Vjera Zlatar Montan

Vjera Zlatar Montan died on December 2, 2015, in Antofagasta, Chile. She was born on April 4, 1926, into a family of Croatian immigrants. She completed her schooling at Liceo de Ninas in Antofagasta and later continued with her university education in Zagreb, Croatia, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1969 with a thesis on the ancient bronze statues in the Split Archaeological Museum and her Master's degree in 1981 with work on the ceramography styles of the New Stone Age. She worked with me for many years as a researcher at the Archaeological Institute of the University of Chile and then at the University of Antofagasta. Vjera was an oustanding archaeologist and historian who became known for her work at Caleta Huelen sites at the mouth of the Rio Loa, where perhaps the best known Chinchorro settlement sites are located, and for her study of the archaeological collection from Pica-8. In Croatia, she worked at the sites of Danilo Gornji (Sibenik), Knin, Murter, and Vucedol.

Among her published works are: Caleta Huelen 42: Una aldea temprana en el norte de Chile (co-authored with Lautaro Nunez and Patricio Nunez), 1974, Hombre y Cultura, Vol 2, No. 5, Panama; Replanteamiento sobre el problema Caleta Huelen-42, 1983, Chungara 10; Cementerio prehispano Pica-8, 1984, Universidad de Antofagasta; Cuatro ceramios precolombinos en Zagreb, 1989, Vjesnik Arceoloskog Muzeja u Zagrebu, XXII, Zagreb. Vjera was also quite active in preserving historic monuments that were damaged during the Croatian independence movement in 1991.

Besides her important archaeological research, Vjera worked with Hrvoj Ostojic to conduct extensive research on the immigration of Croats to Chile. One of her books, Raíces en la Region of Antofagasta (1994), is about the arrival of the Croats in the Chilean north. Other books include De la Bura a la Camanchaca, Historia de Povlja y de sus emigrantes al Norte de Chile (2002), Los croatas, el salitre, y Tarapacá : historia de la inmigración croata en la Provincia de Tarapacá durante los Siglos XIX y XX. Iquique (two editions: 2001 and 2005). In 2005, Stjepan Mesic, President of Croatia, visiting Chile, decorated Vjera with the “Danica Croata Order” for her achievements. Vjera was a true scientist who contributed greatly to the knowledge of past cultures in northern Chile. She will be greatly missed by colleagues and friends.

Vjera Zlatar Montan, Chilean archaeologist born Antofagasta, 7 April. 1926. The daughter of Croatian immigrants from Brac island. As a scholar of the Heritage Foundation she graduated in 1969. studying Archaeology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, where she completed her studies in 1981. She worked in the Archaeological Institute of the University of Antofagasta (1974-85), took part in the research at the mouth of the river Loa and on the Pacific coast, and in Croatia. Her major works deal with the history of Croats in Antofagasta. Main works: Four copies of pre-Columbian ceramics in Zagreb (in: Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, 1989), Croatian roots in the region of Antofagasta (Croatas Raices en la region de Antofagasta, 1994), Croats, saltpeter and Tarapacá (Los Croatas, El Salitre y Tarapacá, 2001), Croatian immigration in Antofagasta (inmigración croata en Antofagasta, 2002).

Vjera Zlatar Montan (Antofagasta) je čileanska povjesničarka hrvatskog podrijetla.

Pisala je o useljavanju Hrvata u Čile, u pokrajinu Tarapacu za vrijeme 19. i 20. stoljeća. Napisala je i djelo Raíces croatas en la Región de Antofagasta 1994., Inmigración Croáta en Antofagasta 2008., zatim Quatro ceramios precolombinos. Diplomirala je 1969. na antičkim brončanim kipovima u splitskom Arheološkom muzeju ] a magistrirala 1981. na stilovima keramografije mlađeg kamenog doba.

Objavila je i djelo zajedno s Hrvojem Ostojićem Perićem (čelni Hrvatskog doma u Iquiqueu) o Povljima i iseljavanju Povljana na sjever Čilea De la Bura a la Camanchaca: historia de Povlja y de sus emigrantes al Norte de Chile.