| Dubrovnik & the surrounding area |

The City of Dubrovnik is under UNESCO protection. Several thousand years before Christ, by some estimates 6000 years and 2000-3000 years by others, the area near Dubrovnik was inhabited. The existence of the city was lost in the cloudy course of history, legends are interwoven with historical facts and there are no preserved documents from those ancient times or there are so few that historians and archaeologists are left with the massive task of bringing these many assumptions on the life near Dubrovnik to light. One thing is certain - Dubrovnik is an old city, standing on its stone cliffs for at least 14 centuries.

Before Dubrovnik, there was a much older city, Epidaurum, which developed in the area of where Cavtat is today, 18 kilometres southeast of Dubrovnik. Until the time of its demise in the 7th century, Epidaurum existed for at least 10 and perhaps as many as 12 centuries. Some historians have stated that the Greeks founded the colony as early as the 7th century before Christ. In the clash between the epoch and the people, Epidaurum, the city of antiquity, was erased from the map, and its small number of inhabitants sought refuge in the neighbouring regions, today's Zupa Dubrovacka, where the fortified cities of Spilan and Gradac (Burnum) were, and the rocky islet Laus, also inhabited, which thus became the first city core of old Dubrovnik. The rapid settlement of Laus was the beginning of development of a new city, today's Dubrovnik (in the 7th century) which would, on that small rocky area, grow deep roots and build a glorious and heroic history in the stormy centuries to follow.

During the 7th century, the Slavic tribes, among them the superior Croats, had already set up permanent residence along the majority of the eastern Adriatic coast, with the exception of a few fortified Roman cities, which were more and more becoming ethnic islands in the flood of the Slavic population. In comparison to the development of cities with a Roman population, a settlement was developing near Ragusium, at the foothills of Mount Srd, which received the Croatian name Dubrovnik. The name came from the oak forests which even today are called "dubrave" today. During the 10th and 11th centuries, the sea strait between the two settlements became shallower due to alleviation and in the end was dried up. When the two settlements, already joined together, were fortified and strengthened within the same city walls at the end of 12th century, the result was Dubrovnik Old Town, an urban centre preserved to the present day.

The remnants of the city of antiquity Narona have been found in the area surrounding the village of Vid, 3 kilometres from Metkovic. Narona was a Roman colony and emporium and its massive wealth based on trade. These are the most precious remains of historical heritage in this area. Archaeological digs from 1995 and 1996 provided epochal results, with the discovery of Augusteum, the temple consecrated to the divinized Augustus (16 monumental figures), making this site one of the most significant archaeological sites outside of Rome.

Over the past decade, a permanent archaeological collection has been set up, archaeological research on the early Christian basilica at the site of the Chapel of St. Vid has been conducted, archaeological research and conservation of the early Christian basilica and the ruins of Roman villa rustica (country homes) at Bare conducted, research on the city walls of Gornji grad (the upper town) completed, and research on the city walls of Donji grad (the lower town) started, including research on the settlement which preceded the Roman Narona, with ruins found under the level of the forum.
In the area of the large forum, the most impressive structure is Augusteum. This small temple, with its vestibule, lying upon a raised plateau alongside the forum, was erected in honour of the Emperor Augustus about 10 years before Christ. At that time, the first statues were added in its interior, with the largest, a statue of Augustus in his imperial robes, measuring nearly 3 metres in height. Following his death, the Emperor's Regent Publius Cornelius Dolabella had the temple renovated (the portrait of Livia of Narona, as well as the bust of Mercury, now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford). Later, during the period of Emperor Claudius, new statues were added. During the rule of Vespasian in 74 A.D., significant works were conducted at Narona, and on this occasion an inscription and sculpture were added. Only the head remains of this sculpture, and it was discovered in the direct vicinity of Augusteum some 20 years ago. These final statues were added to the temple in the period of the rule of Sever, in the middle of the 2nd century. According to research to date, it can be concluded that Augusteum was destroyed at the transition between the 4th and 5th centuries. A museum pavilion that will display all the artefacts and statues is expected to be opened soon.

