Erosion, sedimentation and rising sea levels can have a significant impact on archaeological research. They have altered the coastline and small-scale topography, both above and below the water’s surface. Consequently, the spatial context of historical coastal cities and settlements is lost forever. Osor, an Iron Age and Roman town situated on the island of Cres in the northern Adriatic, exemplifies the methodological challenges posed by coastal archaeological sites.

In such cases, geoarchaeological studies can provide insights into the course of these changes, thus contributing to a better understanding of the past. In the case of Osor, the focus was on how its coastal location and maritime accessibility have changed since prehistoric times. In this context, the presumed locations of the city’s ports and the formation of the Osor Channel were investigated. The study reports the results of these investigations and provides evidence that the Osor Channel evolved naturally and that some form of marine communication was feasible during the Bronze Age,rather than being created by means of human intervention during the Iron Age or Roman period. Using the OSL-PD method, Jaz Bay is ruled out as a Roman port, and the possible urban harbour in Bijar Bay is briefly examined.

Miko S., Doneus N., Brunović D., Hasan O., Doneus M., Kinnaird T., Hus P., Šegović F.; Ilijanić N.; Šparica Miko M., Fera M. 2025: Dip your finger in the sea… Geoarchaeological view on coastal setting and maritime accessibility of the coastal town of Osor, northern Adriatic. Studia universitatis hereditati 13(2), 13-40.

DOI: 10.26493/2350-5443.13(2)13-40