CULTURE WITHOUT BORDERS

The most recognizable brand of Rijeka’s goldsmiths is the morčić (moretto), typically a piece of gold jewellery modelled in the form of a negroid bust. It spread from Rijeka, as its centre of production, to Istria, the Kvarner islands, Gorski kotar, Vinodol, Kastav and Grobniština. Thanks to trade connections and contacts of the goldsmiths themselves, it became fashionable jewellery of great demand in Lika, the Zadar area, Dalmatian towns and islands, all the way to the islands of Vis and Dubrovnik. In addition to simple earrings, in the second half of the 19th century more luxurious men's and women's jewellery developed with many different variants of rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, brooches, sleeve buttons, decorative tie pins and decorative cutlery.

During the centuries-old conflicts with the Ottomans, the population of border areas such as Vojna Krajina shaped a specific way of life and culture with a very pronounced warrior identity, in whose tradition weapons became part of the folk costume. Conflict is becoming an important determinant in expressing the identity of the conflicting parties, and certain elements of the rival's warrior tradition have been appropriated as part of their own identity. European warriors claimed superior oriental weapons as war trophies, such as yataghans or Karabela sabres, because of their quality and efficiency. Despite the Austrian authorities banning the Krajina troopers, serežani and other Austrian troops from arming themselves with yataghans, the fact that men carried them and displayed them could not be avoided, and they were gradually integrated into the cultural identity of Christian warriors regardless of them being Islamic religious symbols. Karabela sabres decorated with Christian symbols became a product of European gunsmiths and they became a part of the warrior identity of the Hungarians, Polish and Croats.

A necklace, made of silver Austrian krajcari and Turkish akči, is an example of how money was reused as an element of traditional jewellery. Jewellery is one of the indicators of social status, economic power, as well as religious affiliation, and at the same time reflects the aesthetic understanding of the collective and the individual. It is also a clear example of how elements of two different cultures can complement each other in harmony.

The Grobišće necropolis was in use for a long time. It testifies to the continuity of life and burial in a community. The very ritual of burial did not change from the Iron Age to the Antiquity, which say much about an extremely strong community of people. With the annexation of this area to the Roman Empire, the population, almost as a rule, switched to the ritual of burning the deceased. This community of people kept their customs, the deceased were buried in a stretched position in simple earthen pits that could have been partially surrounded by untreated stones. They adopted jewellery and objects from everyday life from the new culture, imported from northern Italy.

The Grobišće necropolis was in use for a long time. It testifies to the continuity of life and burial in a community. The very ritual of burial did not change from the Iron Age to the Antiquity, which say much about an extremely strong community of people. With the annexation of this area to the Roman Empire, the population, almost as a rule, switched to the ritual of burning the deceased. This community of people kept their customs, the deceased were buried in a stretched position in simple earthen pits that could have been partially surrounded by untreated stones. They adopted jewellery and objects from everyday life from the new culture, imported from northern Italy.