The topography project in 2025 included test excavations at the sites of St. Vid and Grodac, as well as a field survey of Biševo island and caves on its southern side.
In June 2025, an archaeological field survey of the Grodac hillfort was conducted with the aim of re-evaluating known archaeological features, determining the preservation of structures, detecting new elements, and collecting data for further research. The stone rampart was re-recorded on site, and remains of dry-stone residential structures were also observed.
At the highest point of the acropolis, a carved cistern for collecting rainwater was observed, confirming the presence of organized and permanent habitation at the site. Surface finds are concentrated at several points, with the largest number of fragments belonging to prehistoric pottery (amphora fragments) of local production, without traces of sophisticated processing. Multi-layered use over a longer period was confirmed at the Grodac hillfort site.
In August 2025, in cooperation with Municipal Heritage Museum of Vis, the Institute for Paleontology and Quaternary Geology in Zagreb, and the University of Denver, a seven-day reconnaissance of Vis Island was carried out. The primary goal was to find and select a cave/pit for archaeological excavation in spring-summer 2026. In the first phase of this multi-year project, Duboka Bay, Pritiščina Bay, Tito’s Cave, the peak of Hum island, and the hamlet of Kunjanovo were surveyed, and the most promising candidates for archaeological research were selected.
In September 2025, staff from Municipal Heritage Museum of Vis conducted a field survey of Biševo island with the aim of visual inspection and documentation of potential archaeological and cultural-historical elements. The selected sites were: the areas of Vela Gora and Stražbenica, Dolac od Trešijovca, Požor towards Gatula, the Poje area near the church, and Salbunora Bay. The field survey confirmed the presence of multi-layered archaeological elements on Biševo, with an emphasis on pastoral structures at Stražbenica and ceramic finds in coastal and rural zones. Finds from Salbunora and Poje indicate continuous human activity from prehistory to the modern era, while areas such as Dolac showed an absence of visible traces.
At the end of October 2025, test excavations were conducted at the Grodac and St. Vid sites on Vis Island. At the Grodac site, two trial trenches were opened, one on the acropolis plateau and one on the western slope. The conducted research confirmed the existence of monumental architecture (a rampart 1.5 m wide), the preservation of prehistoric stratigraphy (residential and economic layers with abundant finds), and evidence of a more developed material culture (ceramic repertoire, household items, a metal find, and specific objects – cowrie shell). At the St. Vid site, three trenches were opened within and near the church complex. Fragments of prehistoric pottery were found, indicating the existence of a hillfort site, but more extensive and detailed archaeological research will be needed in the future.
