CROATIA- In the spring of 2004. the discovery of a sunken 1st century BC merchant ship by Drazen Peranic, revealed a collection of one hundred amphorae and the remains of two lead anchor. This marine archeological site is located in Vlaška Mala bay, Velebit Canal, eastern of Pag.

Marine archeologists determined that the amphorae belong to a class called Lamboglia 2. Manufactured on the westrn Adriatic coast, there is a belief that production of this type of amphora also occurred on the eastern coastal regions of the Adriatic. Used principally for wine transportation, this class of amphora was predominantly produced from the mid 2nd century to the end of the 1st century BC and utilized mainly for the local Adriatic maritime trade but was also found in other Mediterranean regions. Discovered on one of the retrieved amphora, was the inscripton, "Timo", imprinted by the manufacturer to mark the production series. Along with the amphorae and two lead anchors, other objects were discovered. Close to the main concentration of amphora four ceramic bowles and a grain mill were also found. All these object were part of the ship's gallery. During an archeological survey of the site, on its outskirts a lead weight used as a depth gauge was discovered. The city of Novalja, with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture, declared the archeological discovery a protected site in May 2004. Today, the site is protected with an iron cage, 10 meters wide, 12 meters long and 2 to 4 meters high were scientists are allowed access through a hatch to conduct research. Recreational divers have free access to visit the site.

HISTORY:

During the 2nd and 1 st centuries BC, the Roman state expanded across the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, encountering numerous and hostile Illyrian tribes that rebelled against Roman rule for centuries. In the 9th century AD, Roman rulers divided the Illyrian province into Dahnacia and Panonnia.
On the island of Pag, which Latin sources referred to as Cissa, the Romans came across a powerful Illyrian tribe, the Liburians. Famed seafarers, the Liburians dominated a vast area of the Adriatic Sea during the early centuries of the first millennium before Christ.
Roman power was strengthened with the arrival of numerous settlers who hailed from areas of Italy and other parts of the Roman state. This influx of settlers influenced an increase in maritime trade with local coastal areas and other parts of the Mediterranean. However, hostile attacks from indigenous tribes, poor understanding of navigational routes and climatic conditions lead to numerous shipwrecks, many of which can be found today.
The known Roman settlements on the northern part of Pag: Cissa in the Caska region; and Navalia in the Novalja region, developed into political, admnnistrativeand ma rit imecenters.
The ancient Greeks were the first to use the amphora as a means of storing oil, wine and many other products. However, it was the Romans who adopted the amphora as a way to transport goods as their maritime trade increased across the Mediterranean. Made from a resilient ceramic material, the amphora has withstood the ravages of time and enables us to study the cargo of ancient shipwrecks. This has given us insight into the ancient maritime trade routes and economy of the period.

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Diving Kornati - Brijuni

The waters of the national park of Brijuni are extraordinary for scuba diving, which is organised through guided groups of divers that can view and photograph the seabed of the national park.

As far as diving is concerned there is a wide choice of themes and depths and every demand can be met. The physical articulation of the archipelago, its islets, rocks and shoals, the indented coastline and the different exposition of bays, capes and passages to squalls and waves and the different kinds of rocky and sedimentary sea beds point to the fact that in this relatively small area (around 40km2) many species of marine organism can be seen. The seabed of the national park of Brijuni, by its primary characteristics, does not vary from other areas of the northern Adriatic.

The diversity and the density of populations and the preservation of natural habitats are its main values. Particularly rich and diverse is the fish stock that prospers protected from overfishing. The fish populations are by their density and the size of single specimens representative. Besides the common, commercial species like two-banded breams, groupers, dentexes, forkbeards, black umbers etc., there are numerous and beautiful fish from the blenny and labrid species. The fish fauna makes the waters of Brijuni unique and different from other parts of the Adriatic.

The area of Brijuni is the only island group in the northern Adriatic that has resisted the harmful consequences of industry and the expansion of tourism, which again makes it very unique. Its waters are the refuge and "nursery" for many plant and animal species, which under the influence of pollution, tourism and overfishing are quickly disappearing in other parts of western Istria and northern Adriatic.