Roman Store-houses and Roman Necropolis

Several decades ago, in 1928. foundations of a large building about 70 metres long were excavated in the harbour of Vrsar.In Roman times Vrsar was an important trade centre and according to archaeologists' opinion these foundations belonged to Roman store-houses for merchandise (lat.horreum). Harbour equipment from the Roman period shows the existence of brisk trading at that time. In the past the remains of the Roman embankment could also be seen in the harbour. On the southern side of the promontory Montraker. which is bordering the harbour from the north, remains of the Roman necropolis (graveyard) have been discovered, together with a modest sepulchral inventory. The ashes of burned dead bodies used to be put into the urns and then buried. Some ten years ago a Roman cipus (tombstone) from the 2nd century was excavated in the harbour. The tombstone was erected by a husband to his beloved wife. On the cipus the following text is engraved: DIES MANIBUS SECURAE CON1UGI DULCISSIMAE AURELIUS CRAESCES FECIT. (To the house-gods. To the sweet wife Secura. raised by Aurelius Crasces). This is the only Roman epigraphic monument discovered in Vrsar. At present it is kept in the Regional Museum in Poreč". Fragments of late antique sarcophagi have also been found in Vrsar.