Saints Cosmas and Damian
The village of Velo Grablje was founded in the 15th century. The centre of the village is formed by the parish church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, built in 1886 according to the plans of engineer Mark Nonveiller from Split. It was built on the site of a previous 16th century church. The new church was consecrated on October 12, 1890 by the Bishop of Hvar, Fulgencije-Carev, and in the foundation of the church, ten pyrethrum flowers were among the items ceremonially placed in the front left corner. According to Ivan Zoranić, a respected elder at the time, these flowers were included as a symbol of gratitude: "These pyrethrum flowers were placed as a memorial because, without this plant, it would not have been possible to construct the church using other means." With beautiful wall paintings from 1913-1914, the significance of pyrethrum is further emphasized, where it is depicted in paintings alongside saints, grapes, and rosemary, reflecting its vital role in the region's cultural and spiritual heritage.
Pyrethrum was, alongside wine, an important agricultural product in Velo Grablje. At that time, very favorable prices further encouraged the cultivation of pyrethrum. The price for fully opened dried flowers was 200 crowns, and for semi-open dried flowers, it was 140 crowns per quintal (100 kg) of pyrethrum. In 1901, Don Niko Gamulin, a priest in Velo Grablje, made a remark at the annual assembly of the "Village Treasury in Grablje": "Fifteen years ago, this village sold its wine at high prices, and pyrethrum was worth its weight in gold..."
Pyrethrum, along with grapevines and rosemary, remained an important product until after the First World War (1914–1918). Families typically sold two (60 kg), three (90 kg), or five (150 kg) sacks, but some sold five or more sacks. In 1914, 24 families sold 89 sacks, equivalent to 2,670 kg of pyrethrum. The economic significance of this for the local people is best illustrated by the example of Juraj Tudor, son of Marin, nicknamed Cembarlinov, from Mali Grablje. In 1924, he purchased a young mule with the earnings from 100 kg of pyrethrum.
The quality of pyrethrum is classified and its price determined based on its pyrethrin content. First-class pyrethrum contains over 0.9%, second class over 0.7%, and third class over 0.5% pyrethrin. In the early years, favorable prices ranged from 100 to 200 florins per 100 kilograms of pyrethrum. However, after several prosperous years, the price plummeted sharply to just 50 florins per 100 kilograms. The lowest prices were recorded in 1925, driven by competition from Japan and the production of synthetic insecticides with higher pyrethrin content.
Interest in pyrethrum cultivation declined so significantly that by 1938, it had practically ceased altogether. After World War II, pyrethrum was widely replaced as a disinfectant by the synthetic compound DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane), which, in terms of environmental properties, was far inferior to pyrethrum.
