TITLE:
The Kolun Hillfort (Mrežica, Bosnia and Herzegovina): An Integrated High-Resolution Geospatial Documentation of a Fortification Provisionally Attributed to the Illyrian and Medieval Periods
AUTHORS:
Sam Osmanagich
KEYWORDS:
Kolun Hillfort, Illyrian Hillfort, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Geodetic Survey, RTK-GNSS, UAV Photogrammetry, LiDAR, GIS, Digital Terrain Model, Dry-Stone Fortification
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.17 No.8,
August
24,
2026
ABSTRACT: The Kolun Hillfort, located near the village of Mrežica in the municipality of Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a recently recognized fortified site provisionally attributed to the Illyrian period, with probable reuse during the Middle Ages based on surface morphology and typological comparison with regional hillforts; this chronological attribution has not yet been confirmed by excavation or absolute dating. Despite its archaeological potential, the locality has not previously been investigated through systematic archaeological, geodetic, or geospatial research. No detailed topographic survey, LiDAR dataset, UAV photogrammetric model, or GIS documentation has been available. A comprehensive geospatial survey was therefore undertaken using RTK-GNSS measurements, Total Station surveying, UAV photogrammetry, airborne LiDAR, digital terrain modeling, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The integrated survey produced a centimeter-level digital model of the hillfort and its surrounding landscape. The resulting dataset documents the preserved dry-stone fortifications, natural defensive cliffs, internal plateau, terrain morphology, and principal access routes. Rather than offering archaeological interpretations, this paper establishes a reliable spatial framework for future investigations. The digital documentation provides an objective reference for archaeological excavation, landscape analysis, architectural reconstruction, defensive studies, and other multidisciplinary research. The workflow presented here may also serve as a practical model for documenting fortified archaeological sites elsewhere in the western Balkans.