ACTIVITIES (Europe).
The Karst Ponor-mills at Dobromani, Popovo Polje, Eastern Herzegovina, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
updated 22 October 2005.
3.0. HISTORICAL NOTES.
Many of the karst ponor-mills along the Trebišnjica River in Popovo Polje were constructed prior to the period of the Austro-Hungarian Administration. Mikuleć & Trumić (1976) seem to indicate that they have survived from the earlier period of Turkish Rule. In a personal communication, Milanović seems to agree with this. According to Petrović & Kovacina (1984), their personal investigations, which have included the detailed interrogation of owners of some ponor-mills, have indicated that some mills were purchased directly from Turkish Noblemen, who sold them for gold. One such ponor-mill near the village of Lug was so purchased in the year 1819 by ancestors of the owner.
It is well documented that the Dual Monarchy employed the services of several karst engineers during their occupation of Bosnia and Hercegovina, to devise and implement hydromelioration projects on the karst. Much of this work had military overtones but it should be remembered that much was achieved to ease the extreme karst-environmental conditions that prevailed upon the indigenous population. Agricultural activities in particular became more sustainable. However, in respect of similar activities during Turkish Rule, we currently have no information.
We have personally interviewed
Mr Doko Drapić, the owner of the Drapića Mlin, who has confirmed
that this mill in particular was built in 1902 to an existing or traditional
design by his family, during the period of Austo-Hungarian Occupation.
The construction materials were paid for by three separate families. By
mutual consent, it was agreed that the Drapić family would build, operate
and maintain the mill, its ancilliary buildings and the river dam. All
three families would share the profits derived from its operation. We have
no information as to how the profits were to be shared.
The Ancilliary Buildings
consisted of a "Linhay" or "lean-to" barn / stable for the horses. The
other was a domestic house in which the whole Drapić family lived.
The Mill Dam, which was
originally located a few metres downstream of the Mill, was 7.5 metres
high. This did not serve the other Mills upstream, which were set in to
the riverbed at a much lower level. Mr Drapić remembers that on some occasions,
the level of the Trebišnjica River would rise so much that it would cover
the entire Mill.
One of the local families still owning property in Dobromani is called Muzur. In a personal communication, Mr Ognjen Muzur informs us that a Mr Luka Perišić, who owned the Perišić Mlin, died in early 2005, as did one of his sons. Mr Muzur goes on to tell us that .... "Luka's sister (Mila Bilbija) lives in Sarajevo, but she is very old and almost immobile. I know that Luka had another son, but I don't know where he is now." From this information, we have completely missed an opportunity to talk first-hand with two local Ponor-Mill owners who could possibly have shared interesting historical information with us. The search for the sister and the other surviving son of the late Mr Luka Perišić, is now underway .... before it is too late.
The construction of ponor-mills in the entrance channels of ponors was certainly an innovative use of the potential energy arising from water naturally discharging into the endokarst. This ingenious use of hydro-energy was employed to drive the flour mills which processed the grain cultivated in Popovo Polje. In the case of Popovo Polje, the harvest would have been mainly of the special "100-day" crop which, as its name suggests, would have been planted, grown and harvested with the 100-day cultivation period in the central and lower parts of the polje. For the remaining period of the year, the polje floor was inundated.
Karst Ponor-mills were also built in Livanjsko Polje and in Lipovo Polje in Lica.
Milanović,.in a personal communication, also states that along Popovo Polje, more than 20 ponor-mills were operational after World War 2. Petrović.& Kovačina however, have counted at least 50. The demise of the mills was due to the construction of modern bulk-processing flour mills.
Photo DMP 3...This
is a view of the Drapića Ponor-mill at Dobromani, as displayed in the
Town Museum in Trebinje.
The date of the photograph
is ca 1902.This image has recorded many features which are either no longer
in
existence or which have
become obscured or have deteriorated.
An early (undated) view of the Drapića Mill is revealed in Photo DPM 3. above. It is useful to compare it with recordings of the same structure and surroundings of known later dates, as given elsewhere below. The image above indicates the Drapića Ponor-mill beside the full natural width of the Trebišnjica River. The riverbed is not yet lined or grouted with concrete and the river has not lost any of its natural flow to upstream diversion channels. The view indicates the position of the dam (submerged) which could have served only the Drapića Ponor-mill. The Drapića Ponor-mill structure is free of all vegetation and its associated outbuildings are shown in some detail. Also note the relatively sparse vegetation across the rough karst territory beyond the ponor-mill complex. Note the level of the dammed-up water with respect to the protruding stones on the facing side of the mill structure.
Milanovic (1979).published a view of the Drapića Ponor-mill in his classic publication "Karst Hydrogeology". No date was given for the photograph, but clearly, it was taken before the lining of the Trebišnjica Riverbed with concrete and long after the ponor-mills had fallen into disuse. Photo DMP 4. below reproduces his photograph.
Photo DMP 4...shows
a view of the Drapića Ponor-mill as described above. Note the "dam" of
natural limestone bedrock crossing the dry
riverbed just downstream
of the mill. This outcrop represents the actual downstream limit of the
ponor mouth. The mill construction has
been "inset" into the ponor
mouth. Note also the outcropping geology of the riverbed in front of the
mill. The ancilliary buildings are
seen in the background.
The "tower" feature top left behind the buldings remains a mystery.
Photo DMP 5...Is
an expanded view of the above Fig. 4. showing a little more detail.
Note the position of the natural limestone outcrops across the dry riverbed slightly downstream of the ponor-mill. Note also the two ancillary buildings behind the ponor-mill but now without their roofs. Note also the growth of scrub and trees on the karst landscape. Finally, for reference purposes in the contemporary images following later, please note the position of the characteristically-shaped bedrock outcrops immediately in front of the ponor-mill at riverbed level. The riverbed geology is also remarkably clear.
The same view was published again by Milanović (1981).in an English language version of the same book, which had been originally published in Serbo-croatian form. In this book, the image quality was much better and our Photo DMP 5. above reproduces for clarity the slightly better, though different format view.
A further view of the Drapića Ponor-mill was published by Bonacci (1987).(Photo DMP 6. below), who published a more recent view of the top of the inside of the Mill. Again, there is no date given for the actual photograph, but it must have been around the time of the publication date insofar as the amount of vegetation growth inside the structure would approximately correspond to what we see now.
