While we could say that the town of Vis is one large archaeological site, with the ancient town of Issa sleeping beneath its modern counterpart, there are locales you can visit in case you want to see these ancient ruins. One of these locations is Martvilo, which is the local name for the site of the south-western Issa necropolis. 

You’ll find a number of headstones here, marking grave sites that were often used for the burial of the entire family. This was done by means of inhumation, in which the bones (the skeletal remains) of the deceased are laid to rest. In later ages, due to the increase in population, the remains were incinerated and the ashes placed in urns, which were then buried in the ground.

As it so often happens, this site has been damaged through lack of care, during wars, and in part due to badly performed excavations. There’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of research here, but most of the artefacts found can be seen in the archaeological museums of the towns of Vis and Split. A good portion of the site has been preserved and can be visited daily. The burials on this site began in 4th century BC, so don’t miss to see this piece of ancient history in Vis.

See more about Island of Vis

№42 of 52 places in Island of Vis
№1968 of 2178 places in Croatia
№3 of 3 museums and galleries in Island of Vis
№164 of 175 museums and galleries in Croatia

Guides in this place

• A Guide for a One Day Trip to island of Vis
• A Guide for a Three Days on the island of Vis