18 milja od ušća Krke

Funding for the project “18 miles from the mouth of the Krka” was obtained through the Call for funding association projects from the budget of the Krka National Park Public Institution for 2016. Krka National Park finances from its budget projects and programmes of associations whose activities are aimed at the general good and improving the quality of life of the community in various fields. “18 miles from the mouth of the Krka” the project covers sustainable development, education and work with children and young people, the protection and preservation of (in)tangible cultural assets, dramatic arts and amateur theatre.

The main inspiration for this project is the Colentum archaeological site, located on the Gradina peninsula in Murter and one of the most important archaeological sites in Šibenik-Knin County. After a break of almost half a century, research at the site resumed in 2010, and since then numerous projects and research have been carried out here with significant results. Colentum is often called the “town of mosaics” because wherever you dig, remains of mosaics are found, often three-coloured ones, which according to experts is a real rarity. Every summer the “Colentum Night” event is held, showing local people and visitors what life was like in ancient Colentum. For this event and for the valorisation of the Colentum archaeological site, the Argonauta association, through the projects “Archaeological Treasure of Colentum 3 and 4” of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, financed the launch of a little drama school in cooperation with the Virko theatre from Šibenik and the Murterski škoji Primary School. The results of this little drama school are three plays – “The Little Caulker”, “Pirates before Colentum” and “The Hidden Treasure of Colentum”. The project was very well received by the children, i.e. the young amateurs, and in a way encouraged amateur theatre in the local community. Through the project “18 miles from the mouth of the Krka” we would like to continue promoting amateur drama and educating a new generation that could carry this form of intangible cultural heritage in the future; in addition, through this project the ancient site of Colentum will be linked with the archaeological site of Burnum.

Ancient Colentum is mentioned in the works of the Roman writer Pliny, who precisely determines its position, placing it “30 miles from Iader (Zadar) and 18 miles from the mouth of the river Titius (Krka)”. This information prompted us to link these two sites in a project named after Pliny's record “18 miles from the mouth of the Krka”: the island of Murter with the Colentum archaeological site, and the river Krka with Burnum, a military camp at the gateway to the Krka from the same period, well known for the Burnum Ides event. Cooperation between these two sites will encourage networking of various stakeholders in Šibenik-Knin County, the development of cultural tourism in the county and the education of young people, and will contribute to the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage and the sustainable development of the community.