Donje Biljane: Churches and Archaeological Traces

In Donje Biljane, several distinct cultural heritage themes come together for travellers interested in archaeology and church architecture. The sites bring together church remains, burial grounds, and evidence of rural folk architecture, and are spread across several locations. At Veljani, a necropolis is associated with a church; Crkvini combines the remains of a Roman estate with an early Croatian church and numerous graves. Begovača has further evidence of churches and a villa, while at Trljuge, rescue excavations at an early Croatian cemetery are the focus. Distinguishing between the sites makes it easier to relate architectural forms, grave finds, and dates to one another.

Church and Necropolis at Veljani

The church and archaeological site at Veljani form part of Donje Biljane’s cultural heritage and are located in the hamlet of Veljane. A necropolis surrounds the church. A necropolis is a burial ground; the church building and burial site therefore form a shared archaeological context here. At Veljani, the focus is on the relationship between the church and the surrounding cemetery. The cultural heritage also includes surviving evidence of rural folk architecture. This broadens the picture beyond religious buildings and burial sites to include traditional forms of rural construction.

Crkvini Archaeological Site

The Crkvini archaeological site in Donje Biljane brings together different historical periods. It includes the remains of a Roman estate and the ruins of an early Croatian church dating from the 9th century. Its architectural style is considered a distinctive type of three-aisled church architecture in Dalmatia. In a three-aisled church, the space is divided into a main aisle and two side aisles. The term describes the layout of the church interior; its classification as a distinctive type helps explain the architectural significance of the ruins. There are also 604 excavated early Croatian graves. Grave finds include earrings and rings from the 9th to the 15th century. The date range of these jewellery finds therefore extends well beyond the 9th-century church ruins.

Begovača: Churches and Villa Remains

At Begovača, the early Christian and Romanesque churches, along with the remains of a rustic villa, form part of Donje Biljane’s cultural heritage. Based on its remains, a pre-Romanesque church at Begovača is dated to the second half of the 9th century. The different architectural classifications add to the picture of the architectural heritage at Begovača.

Trljuge: Cemetery and Rescue Excavations

Trljuge has a different archaeological focus. Rescue excavations at an early Croatian cemetery took place there in 1972 and 1973. A total of 27 graves were excavated; 17 showed pagan and ten Christian burial features. The figure of 27 refers to the number of graves excavated, while the division into 17 and ten refers to the burial features identified. This allows you to distinguish the scale of the excavation from the classification of the burials.

Dates at Crkvini and Trljuge

Crkvini and Trljuge can be compared using different dates: at Crkvini, the jewellery finds are dated from the 9th to the 15th century; at Trljuge, the relevant dates are the rescue excavations of 1972 and 1973. One refers to the period represented by the archaeological finds, the other to the period when the excavations took place.

Discover more destinations: Korlat, Zapužane, Smilčić, Buković, Benkovac, Nadin, Gornje Ceranje, Donji Karin

For the main travel overview: Općina Benkovac.