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The Development of Geographical Thought in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

More serious study of the development of geographical thought on territories of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina started only in the last years of the 20th c. The author starts from the point that in the world analyses of the development of geography there is almost no mention of their geographers. During Ancient and Middle Ages, as far as we know, there were no geographers acting on the territory of contemporary Croatia. However this land was known from the Antique and Middle Ages authors (in the middle of the 2nd c. Ptolemy (C. Ptolomaeus AD 127-151 gave a clear geographical vision of Europe and so also of nowadays Croatian territory, on the fifth map of Europe). A more notable medieval work, where Croatian ethnic and state territory would be described, is unknown. It was only in the 12th c. that H. Dalmatinac (H. Dalmata) astronomer and the philosopher from Istria was also partly important for geographical science in Croatia. Nevertheless geographical perception of Croatian lands, especially of the Adriatic coast keeps abreast with that of other western and southern European regions. The appearance and the work of M. Polo (1254-1323), Venetian citizen, maybe by birth from the Croatian island of Korčula (Curzola), who made important geographic discoveries, has perhaps exceptional importance in Croatian geography. The development of geographical thought was stimulated by the development of natural and humanistic sciences at the beginning of the Renaissance. The first known Croatian geographer was F. Bartolačić Grisogono (1472-1538) the student colleague of N. Copernicus, meritorious for the entire development of the Earth’ s science by giving the first quantitative relations of the sea. M. de Dominis (1560-1624), I. P. Barbula (1472- before 1526) and geographers from Dubrovnik: G. Budislavić (about 1485-1551) and L. Gjurašević (about 1520-65) are concerned with physical geography, astrology and cosmology. V. Paletin (1508-73) gave geographical description of Yucatan and produced the map of Spain. During the 17th c., historiogeographical work of I. Lučić (1604-79) “ De Regno Croatiae et Dalmatiae” contributed to the development of geography in Croatia. Though historiographer he gave a valuable contribution to the development of primordial Croatian geography. “ Croatia rediviva… ” 1700 is a particularly significant work by P. Ritter Vitezović (1652-1713), who produced 4 geographic maps presenting highland and littoral part of Croatia on the occasion of fixing boundaries with Turkey in 1699. The first geographical textbook was printed in Latin and published by J. Pejačević, 1714. F. Konščak, a missionary from Varaždin (1703-59), gave the first geographical description of California. Towards the beginning of the 19th c. the development of Croatian geography was increasing. In 1823, A. Rožić wrote his first textbook in Croatian. The works of D. Seljan (1810-48) are particularly important as well as those of friar I. F. Jukić (1818-57), who created valuable descriptions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The middle of the 19th c. opened new statistical geographical approach and comprehensive hypsometry. The appearance of dr. P. Matković (1830-98), who studied geography in Vienna, Prague, Berlin and Göttingen, marked modern developmental phase of Croatian geography (so-called historical topographical approach). He is considered to be the founder of modern geographical science in Croatia, and he was the first university professor of geography in Croatia (Zagreb). V. Klaić contributed greatly by writing Physical Geography of Croatia, 1878. and The Geography of countries where Croats live I-IV, 1880-83. Croatian explorers of the 19th c. gave their contribution also to the world geographical discoveries. D. Lerman distinguished himself as the member of Stanley’ s expeditions and Belgian commissary in eastern Congo. Brothers M. Seljan and S. Seljan explored the territory of Ethiopia around Rudolph and Stephanie lakes and regions of Amazonia in Latin America (Sete Quedas Falls and unexplored course of the river Aguapei). Not long after geography had been institutionalised in Europe and appearance of A. Humboldt and C. Ritter, P. Matković founded in 1883 the Dpt. of Geography at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb. This is the period of the first modern generation of geographers: D. Hirc, H. Hranilović, I. Hoić, M. Šenoa, A. Gavazzi, F. Lukas, I. Juras between the World Wars most of them were active and O. Opitz, I. Pilar, I. Rubić joined them. A. Gavazzi founded the first scientific geographical review Croatian Geographical Bulletin. After the World War II the academician J. Roglić distinguished himself with the new generation of Zagreb geographers. Postgraduate study was also organised. In 1951 a chair of geography has founded at the University of Sarajevo. Geography could also be studied in some superior schools (Zadar, Rijeka, Osijek, Petrinja, Mostar, Banja Luka). At the beginning of the nineties of the last century the Dpt. of Geography was opened in Mostar too. Since 1994 the new Dpt. of Geography has been active at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zadar (founder D. Magaš). Since the 20th c. a prominent publishing activity has been realised (Zagreb, Sarajevo, Zadar).

Geographical thought; Croatia; Bosnia and Herzegowina

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