Reinterpreting a “Roman villa” site: First results of nondestructive archaeological research in Dračevica (Donji Radišići, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Abstract

The article presents the results of archaeological prospection of site Dračevica (Donji Radiši ci, Ljubuški municipality, West Herzegovina Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina) which was partly excavated in the late 19th century and so far has been interpreted as a Roman villa, possibly with a special function (road station) and a name attested in ancient sources (Bigeste). Through the use of various nondestructive prospecting methods (aerial photogrammetry, fieldwalking survey, magnetic susceptibility, magnetometry, earth resistance), precise location with RTK GNSS and integration of the data in GIS, the site was restudied and reinterpreted. It was established that the structures are not isolated, as was assumed in the earlier research but rather were a part of a much larger Roman settlement. The research proves that the internal spatial division of the site is more complicated than previously thought, consisting of several building complexes located along a road, as well as land division systems. Such settle-