Border regions have often been overlooked in favour of more central areas. Their peripheral location has placed them at the margins of scholarly interest. Yet these regions were by no means isolated from the processes that shaped the core areas, quite the contrary. This raises an important question: have these regions always occupied a marginal position, or is their perceived marginality a modern construct? To address this question, the project adopts a multidisciplinary methodological framework, integrating approaches from several scientific disciplines with the ultimate aim of reconstructing the prehistoric landscape from an interdisciplinary perspective. The research focuses on four archaeological sites: Vlakno, Kozja peć, Pećina u Ždrilu, and Vaganačka pećina. Two are situated in the maritime border zone and two in the mountainous border region. Although these areas differ considerably in their geomorphological and environmental characteristics, they share a common feature: both have traditionally been regarded as peripheral. The selected sites were chosen because they preserve well-developed chronological sequences and rich, continuous stratigraphic records spanning multiple periods of prehistory, with no evidence of significant hiatuses. Such continuous archaeological archives are absent from the central study area. Using these sites as case studies, the project will investigate the dynamic interactions between prehistoric human communities and their environments.

Vlakno Cave is located in the central part of Dugi Otok. Its wide entrance and relatively small chamber made it an ideal shelter for small human communities from the earliest phases of prehistory. The site's exceptional archaeological potential became evident during the initial test excavations. The test trench reached a depth of almost 5 m, revealing a continuous sequence of cultural deposits spanning approximately the last 19,500 years. The stratigraphic profile shows the significance of Vlakno. Preliminary results of geoarchaeological analyses show strong anthropogenic processes in almost all layers, and the thick cultural layer and stratigraphy without visible breaks place Vlakno among the few sites in the wider Adriatic area where it is possible to follow the development of the last phases of the Pleistocene, after the peak of the Ice Age and the adaptation of communities to the new climatic period of the Holocene. Across the Adriatic region, most Late Upper Palaeolithic sites dated by radiocarbon analysis cluster after c. 15,000 BC. Vlakno represents one of the rare exceptions, preserving evidence of earlier occupation. The stratigraphic sequence identified so far is dominated by the Epigravettian cultural tradition, represented by a characteristic assemblage of artefacts alongside a number of exceptionally rare, and in some cases unique, finds for the Adriatic region.

Kozja peć is located in the central part of Dugi Otok at an elevation of approximately 200 m above sea level. This large but relatively simple karst feature was formed by the collapse of the roof of an extensive underground chamber, creating an oval-shaped cavity approximately 40 m long. Test excavations revealed an archaeological deposit nearly 4 m thick, characterised by a dense succession of thin occupation layers accumulated over an extended period. Many of these layers were only a few centimetres thick and proved difficult to distinguish using standard excavation techniques. The sequence consists of repeated alternations of burnt deposits, grey powdery sediment, and yellow sandy soil. Although detailed sedimentological analyses are still required, preliminary macroscopic observations suggest that these deposits were formed through the repeated burning of livestock dung. This distinctive depositional pattern, together with the abundance of ovicaprid remains, indicates that Kozja peć was used seasonally as a shelter for flocks of sheep and goats. Associated archaeological finds demonstrate that the cave was occupied from at least the Late Neolithic onwards. However, an even earlier phase of occupation cannot be excluded. The test excavations were terminated at a depth of 3.8 m not because sterile deposits or bedrock had been reached, but because the limited size of the excavation trench made further investigation impractical.

Vaganačka Cave is situated on the maritime side of the Velebit mountain, at an elevation of approximately 660 m above sea level, below the Veliko Rujno plateau. It has long been recognised as an archaeological site of exceptional importance due to its rich stratigraphy and evidence of continuous occupation from the Mesolithic through to the Early Iron Age. However, a long time span since the original excavations calls for renewed research, enabling the application of analytical methods and technologies that were previously unavailable. The primary objective of future investigations is to determine whether the cave preserves evidence of even earlier phases of occupation than those currently documented. Research conducted to date suggests that, at least during the Late Bronze Age, the cave was spatially organised into areas used for human habitation and sections reserved exclusively for livestock management. Preliminary zooarchaeological analyses have identified the presence of ovicaprids and cattle, alongside wild species such as red deer. The occurrence of deer, a species typically associated with forested environments, provides valuable information about the character of the surrounding prehistoric landscape. Planned micromorphological analyses are expected to offer further insights into site formation processes and the seasonal patterns of cave use.

Ždrilo Cave, near Rovanjska, is a complex karst site situated on the eastern side of the Novigradsko Ždrilo strait. The stratigraphic sequence identified to date can be broadly divided into three principal phases: modern, Neolithic, and Palaeolithic. As in Kozja peć, the upper part of the sequence is characterised by a distinctive "layer-cake" sedimentary facies composed of numerous thin deposits containing archaeological material dated to the Early and Middle Neolithic (c. 5800–4900 BC). These Neolithic deposits overlie a much older Palaeolithic sequence. The uppermost Palaeolithic layers are marked by extensive flowstone formations and stone accumulations across almost the entire excavated area. One of the flowstone layers also contains a thin NYT tephra deposit identical to that identified at Vlakno Cave on Dugi Otok, providing an important regional stratigraphic marker. Although represented by a relatively small lithic assemblage, the lower Palaeolithic deposits can be attributed to the Early Upper Palaeolithic, making Ždrilo Cave one of the very few sites of this period currently known in Croatia. The site's exceptional significance is further enhanced by the presence of an underlying Mousterian layer. Both the lithic assemblage and radiocarbon dates support its attribution to the Middle Palaeolithic. Ždrilo Cave is currently the only known site on the eastern Adriatic coast that preserves both Middle and Upper Palaeolithic occupations within a single continuous stratigraphic sequence. As such, it provides a unique opportunity to investigate the transition between these cultural periods and to explore the relationship between Neanderthal populations and anatomically modern humans in the region.