Textiles in the History of Croats of Boka Kotorska

Abstract

A significant historical heritage, in danger to be attributed to the current inhabitants of the place, Serbs and Montenegrins, can be found in Boka Kotorska, a fiord south of Dubrovnik, belonging to Monte Negro today, but which used to be mostly populated by Croats not such a long time ago. Croats of Boka did not, in most cases, manufacture textile materials they used. The only exception is mulberry silkworm, which they reared in Middle Ages already (first written document dates as far back as A. D. 1333). A small serriculture industry developed in the 19th century, which ceased to work by the end of the century. But the Croats have left their trace on the materials imported. A rich collection of embroidery and lace, produced from the 15th century up to the present days, has been kept in churches all over Boka Kotorska, with the biggest collection kept in St. Eustahije church in Dobrota, the biggest collection of the kind found among the Croats of Boka Kotorska. Most products that can be found there are decorated with so called “Dobrota embroidery” or “Dobrota lace”. Devastatingly beautiful piece of embroidery is kept in the church of Madonna od Skrpjela, in the vicinity of Perast - a picture of Madonna done by Hijacinta Mijović-Kunić, embroidered with human hair and srma. Rich folk costumes of Boka Croats have almost completely disappeared, and can hardly be found in even the oldest families. They are still preserved only as costumes belonging to historical-cultural society “Bokeljska mornarica”. University of Zagreb,