Nakovana

Basic information

Nakovana is one of the oldest settlements on the Peljesac peninsula, archaeologists claim that it was first inhabited 8000 years ago. District Nakovana includes two villages of Upper and Lower Nakovana. Today these villages are deserted but have left behind many cultural and historical monuments like the deck where they found the remains of the Neolithic Period, Illyrian shrine from 4.st.pr.K., Illyrian hill fort City, Illyrian burial lots, the house of the inventor of the torpedo Ivan Lupis Vukić, medieval churches, etc. Because of this great cultural and historical values today Nakovana is a protected area. As the ecological and cultural protected zone Nakovana has ideal conditions for ecological tourism. Probably the name Nakovana origins from a Croatian word ‘nakovanj’ that means blacksmith anvil.

Nakovana cave

Above the Nakovana, village, in a cave called “Spila”, archaeologists have found and explored Illyric shrine from hellenistic period (4-1 century BC). Entrance to the shrine was close by plie of rocks so it was left intact since it’s abandonment two thousand years ago. When archaeologists entered the cave, on the cave floor were scattered thousands of fragments of fine ceramic cups, jugs, plates and amphoras. That precious, luxury dishes were made in workshops in Greek colonies in southern Italy and on Adriatic, and on mainland Greece. Illyrians from Pelješac were acquiring it through trade or piracy.

Numerous fine dishes for serving food and drink and bones from goat and sheep hams, witness of ritual feasts that were held here. Covenant gifts are placed at the foot of the stalagmite, striking symbol of a supernatural being that was worshiped in the cave. About the attributes of this “deity” we can only guess for now, but the very shape of the stalagmite suggests a cult related to fertility, potency or warrior strength and bravery. Those characteristics were in high regard in those turbulent centuries of prehistory.