Ana Veličković Kastratović is currently a third-year PhD student of archaeology at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy (Serbia). At the same institution, she got her BA (2018) and her MA (eng. Possible new conclusions regarding the process of Romanization based on the research of Roman bi-ritual burials, 2020). During her studies, she developed special interests in topics like the development of the early Roman Empire, Roman Army, Roman Provincial Archaeology and Theoretical Archaeology. She also worked on a couple of archaeological sites – Karamburnaki site in Thessaloniki (Greece), Belgrade Fortress (Serbia) and Glac site in Sremska Mitrovica (Serbia). Through her PhD, Ana hopes to gain new insides regarding the cross-cultural contacts and transmissions on the territory of Risan in modern-day Montenegro during the last four centuries BC.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF ANCIENT HERITAGE IN THE TOWN OF RISAN – POSSIBLE CASE STUDY
The town of Risan, on the territory of the present-day state of Montenegro, is an excellent example of a settlement with a long continuity of life from the ancient period of Greek colonies to the present day. Due to its long history, certain cultural phenomena have resisted the oblivion of time and survived even to this day. This is evident in the stories and legends heard from the local population, which talk about the glorious ancient past of their city. Those traditions are so significant that they materialized in the form of the names of apartments, hotels, shops and restaurants.
On the other hand, although local patriotism is present among Risan inhabitants, when it comes to cultural heritage, the practical results of heritage protection are weak due to lack of money and potential lack of interest. The remains of the Roman villa, which have been turned into a museum, fared best. It is also the only example of monetization of cultural heritage in Risan, regardless of the period. The remains of the settlement and the palace, discovered by Polish archaeologists, remained unprotected due to lack of funding. The exposed trenches periodically fill with rain, becoming deep pools and thereby endangering the children who pass there when going to the nearby elementary school. Because of this, there is a possibility that that area will be turned into a parking lot for the Teuta Hotel or a children’s playground.
The aim of this paper is to showcase the ambivalence of cultural heritage in one place and how it changes. Hopefully, in the meantime, an ethnographic case study can be conducted in Risan to better understand the local perceptions of heritage and their expectations of it.