engleski

Traditional occupations in the Mediterranean: The case of the Stonemason school at Island of Brač

Working in stone is one of the longest-standing traditions in the Northern Mediterranean. The use of stone in construction and sculpture is typical of the region, which is known for its stone churches, houses, streets, and plazas. Unfortunately, today the traditional stone carving and building in stone is being abandoned, in favour of using easier and cheaper techniques, which continuously changes the typical appearance of Dalmatian cities. However, there is a small place on the Adriatic coast where the traditional stone carving is nurtured. In Pučišća, a small town on the island of Brač, there is the Stonemason school, unique as it relies on traditional, precise handwork in stone shaping, with limited use of modern technology. It offers two education programs: the four-year high school program for stonemason technicians, and the three-year program for stonemasons. Today, the school has a total of 49 students, of whom 32 are housed in the school dormitory as they come from distant regions of Croatia. They decided on their career at the age of 14, when they left the family home and came to live on Brač. We conducted focus groups with students to discover their motives for such a decision and to explore their future career plans. We found fundamental differences in career motives and aspirations of students enrolled in four- and three-year programs, as well as different views of the traditional approach to stone shaping and carving. We also conducted focus group with school professors who stressed several reasons that led to traditional construction being abandoned and explained related decline in interest for traditional work in stone. In the paper, we discuss possible directions to the future development of the school, as well as approaches aimed to preserve the architectural tradition of the Mediterranean.

Traditional occupations, Mediterranean, Stonemasonry, Brač

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