HRHRHR / ENGENGENGKarta Etnografski muzej Herbarij O projektu    Map Ethnographic Museum Herbarium About
☰✕
KartaEtnografski muzejHerbarijO projektuKontakt
MapEthnographic MuseumHerbariumAboutContact
ISLAND IŽ · VELI IŽ
VELI IŽ ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTION

According to the National Museum Zadar, the Veli Iž Ethnographic Collection, as a branch collection of the museum, holds 915 objects. It was opened in 1975 thanks to the efforts of local resident Danica Pekić and Neda Sutlović, a teacher who had married into Iž. In cooperation with the museum’s Ethnographic Department, they put together an exhibition of objects donated by the people of Iž from their own homes.

The exhibition occupies the ground floor and two upper floors of the building and evokes almost every part of former island life: the kitchen with its dishes and equipment, traditional costumes, wool and flax processing, weaving and knitting, shoemaking, the Iž pottery made without a wheel alongside imported ceramics, housing, farming, fishing, seafaring, livestock keeping, extended family communities, and religious customs. In the variety of its material, it is unique among the Dalmatian islands. In 1994 the collection was incorporated into the National Museum Zadar.

The collection is housed in the former summer residence of the noble Fanfogna family, known as “Polača”, originally built in the Romanesque style and later remodelled. The family held estates on Iž from 1302, and in the 17th century it was the largest landowner in Veli Iž. In 1870 the residence was converted into a school for boys, and in 1893 a girls’ section was opened as well.
Explore the building’s history on our map →

Since 2019 the building has been closed to visitors because of its dilapidated condition, and it awaits a thorough renovation.  
For more information visit the National Museum Zadar’s website

The digitized material published here shows the objects in the collection’s first display, as well as the guestbook. The material was recently donated to the Museum and is published here with the permission of the National Museum Zadar.


COLLECTION ↓ GUESTBOOK (1975-1982) ↓Zgrada u kojoj je smještena muzejska zbirka
The building housing the museum collection
COLLECTION

Items from the Veli Iž Ethnographic Collection. Click on the photo for a larger view and description.


The building that houses the museum collection
The “krunica” (wellhead) of the gusterna (cistern)
“Kamenica” (stone trough) to the left of the entrance
“Kamenica” (stone trough) to the right of the entrance
“Cripnja” on the “kotor”, next to the “pitar”
“Žrna” (quern) for grinding “vrsta” (“babine soli”)
Display case of Iž pottery: “cripnje”
Display case of Iž pottery: “lopiži” and “teće”
Display case of Iž pottery: two “mugari”
Display case of Iž pottery: warming pots, cheese mould, stewing pot
Display case of Iž pottery: two “foguni” and a milk vessel
Display case of Iž pottery: “foguni”
Shelf with ceramic vessels
Shelf with ceramic vessels
Imported ceramics: two “pjata korčulanska” (Korčula plates), jugs and a bowl
Imported ceramics: jugs, a bowl, an oil vessel
Thread processing: a small “greben” and a “trlica” for flax
A chest, with “gargaše” for wool on top
A “tara” (loom) with weaving begun
“Rašak”, distaff and spindle with freshly spun thread
Woollen and linen rugs and a woven cloth on a clothing chest
Distaffs and spindles
Woven bands, knitted items, “kaneti” for knitting needles, weaving samples
Vessels for drawing water
Women’s costume, with a child’s cradle in front
Two complete children’s beds
Clothing and “kofe”
Bread-oven tools (four peels)
A “kopanja” for kneading bread, with measures for grain and oil in front
“Brda” beside the “tara”
Child’s walker
Podgora-style chair with a backrest – “katriga”
A “maštel” for washing laundry, with a wooden board and “prakljače” for washing
Shelf with various household items, beside it a “kantar”, “rampin” and others
Distaffs
Basketry, wickerwork
Household repair equipment, small barrels, a fish trap (“vrša”) and more
Tools and equipment for repairs, implements for clearing and cultivating land
“Sumpreši”, “kopita” (shoe lasts) for making footwear, finished “škarpine” and a petroleum lamp
A “sumpreš” and “kopita” (shoe lasts) for making footwear
Ground-floor hall – hearth with equipment
Ground-floor hall – hearth with equipment
Bread oven
“Lopari” (bread peels)
A “vrša” (fish trap) and wooden vessels
Bread oven (detail)
Peel with a decorated handle
“Vrša” (fish trap)
“Vitlo”
Bag and needles
“Muškarijola” and shelf
“Žrnce” (small quern)
“Susak”
Fishing gear
Net and “pobuk”
“Kamenica” (stone trough) and a wooden mallet
Shelf with ceramics
Sailor’s chest
“Biljac” of narrow woven strips
“Biljac” of narrow woven strips
“Biljac” of narrow woven strips
“Zikva” and two swaddling bands
“Stalo” for a child
Sailors’ “kofe”
“Krosna” (loom)
Chest with “biljci” and “rukni”
Photographs of Iž people in costume
“Kotur” with a “teća” and a “katriga”
“Rašak” and “kudilja” (tow)
Rope with a “taljica” (block)
Detail of the hall with furnishings
Bed (“kočeta”) with pictures
Shelf with kitchen utensils, hearth tools and more
Shelves with kitchen and other items
“Vitlo” next to a “mulinel”
“Mulinel” for winding the “potka” (weft)


Photographs published with the permission of the National Museum Zadar.
VELI IŽ ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTION · 1975 – 1982
GUESTBOOK

Browse the digitized guestbook where visitors to the collection recorded their impressions.


Photographs published with the permission of the National Museum Zadar.
OTOČNA SLOGA 
A living archive of island lifeCONTACT
All inquiries: otocnasloga@gmail.comOTOK IŽ
Map
Digital Ethnographic Museum
Herbarium


© 2026 Otočna Sloga