Five points have been defined which currently provide insight into Narona. Those are:
1. The Chapel of St. Vid. In front of the chapel, an early Christian christening font considered to be used during the time of Prince Domagoj,
2. the early Christian church outside the city walls called Bare after the settlement of the same name upon which it stood,
3. the complex of the early Christian basilica on the northeastern city of the town, which for the time being has only been researched by probing,
4. the blueprints of the city walls surrounding Gornji grad and descending down to Donji grad, and
5. the Forum, today the town square, next to Augusteum. The Narona Museum is to be constructed here.

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The island's history dates back to the Illyrian tribe who left stone constructions, place names and grave sites throughout the entire island of Mljet as evidence of their existence. The island was first mentioned at Appiana 35 years before Christ when the Romans took over the Illyrian city Melitus from unknown rulers. Evidence of the power and wealth of the time is seen in the impressive walls of the Roman palace at Polace, two basilicas, thermal spas, the arsenal and the remains of a shipyard, now underwater. In this natural harbour, protected from strong winds, are the remains of the column where the Roman galleys used to dock at. The harbour is protected by four small islands: (Moracnik, Tajnik, Ovrata, Kobrava), and has a source of drinking water which also determined the placement of the palace. In the 5th century, this Roman property provided 500 solida in annual income. The main economics activities were: production of salt, wine, olive oil, honey, meat, goat cheese, and fish (both dried and salted). As no traces of inhabitancy were found in the Polace inlet, it is believed that Roman galleys wintered there which would explain why so many Church constructions were necessary. Through the centuries, the fall of the Western Roman civilization caused a changed in rule: first came the Western Goths, followed by the Eastern Roman empire which appeared to rule over the western portion of the island until the 12th century when the people from the Neretva Valley finally took over the island of Mljet.

Afterwards, the feudal rulers of the island were the Benedictines who arrived from Mt. Gargana in Italy. In the centre of the islet in the Great Lake, they constructed a monastery and the Church of St. Mary. The Church was built quickly because Pope Innocent III issued a document consecrating the Church in 1198. Over the centuries, the Church changed its appearance due to the changes in style from Renaissance to Baroque, however the central part of the Church remained Romanesque. In 1345, the Benedictines relinquished power of the island, maintaining only a third of the property; the island received a Statute and Region in Babina Polja. It was formally annexed to the Dubrovnik Republic in 1410. The Region was obligated, by an Agreement with the Benedictines, to pay an annual compensation of 300 hiperper.

The monastery was also renovated into Renaissance style to ensure that it was harmonious with the Church, most likely in the 16th century when the central headquarters of the Mljet congregation (Congregatio Melitensem or Melitanam), which brought together all the Benedictine monasteries in the area of the Republic of Dubrovnik, resided there. At the head of the Mljet congregation was the first President Mavro Vetranovic Cavcic, the Abbott from the Mljet monastery and a poet from Dubrovnik. There was poetry who was Abbott of the Mljet monastery- Ignjat Djurdjevic, but in the 18th century. The Benedictine monastery on Mljet lost its importance over time, and the central headquarters of the Mljet congregation was moved to Saint Jacob in Dubrovnik.

Napoleon's rule closed down these monasteries, and the Benedictine monastery on Mljet was abandoned in 1809. Later, in the middle of the 19th century, the Austrian Forest Administration resided there; between World War I and World War II, it was given into the ownership of the Dubrovnik Diocese. In 1960, it became a hotel but in 1998 it was returned to the possession of the Diocese.

The traditional costumes are evidence of the rich and tempestuous life on the island. The female traditional costume remained the same, while the male costume was changed. The basis of the female costume is made up of a red skirt-coat, a woollen skirt, and white blouse, which stands out in contrast against the red. The most important part of the costume is the waist belt, once made of silk and now of ordinary cloth, which the women wore around their waists. On the island, they harvested silk worms and as such the blouses, stockings, and belts were made of silk for formal occasions. The chest and back, as a continuation of the skirt, are made of lively colours, most likely the remains of the original dresses. On their heads, the women wear a cap bearing Mljet embroidery, mostly red in colour. A handkerchief is placed over the cap, decorated with lace, embroidery and red ribbons. The women wear white stockings and red shoes on their feet.

The establishment of towns in this area began at the end of the 18th century when the Benedictines allowed two families from Babina Polja to reside there. That is how the oldest town Govedari came to be - a town of workers and fishermen; only later were Polace, Babina Kuca and Solin established. Some towns, such as Pomena, were established only after the Second World War.

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