Original scientific paper
THE DRID FORTRESS
Miroslav Katić
; Državna uprava za zaštitu kulturne i prirodne baštine, Glavno povjerenstvo u Splitu
Abstract
The author discusses the archaeological remains on Drid hill in the municipality of Marina, some ten kilometres west of the town of Trogir. The remains pertain to a fortress from late antiquity, mentioned in the book »Cosmographia« by an anonymous writer from Ravenna at the end of the 6th and beginning of the 7th century, as Drido (Orido). This site indicates that a number of the toponyms mentioned by Anonymous of Ravenna are centres that were founded or grew in significance during late Antiquity, some being fortresses from that time. The Drid fortress was also described by the Arabian geographer Edrisi whose work Tabula Rogeriana and Kitabu al Rogger (Roger's Book) was completed in 1154. Here the fortress appears under the name of Wawguri (Lawgaru), and is described as one of the most beautiful and most easily defended towns on the eastern Adriatic. Edrisi tells of fast ships and men that set off on long voyages (most probably referring to sailors). The archaeological remains of the harbour are visible at the foot of the eastern slope of the hill. The remains of a rampart on Veli Vrh are known to have been part of the Drid fortress as described by Edrisi, whereas the second, winding rampart stretching towards Mali Vrh was constructed at a later date. With the addition of this wall, the entire hill became fortified. The exact date of construction of these defensive walls, however, is not known, but the fact that they were incorporated into the existing fortress would indicate that they were temporally not far apart. An 11th century source mentions the existence of district prefects at Drid which proves that it must have been the centre of one of the old Croatian districts (Zupanija). The political significance of Drid began to diminish with the lessening antagonism between the Dalmatian towns and the nearby Croatian hinterland, when the Croatian gentry began to take an interest in the political life of the towns and a large part of Drid's land was gained by the church of Trogir in the first half of the 13th century. In 1226 the Trogir Bishop Treguanus received Drid land from Duke Koloman on the occasion of the completion of the cathedral. Drid lost its function at the beginning of the 16th century and its population sought new shelter nearer to the sea, on the site of today's settlement of Marina.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
116067
URI
Publication date:
17.8.1994.
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