Original scientific paper
Dalmatian Salt Works in the XIXth Century
Stanko Piplović
Abstract
Salt is an essential mineral for the nourishment and the health of people. Due to favorable natural conditions its preparation on the eastern Adriatic coast was developed at a historically early date. During the Middle Ages there were important salt works on the Brijuni islands, on Dugi Otok, on the island of Pag, in Privlaka near Nin, on Rab and in Zablaće near Šibenik. The production of salt was significant during the Venetian administration. When Dalmatia became incorporated into Austria in 1815 the conditions in the salt works changed to a large extent. Many of the smaller works had already fallen into disuse so that only the most important remained. Through tax officials the state controlled the production and sale and reaped great benefits from this activity. The most important salt works were on the island of Pag in the deep bay nearby the city bearing the same name as the island. They were the properties of many private owners while a smaller segment was owned by the Church and the state. They are overspread over a large segment of land, encompassing 130 land parcels spreading out 6 kilometers. However, they were neglected. Their owners did not have the resources to upkeep them or to develop the technological process. The state supported their renovation but this was insufficient so that in 1907 it bought them up. In the period 1909–1911 they were fundamentally restructured according to plans drawn up by the mine expert Petar Torggler. From that time they made up a single and modern operation. In the nearby bay Dinjiška on the island of Pag there were two smaller salt works owned by Ambroz Cariboni. Already during the French administration the owner made attempts to improve their process of production but he had only partial success. There were no warehouses on the premises so that the salt had to be transported to Pag for storage. The salt work in Ston is located immediately south of the city. Its earlier owner was the Republic of Dubrovnik but in the XIXth century it became the property of the exchequer and it was operated by state officials. Many people were employed there and lived on these earnings. By the end of the century these works fell into disarray because they were not tended in a proper fashion so that there even arose the danger of contagion. Already by the XIVth century there were active salt works on the island of Rab in the bays of Kampor, Krapka and Supetarska Draga. In the XIXth century they were the property of the community and near its end they became private property. The production was weak so that by the beginning of WWI it ceased. Especially during the second part of the century, the production in the Dalmatian salt works was hampered by administrative restrictions which dictated the quantities permitted for production and the market. The state bought up the salt and this eventually turned into a monopoly. It sold the salt at much higher prices and came out with a good profit. Nevertheless, despite all the difficulties it encountered, production to the very end of this period was reorganized and continued to be advanced.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
12135
URI
Publication date:
19.9.2003.
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