Slovansko svetišče ali srednjeveški stolp? Ozadje najspornejših arheoloških izkopavanj v povojni Jugoslaviji in interpretacija odkritega objekta

The major post-war excavations in Ptuj, Slovenia, unearthed what was at the time perceived to be the most fascinating artefact in Eastern Europe. The Yugoslav anthropologists and archaeologists had the goal of finding evidence for the set­tlement of Slavs in disputed border areas during the Early Middle Ages. This was in response to the German occupation during World War II, when various Germaniza­tion policies and German archaeological interpretations were prevalent in the public sphere. Aware of their position and mission, these anthropologists and archaeologists claimed that the excavated skeletons and artefacts belonged to the “Old Slavs”, in contrast to earlier German claims that these finds belonged to the “Early Germans”. The most notorious find during the post-war excavations at Ptuj Castle was the so-called “old Slavic sanctuary”. In reality, the find was a robber trench of a tower. The present book is divided into three interconnected sections. The first part deals with the exciting background of the excavations, the discovery, and the debate surrounding the infamous structure in Ptuj. The second section follows the harsh truth that was noted by Heraclitus: “War is the father and king of everything”. In order to present the issue of the interpretation of the excavated remains, the author presents the crucial claims of the decisive actors, including Franjo Baš, Josip Korošec and many others. He questions all the assertions in favour or against considering the structure as a Slavic sanctuary. He also contributes his new and relevant findings to these claims and theories. The third and final section deals with the broader history of Ptuj in Late An­tiquity, the Early and High Middle Ages.