Page 50 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 5(1) (2017)
P. 50
ement on the high seas, so they sailed moststudia universitatis her editati, letnik 5 (2017), številk a 1 50original bronze plinth was still attached to the sole
ly sticking to the coast, from one cape to another. of its right foot.
The most important element in the art of navigahereditati
tion was the wind, as the main driving force and Immediately after the statue was discov
direction determiner3. ered, its extraordinary cultural and artistic im
portance incited more general discussion about
The sea off the islands of Cres and Lošinj cultural heritage and the need to preserve it. The
and the surrounding islands abounds with di beauty and portrayal of details of this unique
verse archaeological material and is a source of artistic underwater find have put Croatia and
rich and precious cultural heritage. The system the island of Lošinj on the world heritage map.
atic archaeological reconnaissance has identified There are nations much bigger than Croatia, and
more than 20 archaeological sites containing nu world-famous museum centres, which cannot
merous and diverse movable archaeological finds boast an artefact as sensational as this one.
and immovable material such as architectur
al remains and shipwrecks, datable to the peri In contrast to the situation in Croatia, in
ods ranging from the classical antiquity and the many places of the world cultural tourism makes
modern era4. up a very important portion of the activities on
offer to the tourist and contributes significant
Numerous archaeological discoveries have ly to the economy. In Croatian tourism as such,
established that the islands of Lošinj and Cres and in island tourism in particular, what is of
have been important elements in navigation fered is still based primarily on sea and sunshine,
routes throughout history. The discoveries also and only occasionally also includes cultural her
confirm the continuity of traffic between the itage, which is abundant in Croatia.
Croatian and Italian coasts and the high stand
ard of living in this region. In Croatian tourism, especially at the local
level, museums are not appreciated at all. Dur
In 1996, a Belgian tourist, René Wouters, ing organized tours of towns, tourist guides
discovered a bronze statue of a young athlete on sometimes just mention that there is a museum
the seabed in the vicinity of the islet of Vele Or here somewhere, but they never take people to
jule near by island of Lošinj. The finding of the visit it, not even when those museums host ex
statue was reported to the Ministry of Culture ceptionally important national or internation
of the Republic of Croatia in the autumn of 1998 al exhibitions! What is the reason? Despite be
and it was raised from the sea, in 1999. It was ing locals, tourist workers have no awareness of
named Apoxyomenos. Most ancient bronzes did heritage and its value. But the situation cannot
not survive Antiquity, since the bronze of the be blamed on tourist workers only. The need to
statues was later melted to make dishes, weap present cultural and archaeological heritage in a
ons, tools and coins. This statue thus provides more attractive fashion has existed in Croatia for
us with a rare and precious insight into a lit quite some time. Museums are crying out for ex
tle-known art. Apoxyomenos represents a unique hibitions which depart from the usual structure
finding in the Adriatic, and also in the world. Its and offer their visitors a multimedia approach.
integrity and beauty of design distinguish the stat Museum collections present a rare creative and
ue from other finds as a work of art of exceptional informative potential which will attract visitors
quality. It was made in Greece in the 2nd or 1st cen if presented in a professional and attractive way,
tury BC. The enthusiasm of the archaeologist and in line with the expectations of today’s travellers.
art historians was caused by the fact that the stat
ue has been entirely preserved, with only the lit However, we have to be aware that not all
tle finger of the left hand missing, and part of the cultural products can attract the attention of vis
itors in the same way; nor do they all have the
3 Ettinger Starčić, Underwater archaeological sites, 18. same value as tourist products. For tourism, the
4 Ettinger Starčić, Underwater archaeological sites, 20-50. perception of a cultural property as precious is
ly sticking to the coast, from one cape to another. of its right foot.
The most important element in the art of navigahereditati
tion was the wind, as the main driving force and Immediately after the statue was discov
direction determiner3. ered, its extraordinary cultural and artistic im
portance incited more general discussion about
The sea off the islands of Cres and Lošinj cultural heritage and the need to preserve it. The
and the surrounding islands abounds with di beauty and portrayal of details of this unique
verse archaeological material and is a source of artistic underwater find have put Croatia and
rich and precious cultural heritage. The system the island of Lošinj on the world heritage map.
atic archaeological reconnaissance has identified There are nations much bigger than Croatia, and
more than 20 archaeological sites containing nu world-famous museum centres, which cannot
merous and diverse movable archaeological finds boast an artefact as sensational as this one.
and immovable material such as architectur
al remains and shipwrecks, datable to the peri In contrast to the situation in Croatia, in
ods ranging from the classical antiquity and the many places of the world cultural tourism makes
modern era4. up a very important portion of the activities on
offer to the tourist and contributes significant
Numerous archaeological discoveries have ly to the economy. In Croatian tourism as such,
established that the islands of Lošinj and Cres and in island tourism in particular, what is of
have been important elements in navigation fered is still based primarily on sea and sunshine,
routes throughout history. The discoveries also and only occasionally also includes cultural her
confirm the continuity of traffic between the itage, which is abundant in Croatia.
Croatian and Italian coasts and the high stand
ard of living in this region. In Croatian tourism, especially at the local
level, museums are not appreciated at all. Dur
In 1996, a Belgian tourist, René Wouters, ing organized tours of towns, tourist guides
discovered a bronze statue of a young athlete on sometimes just mention that there is a museum
the seabed in the vicinity of the islet of Vele Or here somewhere, but they never take people to
jule near by island of Lošinj. The finding of the visit it, not even when those museums host ex
statue was reported to the Ministry of Culture ceptionally important national or internation
of the Republic of Croatia in the autumn of 1998 al exhibitions! What is the reason? Despite be
and it was raised from the sea, in 1999. It was ing locals, tourist workers have no awareness of
named Apoxyomenos. Most ancient bronzes did heritage and its value. But the situation cannot
not survive Antiquity, since the bronze of the be blamed on tourist workers only. The need to
statues was later melted to make dishes, weap present cultural and archaeological heritage in a
ons, tools and coins. This statue thus provides more attractive fashion has existed in Croatia for
us with a rare and precious insight into a lit quite some time. Museums are crying out for ex
tle-known art. Apoxyomenos represents a unique hibitions which depart from the usual structure
finding in the Adriatic, and also in the world. Its and offer their visitors a multimedia approach.
integrity and beauty of design distinguish the stat Museum collections present a rare creative and
ue from other finds as a work of art of exceptional informative potential which will attract visitors
quality. It was made in Greece in the 2nd or 1st cen if presented in a professional and attractive way,
tury BC. The enthusiasm of the archaeologist and in line with the expectations of today’s travellers.
art historians was caused by the fact that the stat
ue has been entirely preserved, with only the lit However, we have to be aware that not all
tle finger of the left hand missing, and part of the cultural products can attract the attention of vis
itors in the same way; nor do they all have the
3 Ettinger Starčić, Underwater archaeological sites, 18. same value as tourist products. For tourism, the
4 Ettinger Starčić, Underwater archaeological sites, 20-50. perception of a cultural property as precious is
