Beneath the modern streets of Zadar, Croatia's oldest continuously inhabited city, archaeologists are piecing together a remarkable record of ancient life and death. Recent excavations have confirmed the existence of a massive Roman necropolis that was used continuously for over five centuries. This expansive burial ground, linked to the ancient Roman city of Iader, has yielded more than 3,000 tombs so far, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the social fabric, burial customs, and trade networks of the ancient Adriatic.
Excavation site of the massive Roman necropolis in Zadar, Croatia. (Department of Archaeology at the University of Zadar)
The sheer scale and longevity of the Relja district necropolis make it one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the region. According to Arkeonews, the uninterrupted use of this burial site from the late 1st century BC to the 5th century AD provides a statistically significant dataset that allows researchers to analyze long-term cultural patterns and the gradual transformation of Roman funerary practices. Led by full professors Igor Borzić and Ivana Jadrić-Kučan from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Zadar, the most recent excavations have confirmed the site's extraordinary depth and breadth.
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Strategic Urban Planning and the City of the Dead
The positioning of the Zadar necropolis adhered strictly to established Roman customs and urban planning principles. According to Roman law and religious tradition, burials were strictly prohibited within the city walls to maintain a clear boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. Consequently, cemeteries were typically situated along the major thoroughfares leading into urban centers. The Relja necropolis developed along one such key access route to Iader, serving both a practical and symbolic purpose, ensuring visibility to travelers and accessibility for funeral processions, in perfect alignment with the structured layout of Roman cities.
Roman sarcophagi in the forum remains of Iader, modern-day Zadar, Croatia. (Carole Raddato/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Archaeological investigations, which have spanned more than a century, reveal that the graves are distributed across a wide urban perimeter. Today, this extensive necropolis lies hidden beneath commercial buildings, residential zones, public institutions, and even a shopping center. Sites such as the Relja shopping center, the Casa Minima, the Tourist Information Center building, the surroundings of the Church of St. John, and the space known as Relja Garden all sit atop this ancient funerary landscape. The density of burials in this corridor suggests it was the primary funerary zone during the peak periods of Iader's occupation, reflecting the city's growth and prosperity.
Grave Goods Reveal Beliefs and Social Status
The ongoing excavations at the Relja site, particularly recent work by the University of Zadar at the former Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) location, have uncovered a rich array of objects buried alongside the deceased. These grave goods carry profound symbolic and practical significance within Roman funerary traditions. Ceramic and glass vessels are among the most common finds, likely intended to provide food and drink for the afterlife, reflecting a belief system in which the afterlife closely mirrored earthly existence.
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Medieval fortifications in present-day Zadar from the 13th century. (Fred Romero / CC BY 2.0)
Other frequently discovered items include jewelry, which points to the personal identity and social standing of the individual. Oil lamps, or lucernae, were commonly placed beside the deceased to symbolically illuminate the darkness of the tomb. Coins are also a staple find, associated with the ritual payment required for passage to the underworld — a tradition rooted in the ancient myth of Charon's obol. Furthermore, the discovery of large amphorae and ceramic urns used as funerary containers highlights the diversity of burial methods, which varied according to wealth, status, and evolving cultural influences within the Roman Empire.
Part of the excavated necropolis. (Department of Archaeology at the University of Zadar)
A Thriving Hub in Roman Dalmatia
Perhaps one of the most illuminating aspects of the Zadar necropolis is what it reveals about the city's connectivity. The artifacts recovered from the graves exhibit a remarkable diversity of materials and styles, originating from various parts of the Mediterranean. This indicates that ancient Iader was deeply integrated into both regional and long-distance trade networks, consistent with its role as a major port on the eastern Adriatic coast.
As a strategic coastal city, Zadar served as a vital link connecting maritime routes across the Adriatic Sea with the inland territories of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The imported goods found in the burial contexts provide direct evidence of these active trade connections, reinforcing the city's status as a crucial commercial and cultural hub. Each new discovery in the subsoil of Relja continues to refine our understanding of this expansive funerary landscape, proving that the layers of history hidden beneath Zadar still have many stories to tell about life in the ancient Roman world.
Top image: Sarcophagus at the Roman necropolis in Zadar. Source: Department of Archaeology at the University of Zadar
By Gary Manners
References
Arkeonews. 23 March 2026. Croatia's Zadar Reveals a Massive Roman Necropolis Used Continuously for 500 Years Beneath Its Streets. Available at: https://arkeonews.net/croatias-zadar-reveals-a-massive-roman-necropolis-used-continuously-for-500-years-beneath-its-streets/
Carvajal, G. 23 March 2026. A massive Roman necropolis beneath the urban core of the Croatian city of Zadar, with more than three thousand tombs. La Brújula Verde. Available at: https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/03/a-massive-roman-necropolis-beneath-the-urban-core-of-the-croatian-city-of-zadar-with-more-than-three-thousand-tombs/
Greek Reporter. 24 March 2026. Roman Necropolis With 3,000 Tombs Discovered Beneath Croatia's Oldest City. Available at: https://greekreporter.com/2026/03/24/roman-necropolis-tombs-zadar-croatia/
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