PITANJE FUNKCIJE I SNABDIJEVANJA VODOM PRAISTORIJSKIH GRADINSKIH UTVRĐENJA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI
THE QUESTION OF THE FUNCTION AND WATER SUPPLY OF PREHISTORIC HILLFORTS FORTIFICATIONS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Summary/Abstract: In the territory of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, approximately 600 hillfort fortifications from the later phases of the prehistoric period have been confirmed. Previous research on these fortifications has primarily focused on examining the construction techniques of defensive walls, cultural affiliations, and their chronological positioning, achieving some initial successes in these areas. It is now generally believed that these strategically located fortifications served as settlements, refuges, and organized defensive sites during turbulent times of the Bronze and Iron Ages. However, very little attention has been paid to one of the essential conditions for the function of such defensive fortifications, namely, the issue of a secure supply of drinking water. Without this, successful defense during any significant siege would be unimaginable. In certain fortifications from the Hellenistic period, large rectangular depressions carved into rocks have been discovered, believed to have collected atmospheric water and possibly served as cisterns. However, the construction and usage system of these cisterns, as well as the precise dating of their construction, remains unclear. In the study of fortifications from the earlier Iron Age and the Bronze Age, this crucial aspect has been completely overlooked. This paper presents the results of recent research indicating a direct dependence of the fortification’s function on water supply possibilities, as well as the complexity and potential explanations for this important issue.

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