Josip FARICIC, University of Zadar, Croatia
Lena MIROSEVIC, University of Zadar, Croatia
Dalmatia is the name of one of the regions located along the eastern Adriatic coast. Over the course of history the land area indicated by this name morphed from the Roman province encompassing much of today's Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, into the Byzantine domain that included a segmented stretch of several coastal cities and Adriatic islands, and eventually emerged as the Venetian, French and Austrian province which, with minor changes, coincides with the better part of the territory covered by four Croatian counties.
The name Dalmatia is associated with the globally familiar terms dalmatic (vestis dalmatica), for a vestment worn by deacons in the Catholic Church and in some Protestant communities, and dalmatiner (Dalmatian dog), for a hound dog breed.
The historical perception of Dalmatia can be traced on old geographic maps and nautical charts and in geographic and lexicographic reference works. It is from these sources that the name of Dalmatia spread throughout various social and economic realms. Today, Dalmatia is a vernacular region whose natural and cultural assets, especially the heritage related to the Adriatic Sea and the islands, are responsible for its tourist reputation around Europe as well as globally. The name Dalmatia is therefore often used in Croatian tourism branding. However, this name can also be considered a cultural brand in terms of evaluating multiple culture contacts and interactions that have left a crucial mark on the eastern Adriatic coast. In order to place Dalmatia in a cultural and geographical context, it is necessary to go beyond the narrative of it being a part of today's Croatia: this name implies a European region whose identity, in addition to the currently predominant Croatian, also reflects Greek, Roman, Venetian (Italian), French, Austrian, as well as some other constitutive elements.
Mots clés : toponym|map|Dalmatia|Croatia|Adriatic Sea
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