Trnovo pri Ilirski Bistrici v starejši železni dobi / Trnovo near Ilirska Bistrica in the Early Iron Age

Notranjska is a region that has been archaeologically poorly investigated. It has many fortified settlements from prehistory, but very few associated cemeteries, which are the most relevant source for studying the identity and development of prehistoric communities, their material culture, social structure, customs and contacts with neighbouring cultural regions. These few cemeteries include the Early Iron Age necropolis at Trnovo near Ilirska Bistrica. It is among the best researched sites in Notranjska. The first archaeological excavation took place here in 1926/27, led by the Italian archaeologist Raffaello Battaglia from Padua. The second and last major excavation was carried out in 1978 by archaeologists Nada Osmuk, from the heritage protection institute in Nova Gorica, and Mehtilda Urleb, from the Notranjska Museum Postojna. The finds and findings from both archaeological campaigns are comprehensively presented in this book.

The first part of the book outlines the geography and the state of research of the archaeological site that comprises the prehistoric settlement at Gradišče and the cemetery located on the ridge east of it. The second part brings the results of the archaeological analyses of the funerary ritual, as well as the cultural and chronological attribution of the grave goods. In the conclusion of this part, the authors discuss the beginnings and development of the Trnovo community in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, as well as its role within a wider network of connections. Also published are the results of the radiocarbon analyses of select human bone samples, the anthropological and the geological analyses. The book ends with a catalogue of graves and finds with documentary photographs and drawings of the artefacts and grave plans on 42 plates. These represent an important source of information for the study of the period from 10th/9th to the 5th century BC in the northern Adriatic and south-eastern Alpine areas.

The book is the result of a collaboration between the Institute of Archaeology ZRC SAZU and the Notranjska Museum Postojna.