Over the course of my life I have heard the Dalmatian Coast, or rather Dalmatia, be referenced to in one way or another. I never really knew what is was or where it was before this trip, but now it intrigues me. It’s history, beauty, name, relationship to the dog, what isn’t there to like? Which came first, the dog or the coast?
Dalmatia is the southern region of Croatia that runs along the coast, hence the Dalmatian Coast. The people who used to reside in this region were called the Dalmatae, and were formally a part of the Illyrian Kingdom. The Dalmatian Coast is over 3,600 miles long, and harbors over 1,200 islands, making it famous for its “spotted” coastline. The coast may not only appear spotted because of the islands scattered along the coast, but also perhaps because of the shaded areas of moss under the water. Due to the salty water and lack of sand, the Adriatic sea is said to have some of the clearest waters in the world. There is also not a whole lot of marine plant life, aside from some darkly colored sea grass and moss on the ocean floor. Because of these two factors, it is easy to see right down to the seafloor, and the dark mossy areas may add some “spots” of their own to the coast.
The multitude of islands along the coast also harbors a variety of caves and alcoves, leaving plenty for visitors to explore and find their own personal hideout. The most popular of these caves is the Biševo Blue Cave; it is known for the light from outside the cave reflecting through the blue water, illuminating the cave in a blue hue. We were scheduled to visit the cave, but unfortunately due to choppy waters and a shallow entrance to the cave, we were unable to go.
In reference to the dogs, no one is really sure where the Dalmatian breed originated (as with many other ancient breeds). While many people believe the dogs did come from Croatia or some other nearby country, it is known that they received their name from the resemblance their spots have to the Dalmatian Coast. There have been reported paintings including Dalmatians all the way back to ancient Egypt in some tombs, further making their origins a mystery, but the first detailed drawing and description of the dog itself came in 1792 at the hands of Englishman Thomas Bewick. To this day people will debate over whether the Dalmatian is a Croatian dog or not, as even though it’s origins are unknown Croatia has still adopted the dog as its own, and is often listed as the dog’s home country.
So first came the people, and then the region, and then the dogs. We’ll probably never know where Dalmatian dogs actually originated from, but being associated with the beautiful Dalmatian Coast and being able to call it home is hardly a bad thing.
