su se području ribarstvom tradicionalno bavili
stanovnici Barbata, na što nas podsjećaju i
pučke anegdote. Tridesetih su se godina na po-
dručju Caske još uvijek upotrebljavali brodovi
načinjeni od jednog komada drveta, tzv. ladve,
ladje ili
zoccoli
, koji su se na ostalim jadran-
skim prostorima već ranije prestali koristiti.
Do današnjih se dana u novaljskom folkloru
očuvao tradicionalni ples
Naški
koji se pleše uz
zvuk mijeha u šarenim narodnim nošnjama, te
oblik pjevanja “
na kanat
” koji svoje korijene
vuče iz duboke prošlosti, a u obliku pijevnoga
govora jasno iskazuje željeni sadržaj. I pučko
pjesništvo od davnine predstavlja omiljen
način izražavanja lokalnog stanovništva. Tako
su opjevane mnoge legende i priče, ali i povi-
jesne činjenice i arheološki nalazi. Ono stoga
predstavlja vrijedan primjer brižnog odnosa
prema baštini koja predstavlja nužan temelj
budućnosti.
Zemljopisni položaj otoka Paga uvjetovao je
njegovu naseljenost još od najstarijih prapovi-
jesnih vremena. Tijekom brončanog doba otok
nastanjuju plemena koja u nesigurnim vre-
menima etničkih sukoba i migracija tijekom
2. tisućljeća pr. Kr. grade utvrđena naselja na
uzvisinama. Tijekom starijeg željeznog doba
(9. - 4. st. pr. Kr.) jasnije se izdvaja plemenska
zajednica Liburna, poznata po razdoblju po-
morske prevlasti na velikom području istočne
jadranske obale. Već u ta davna vremena sta-
novništvo otoka vjerojatno je stjecalo sredstva
za život ne samo poljoprivredom i ribarstvom,
već i proizvodnjom soli.
Grčki trgovci, koji iz kolonija osnovanih počet-
kom4. st. pr. Kr. sudjeluju u uspostavljanju orga-
niziranog unutrašnjeg trgovačkog plovnog puta
duž istočne jadranske obale, uvode te krajeve u
povijesno doba, a ostave grčkoga novca nađene
na novaljskom području svjedoče o njihovim tr-
govačkim poslovima s lokalnim stanovništvom.
U 1. stoljeću po Kr. rimski znanstvenik i poli-
tičar Plinije Stariji, u svom čuvenom enciklo-
pedijskom priručniku
Prirodoslovlje
(
Naturalis
Historia
), pri nabrajanju liburnskih otoka spo-
menuo je otok Pag, nazivajući ga
Cissa portu-
nata
(u značenju „rođena kao luka“ ili „prirod-
Fishing was an important line of economy for
some parts of the island from the time immemo-
rial. The biggest catch was obtained with pulling
out of special fishing nets called
trata
. A large tuna-
factory in shape of a stone tower was constructed
in the Caska cove in the 19
th
century, whose ap-
pearance and shape were unique on the Croatian
coast. The inhabitants of Barbat in the Novalja area
traditionally practiced fishing, as reflected in local
anecdotes. During the 1930s in the Caska territory
vessels made out of single tree-trunk were in use,
the so-called
ladve
,
ladje
or
zoccoli
, whose usage
terminated earlier on other Adriatic territories.
To the present day the folk-lore of Novalja pre-
served the traditional dance called
Naški
, accom-
panied by the instrument called
mjeh
, performed
dressed in gay folk costumes, and also the form
of singing called “na kanat”, whose origins lie in
ancient history; it clearly expresses the contents
of a speech through vocal speaking. Folk poetry
represented from the time immemorial a favorite
way of expression for the local population. Many
legends and stories have thus been versed, but also
historical facts and archaeological finds. It, there-
fore, embodies a valuable example of a concerned
attitude towards heritage that represents a neces-
sary foundation of the future.
Geographical position of the island of Pag con-
ditioned its settlement already in the far-off pre-
historic time. During the Bronze Age (2
nd
millen-
nium BC) the island was inhabited by tribes that
constructed fortified settlements on elevated
ground, due to insecure times of ethnic conflicts
and migrations. During the Early Iron Age (9
th
to 4
th
centuries BC) the tribal community of
the Liburni is segregated more clearly, famous
for its domination over seas on the larger part
of the eastern Adriatic coast. Already in those
far-off times the populace of the island probably
acquired means of survival not only through ag-
riculture and fishing, but also through the pro-
duction of salt.
Greek merchants from the colonies established in
the beginning of the 4
th
century BC, taking part
in the establishment of the organized maritime
trading paths inside the Adriatic, along its eastern
shore, showed the way to the historical age to these
regions, while the hoards of Greek coins found in
the Novalja region testify to their trade with local
population.
In the 1
st
century AD, Roman scientist and politi-
cian Pliny the Elder, in his celebrated encyclopedic
manual
Natural history
(
Naturalis Historia
), while
enumerating Liburnian islands, mentioned the
island of Pag, calling it
Cissa portunata
(meaning
“born as a harbor” or “naturally endowed with har-
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ARHEOLOGIJA I TURIZAM
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