Zaboravljeni hramovi boga Marsa: arheologija Velikog rata na primjeru austrougarskih rovova u Senju
The Forgotten Temples of the God Mars: The Archaeology of the Great War on the Example of the Austro-Hungarian Trenches in Senj

Summary/Abstract: In the shadow of numerous works that investigate the history of Senj in the 20th century stands the fact that the period of the First World War has remained a relatively neglected and poorly treated topic that has not yet sparked historiographic interest to a satisfactory level. The lack of local archival materials and insufficiently studied and published other sources stand out as fundamental problems that a researcher of this period is faced with. However, although wars as an indispensable part of history are continuously documented in historical sources, an important part of the information that was not written down on paper has remained stored in material traces, the correct interpretation of which through the discourse of relevant theoretical frameworks can offer an important contribution to the analysis and reconstruction of various aspects of war and warfare. Modern archaeological discipline that is focused on the study of the material remains from a conflict, developing new research methods that allow a better understanding of war events, is called conflict archaeology. An important part of the focus of conflict archaeology is represented by the remains of fortifications whose appearance is not exclusively related to battlefields. The paper presents a hitherto unknown segment of Senj’s military heritage, which refers to the trenches that the Austro-Hungarian army built during the First World War in the Park of Senj Writers, in the area of St Ambrose and around the tennis court on Nehaj hill. On the basis of field prospecting, the processing of written data and consideration of similar examples, the historical, spatial and chronological context of the creation of fortifications is discussed, and on the example of the trench in the Park of Senj Writers, its cultural and historical importance is evaluated as the last and excellently preserved example of military architecture of the First World War in Senj. Consequently, the need to preserve and protect the building is highlighted and a dialogue is opened about the possibilities and requirements of its restoration and valorisation.

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