The Department of Archaeology was established in 1991 with the employment of archaeologist Saša Djura Jelenko. Department’s main tasks are collecting, studying, documenting and safeguarding movable archaeological heritage. The department has materials from the early Stone Age, late and early Middle Ages to early Modern Period in its possession. The archaeological depot contains materials gathered at various archaeological sites: Legen near Slovenj Gradec (cemetery and settlement from late Iron Age); Pigl na Javorniku/ Ravne na Koroškem (prehistoric settlement); Mislinjska dobrava/ Hartenstein (prehistoric and Roman ruins); Colationa/ Colatio / Stari trg near Slovenj Gradec (Roman settlement and postal station); Zgornje Dovže near Mislinja (Roman countryside estate); cave Pilenica above Huda luknja (finds from the Roman period); Puščava above Stari trg (late antiquity and early Slavic cemetery); St. George’s Church in Legen (early Slavic cemetery and church from the 9th century); Ribnica na Pohorju – Church of St. Jernej (Middle Ages); Vodriž Castle (Middle Ages and Modern Period); Ravne/ Streiteben Castle (Middle Ages and Modern Period); Slovenj Gradec – old town centre (Grammar School 1999/ 2000, Music School 2009/ 2010, Trg svobode square 2010, Middle Ages and Modern Period); Šentilj – Church of St. Ilj (Middle Ages and Modern Period).
The excavated objects are being systematically included in occasional exhibitions, from 1992 onwards the permanent archaeological exhibition Archaeology of Koroška Region was displayed on the ground floor of museum headquarters (address: Glavni trg 24), but was closed in 2010 due to the renovation of the building. Renovation was part of the project “Zrcaljenje podob – oživljeni zven preteklosti” (“Mirroring Images – Sound of the Past Brought to Life”). Since 1995 the department is in charge of St. George’s Church in Legen. Archaeological parks Colatio, Grammar School Slovenj Gradec, Dovže and Ravne Castle have been set up at locations of exploration sites. Chapel of the Ravne Castle houses a lapidary exhibition containing Roman stones from Zagrad and Ravne.
The materials are presented in exhibition catalogues and articles. Archaeologist Saša Djura Jelenko was taking part in archaeological explorations at sites of the Štajerska motorway’s construction for ten years. In 2008 our second archaeologist, Maja Kumprej Gorjanc, was employed by the museum.
The Department of Archaeology houses 3,400 colour slides, approximately 4,300 black and white negatives, 1,152 digital images and more than 6,700 archaeological objects. 2,350 museum exhibits have been digitalized..
Saša Djura Jelenko, B.A. (university degree in archaeology), museum councillor
sasa.djura.jelenko@kpm.si
Anja Mihelič Pogorelčnik, B.A.(university degree in archaeology), curator
anja.mihelic@kpm.si
