The logboat from the Ljubljanica River near Vrhnika is a discovery known since the 1980s when it was found by diver Miro Potočnik. In 2001, the Underwater Archaeology Group of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (ZVKDS), under the leadership of Andrej Gaspari, embarked on the first research expedition of the logboat. However, due to the imminent riverbank reinforcement, the team from the Institute of Underwater Archaeology conducted subsequent investigations of the logboat in 2015. Recognizing its vulnerability, it was decided to lift the logboat from the Ljubljanica River.
Once safely raised, the logboat was transported to the Restoration Center of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia. There, a meticulous cleaning process was undertaken, followed by a thorough 3D documentation of the vessel. To safeguard the logboat from the effects of rapid wood shrinkage during the drying process, it was immersed in melamine resin, a preservation technique that will effectively preserve the logboat in its original shape and size.
Measuring just over 15 meters in length, the Celtic-Roman logboat stands as one of the more impressive logboats in Europe. Its construction dates back to the latter half of the 2nd century BC, skillfully crafted by the Celtic inhabitants of the region. Remarkably, this watercraft served multiple generations and quite likely also witnessed the navigation of the Ljubljanica River by the Romans.