The Bukovščica Case Study

Curators: Jože Štukl, Jerica Brečić, Simona Žvanut

Between 2010 and 2011, archaeological excavations were conducted in the hamlet of Bukovščica in the Municipality of Škofja Loka, revealing the remains of a settlement dating back to the post-medieval period. The exhibition presents the archaeological methods used in the research of this small archaeological site in the Selca Valley.

Through the story illustrating the uncovering of Bukovščica’s past, you will learn about the archaeologists’ work procedures: how a potential site that later requires excavation is identified, how fieldwork is carried out, what excavation tools and equipment are used, what is involved in the post-excavation processes, and how archaeological finds are processed and stored at the museum. You will also get to see and partly touch a selection of small finds, as well as various tools used by archaeologists.

The exhibition continues in the museum’s hallway and website, which will gradually be updated with further pottery research and analyses conducted even after this exhibition is no longer on view.

The Fokus exhibition area, situated by the main entrance, highlights the results of recent research on the materials discovered at the Bukovščica site. On view between May and August, the first Fokus examines crossbow-shaped pottery marks discovered on the undersides of individual pots ­– an unusual find for this area.

From August to the end of October, the focus will be on a jug found at the Bukovščica site. Dating back to the 16th century, this find stands out because such ware typically appears in urban, bourgeois settings rather than being excavated in a rural context.