Korcula’s History

Korcula has a similar history with other parts of the Dalmatian archipelago. The first known inhabitants of Korcula were Illyrian tribes who occupied a large area of Dalmatia. They lived from farming and fishing. It is still possible to see on the Island their stone burial mounds, roughly shaped as a blunt cone.

Upon the arrival of the Ancient Greeks, Korcula became a Greek colony. However, they made no attempts to integrate with the Illyrians, who continued both their tribal lifestyle and their separate existence. It seems that the Greeks never associated themselves with the Illyrians, possibly due to Illyrians being perceived as a part of lower social standing.

An important document from this period is a stone tablet called ‘the psephism from Lumbarda’ (4th century BC) The stone plaque, written in ancient Greek, is unambiguous about the existence of Korcula town. This is the oldest written document found on the territory of Croatia. Fortunately, this relic from the past can still be seen in Korcula’s town museum.

Several centuries later, in 7th century AD, the Croats came to the Adriatic coast, the first tribes from the fertile Neretva valley.

Read more: Visit Žrnovo Village On The Island Of Korcula!