SOCIAL TOPOGRAPHY AND SPATIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE MEDIEVAL COMMUNE OF BRAČ

Komunalne strukture srednjovjekovne braĉke komune su jedne od najsloţenijih unutar cjelokupnog spektra istoĉnojadranskog prostora, iako su u isti mah i jedne od slabije obraĊenih i razmatranih aspekata hrvatske medievistiĉke historiografije. Uvidom u šire geomorfološke, intelektualne, arhitektonske, te ekonomske implikacije u komparaciji sa sagledavanjem odnosa sa okolnim komunama Hvara i Splita, uviĊamo kako se temeljni generatori u formaciji komune ostvaruju u vidu društvene topografije i prostorne organizacije. Upravo su ta dva aspekta, kao svojevrsni modifikatori i generatori još od prapovijesti, te antike i kasne antike, omogućili izrazito partikularne društveno – prostorne zasebnosti, koje će se tek u zreloj otoĉnoj komuni, i to oko 1420. god., u potpunosti iskazati. Cilj ovog rada jest artikuliranje kljuĉnih etapa u procesu stvaranja braĉke komune, pri ĉemu se nastojalo ostvariti interdisciplinarni pristup kako bi se na sintezan naĉin pokušala obogatiti slika srednjodalmatinskog medievalnog prostora. Analiza problematike je samim time usmjerena na prikaz relevantnih faktora, koji su prvenstveno vodili prema stvaranju monistiĉkog ustroja društva sa izrazito slavenskim obiljeţjima, dok se prostorni znaĉaj sagledava u smislu dvostruko – dijametralnog smjera naseljavanja. Definiranje zasebnosti srednjovjekovne braĉke komune omogućava pravodobnu konstrukciju modela distinktivnog ureĊenja i djelovanja jedne istoĉnojadranske otoĉne komuneCommunal structures of medieval commune of Braĉ are one of the most complex within the entire spectrum of eastern Adriatic, although they are at the same time one of the poorly discussed aspects of Croatian medieval historiography. By examining the broader geomorphological, architectonic, intellectual, and economic implications in comparison with the relationship with the surrounding communes of Hvar and Split, we realize that the underlying generators in the formation of communes are realized in the form of social topography and spatial organization. These two aspects, as some sorts of modifiers and generators since the prehistoric times, both antiquity and late antiquity, have enabled extremly particular socio – spatial distinctions, which will only be fully expressed in the mature commune, around 1420. The aim of this paper is to articulate key stages in the process of creating a commune of Braĉ, aiming to achieve an interdisciplinary approach in order to synthetically attempt to enrich the image of Middle Dalmatian medieval space. Analysis of the problem is thus focused on the presentation of relevant factors, which primarily led to the creation of a monistic organization of society with distinct Slavic characteristics, while spatial significance is seen in terms of the double – diametric direction of settlement. Defining the separateness of the medieval commune of Braĉ enables a timely construction of the distinctive design and activity model on an Eastern Adriatic island commune