Who made the Croatian island of Baljenac look like a fingerprint?

Everyone who sees the island of Balenac from above asks the question: what happened to this piece of land? That’s not surprising, since a small island in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia is surprisingly similar to a fingerprint. This view is bestowed on it by 23 km of stone walls located on only 0.14 m². km area. Who built these walls and most importantly – why?

Even a cursory glance is enough to realize that the island’s unusual relief is man-made. A closer look reveals that the stones are “dry laid”, without the slightest trace of mortar. This is probably why most of the walls have collapsed and what remains of the best-preserved fragments are just over a meter high.

The work of unknown masons is impressive. Forming an intricate maze, the walls approach the water itself. It may seem that they are very old, but they are not. The walls of Baljenac Island that you can see today were built in the 19th century. But who needed a lot of time and effort for such work?

The island of Baljenac belongs to the Sibenik archipelago, which consists of many rocky islands. The soil on the islands is not well suited for farming, so every meter of open space counts. Close to Balenaz is the island of Caprie (not to be confused with Capri) where people live. They used the neighboring deserted island to grow various crops that they needed.

Walls were built on Balenaz to protect the crops from harsh sea winds that could uproot plants. Exactly the same The text is from the site News in Photos – BigPicture.ru The same walls are on the islands of Capri and Zoot, but the buildings there are not so dense and do not stand out. It’s hard to imagine the need that drove the islanders to stack thousands of rocks on top of each other to enclose tiny strips of land.

Scientists believe that the residents of the islands have always fenced off their plots of land. The 19th-century walls are stacked on top of 16th- and 17th-century walls. At that time, Caprije and Baljenac served as a refuge for Christians fleeing the Ottoman conquerors.

The old way of farming

This cultivation technique was used not only by the residents of the Sibenik archipelago. Walls of grain can be seen in England, Scotland and Ireland. But only on Bellenac is the building density so high that it resembles a fingerprint drawing.

Little was known about the island until its photos appeared on the internet. Now Balenac organizes excursions for tourists. The view of the island from the air is most popular, because only then does it open up in all its mysterious beauty. But some history buffs land on land and wander among the rocks, snapping selfies.

The island’s popularity plays into the hands of the Croatian government and residents of the archipelago, who aren’t spoiled by tourist money. Nevertheless, an increased interest in the sights harms him. The masonry beneath guests’ feet is crumbling rapidly, and scientists fear the walls may soon disappear.

The Croatian government recently asked UNESCO to recognize the island as a World Heritage Site. This not only further increases interest in Balenaz, but also allows for an effective defense.

Source: izbrannoe.com

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