page_title: Desilo
section_title: Significance of archaeological findings
hierarchical_section_title: Desilo / Significance of archaeological findings
caption_attribution_description: English: Prehistoric Illyrians;Sites and Cultures.Data from "The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes,1996" *Blank Map -
context_page_description: Desilo is an underwater archaeological site in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the Neretva river and the Croatian border. The site was first discovered in the late 20th century, but Desilo's history can be traced as far back as ancient times. Investigations by a University of Mostar archaeological team in 2007 uncovered many sunken boats at the bottom of the small lake in Desilo valley. The archaeologists believe these boats to be Illyrian ships, dating back to the first and second centuries B.C. Further excavations in 2008 by University of Oslo archaeologists found evidence suggesting that Desilo was an Illyrian trading post. These archaeological findings are significant because they are the first known discovery of Illyrian ships. Additionally, Desilo functioning as a trading centre suggests there were peaceful interactions between the Illyrians and the Romans.
context_section_description: Lindhagen has said that the discovery at Desilo is the most important find of all time from the Illyrian areas, and that there is still much more to be discovered at the site.
  Prusac and Lindhagen's findings suggesting that Desilo was a trading centre between the Illyrians and Romans reveals peaceful connections between the two groups. Prior to this discovery, descriptions of Illyrians focused on their warlike behavior and terse relations with the Romans and Greeks. Prusac said that revealing peaceful relations between the Illyrians and Romans demonstrates that the Illyrians had grown over time in their cultural contact with other nations.
  Prusac also said that their discovery is important for understanding cultural identities in the Balkans in ancient times. Archaeological research on the Illyrians was used politically as the culture-historical glue of the various groups in the former Yugoslavia, as the neutral term "Illyrian" was applied to all ethnic groups there, but Prusac and Lindhagen's evidence of peaceful relations demonstrates that there were differences between the Illyrian peoples.
caption: Map of prehistoric sites and cultures, including Illyrian, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans
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