had
interpretationin many cases - with which one may or
to expend a great deal of effort to realize the original
plans.A secondequally complex problem resultedfrom
may not completely agree - it is indisputable that with
thefact that one of the consequencesof the eventsthat
the presentationand publication of such a large quantity of
years
during
the
last
few
in
these
regions
is
objects, the professional public has been offered the
have occurred
possibility of evaluatingsuch material. It has also received
an extremely diminished form of otherwise normal
an otherwise inaccessible survey of this unjustifiably
museum functions. It was very difficult, for example, to
gain 3ccessto material from many museumcollections, neglectedpart ofthe Croatian archaeologicalheritage.The
which have often been transferred to relativelv inacaim of suchinitiatives has been to prompt further research
and to create an altered attitude towards the early
cessiblelocationsfor safekeeping.

Christianheritage of northern Croatia. The significantly

more extensivefinds in neighboring Hungary must be
considered to have primarily resulted from more
consistent research into this aspect of the former
Pannonia,particularly since the classical sources are
equally, or indeed even to a greater extent, relevant for the
Croatian Pannonianregion (comparisons with Dalmatia
and Istria are not applicablefor many reasons).
In conclusion, I would like to expressmy sincere
gratitude to all the museum institutions throughout
northern Croatia who were willing to lend material for the
exhibition, and in this manner cooperatedin the project
(theseinstitutions are listed elsewherein the catalogue).I
would also like to thank all those who wrote texts for the
catalogueor in any other manner enabled this project to be
successfullycompleted. Although I cannot thank each of
them individually, I must nonethelessat least cite those
who.have made significant contributions, without which
such an exhibition would not have been possible. This
refers primarily to Dr. Branka Migotti of the Institute of
Archaeology, HAZU (Croatian Academy of Arts and
Sciences),who has been involved in this project from its
very beginnings, first as the author, or at least the most
prominentof severalauthors,of the catalogue,and also as
the author of one of the introductory texts. Thanks are
also due to Mirja Jarak, MA, of the Archaeology
Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Zagreb, who
prepareda lengthy but undoubtedly extremely interesting
and useful introductory text, without which it would be
difficult to understandthe context of the appearanceand

150

development of Christianity inlorthern Croatia. I must

also mention my colleague,Dr. Zeljko Demo, who among
other duties was responsible for preparing, editing and
designing this catalogue, and who undertook such an
unrewarding responsibility at a moment when doubt
existedabout the possibility of any successfuland timely
conclusionof the project. This list would not be complete
without mention of the designer of the exhibition, Mario
Beusan,whose professional attitude was supplementedin
his caseby his personal enthusiasmabout the material to
be presented,which naturally has led to a successful
result. I am very grateful to all of them, as well as to those
individuals yho have also been involved in the project in
other way3 (the authors of the catalogue entries,
photographer, illustrator, translator, proof-readers,
ionservation staff, etc.). I sincerely hope that with this
exhibition a new page has been opened in an important
field of archaeology, which has not received sufficient
attention in northern Croatia to the present. The
foundations of such research were laid in Croatia, and
especially in Dalmatia, by the prominent archaeologist
Mon. Frane Bulii, who first directed attention to the
problem of the early Christian martyrs of Pannonia, and
hence encouragedresearch in the northern Pannonian
regionsof Croatia.

Ante Rendii-Miodevii. Director

The Archaeological Museum in Zagreb