Salamandrija on Palagru？a: site formation from the Early Neolithic to the present day

Sa？etak The authors are presenting the results and interpretation of archaeological excavations spanning two decades on the small island of Palagru？a situated in the centre of the Adriatic Sea. Palagru？a attracted the attention of researchers when the cult site of the Greek hero Diomedes was discovered in 1994. However, archaeological excavations yielded numerous artefacts and architectural remains, which have shown that Palagru？a was visited in different historic periods, in the Early Neolithic and the Late Copper/Early Bronze Age, from the Archaic to Early Roman Imperial Period, in Late Antiquity, the Early Middle Ages and from the 19th century to the present. Analysis of the archaeological artefacts unearthed on Palagru？a has shown that this small island was utilized for different purposes: it was used as a staging post, an orientation and observation point, a sacred place, a fort and as a lighthouse. The interpretation of cultural layers presented here demonstrates that Palagru？a was in the focus during the main turning points in human history, testifying to its importance in Adriatic and Mediterranean seaborne traffic