The Chimney
Pyrethrum began to be cultivated as an agricultural crop on Hvar island, in the villages of Velo and Malo Grablje in 1870. Between 1875 and 1926, alongside wine, it became the most important product. This is evident from the significant development during that period: the construction of communal buildings, cooperative facilities, and a school; the renovation and expansion of houses; the replacement of stone slabs on rooftops with tiles; and numerous other improvements. It was also during this time that the Church of St. Cosmas and Damian was built.
Carved into the chimney of the Bartuč family's house in Malo Grablje on the island of Hvar is the inscription: "With the help of God and buhoč 1888" (buhoč meaning pyrethrum). This simple yet profound message underscores the vital role of Dalmatian pyrethrum in the lives of the island's residents. The house was built through the efforts and resources derived from harvesting pyrethrum, which was central to the development of the villages of Malo and Velo Grablje. This inscription serves as a lasting testament to the historical and economic significance of pyrethrum in shaping the cultural and economic fabric of the region.
Literature:
Petrić, Kuzma. Otok Hvar - Velo Grablje: Ljudi i Događaji u 20. Stoljeću: Knjiga Druga [Island of Hvar - Velo Grablje: People and Events in the 20th Century: Book Two]. 2016.
Penava, M. Benić. "Proizvodnja Buhača u Dubrovačkom Kotaru [The Production of Pyrethrum in the Dubrovnik District in the Interbellum]." Ekonomska i Ekohistorija: Časopis za Gospodarsku Povijest i Povijest Okoliša / Economic- and Ecohistory: Journal for Economic History and Environmental History 8, no. 8 (2012): 108–115.
