The contribution to the historical topography of the island of Ugljan

Abstract

The author deals with several problems mainly in connection to the medieval past of the island of Ugljan. They mainly concern the toponymy and topography, sacral and fortificational architecture on the island. The author tries to establish the manner of application of the toponomastic noun insula in Zadar medieval documents and he warns that its meaning in the syntagm with island oikonims does not indicate the island but it has the function of denomination of a settlement. Syntagm insula Ugliani is used to denote the settlement, never the island whose medieval name was insula S. Michaelis. The latter syntagm is also used to indicate the settlement under the fortress of St. Michael, today Preko. The proper understanding of these toponyms helps us establish the position of some sacral objects noted in the medieval documents. The Church of S. Johannis de Gilano is identified with the remains of the early Christian basilica on the locality Stivan in Muline It was destroyed in the 19th century and it should be differentiated from the church S. Johannis in insula S. Michaelis which is in Preko. The Church St. Apolinaro which is mentioned in the 4th century in insula Gillani was destroyed with the building of Franciscan monastery St. Jeronime in Ugljan, anil the church S. Andree in insula S. Michaelis was situated on the site of today cemetery church Lady of Rosary in Preko and it is Byzantian in origin. It was built at the same time as the fortress, that is in the 6th century.