Remains of an Early Christian church at Groblje sv. Ive, Livno

Apstrakt

Groblje svetog Ive (St. John’s cemetery) in Livno is a multi-layered sacral and sepulchral site on which archaeological excavations were conducted in 1991, 1993 and 1994. Material evidence demonstrates the presence of a Roman necropolis, the remains of an Early Christian church with vaulted tombs, a cemetery in use from the Early Middle Ages to the Early Modern period, and the ruins of a Franciscan monastery of St. John the Baptist dating to the first quarter of the 14th century AD. Due to the complexity of the archaeological site in question, the earliest Christian artifacts were the least preserved. The Early Christian cultural layer has never been analysed in its entirety, and neither have the vast majority of poorly preserved architectural artefacts. Based on the architectural elements unearthed, it is possible to partially define the south-western and southern portions of the church, including its narthex and pre-narthex, as well as the southern chambers belonging to the annex, and a central nave. The eastern and south-eastern architectural components have been completely obliterated.