Herzegovina at the crossroads of various nations, religions and languages
Abstract
Herzegovina, although smaller in terms of area and population from Bosnia, has many features that distinguish it from the larger neighbour, with which it forms now a common state. Herzegovina has been mentioned earlier in the literature than Bosnia, it has a rich and often dramatic history. It is a typical frontier area where different nations, cultures and religions come to contact with each other. For centuries, Herzegovina has been strongly connected, mainly through commercial contacts, with the nearby Adriatic coast, and especially to Dubrovnik. It took over many of the customs and traditions of the Mediterranean, while being for a very long time under Turkish rule, and being inhabited by a large group of Orthodox Serbs. All these factors cause that despite the lack of commonly accepted boundaries, Herzegovina has its own characteristics, which distinguishes it from the neighbouring provinces. Unfortunately, this uniqueness is nowadays often denied due to political reasons, just like its name, which is often overlooked in the description of this very interesting region.
