Kriči

The Kriči (Serbian Cyrillic: Кричи)[a] were, according to tradition, an "older" people that inhabited an area somewhere by the Tara river in what is today northern Montenegro. Kriči (and similar names) has been periodically mentioned in historical sources, geographical and ethnological literature.[1] Their ethnic affiliation is unknown from historical sources, although tradition points that they were an old population, deemed Vlachs (Romanized Illyrian[b]) in theories found in anthropological studies. They, as other pre-Slavic tribes in the region, eventually assimilated into the Serb ethnos. Some toponyms in Montenegro and surnames are derived from the name of this tribe.[2]

History

The name Kričan is mentioned as a region in the 1260 charter of Stefan Uroš I regarding the borders of the village of Prošćenje (near Mojkovac); Kričan borders the village to the north.[3] The toponym may have given its name to the people, or vice-versa.[4] In ca. 1300 was mentioned personal name Kričan.[4]

According to oral tradition, Kriči inhabited Jezera and Šaranci, and good part of Sinjajevina.[5] They several times violently fought with Drobnjaci tribe (including Kriči voivode Kalok[6]) and were moved over Tara river.[7] Then inhabited lands from Sutjeska to Kolašin.[5] Their center was in Pljevlja (with local toponym Kričak between it and Bijelo Polje).[5]

Kotor documents mention Lore Kričko (Lore de Criçco) in 1326, and Kriče Vitomirov (Crice Vitomiri) in 1327.[8] Dubrovnik archive mention Dobrija and Đurađ Nenadić from Krički (de Crizche) in 1453. In Ottoman defter from 1477 was recorded nahija Kričak, with 5 džemat (katuns), one by knez Jarosav, another on name Nikola son of Kričko, as well nahija Mataruge with 3 katuns. In 1492, in Poljica in Dalmatia was recorded David Kričković. In 1528, Nikola Grubanović Kričak from village Kruševica transcribed a Church book. In the memorial of Hilandar from 16h or 17th century is mentioned Filip Kričak and several his Kričak relatives. In 1694 in Drniš is mentioned preist Radojica Kričak, while 1762 priest Maksim Kričković.[9]

Their tribal name remained in the anthroponomy (surname Kričković), and toponymy of lands where lived; Kričak and Kričačko polje in Sinjajevina, Kričina near Bribir, village Kričke near Drniš, another two homonymous villages near Pakrac, and Kričići near Jajce.[9]

In literature and anthropological studies

As concluded in Vlahović 1970, folk tradition on the Kriči is very different, although it is clear by tradition and literature that the tribe lived as an independent unit, and once in time included a relatively large area.[12] Their name surely points to an old ethnic group, among which there must have been a lot of Illyro-Roman remnants (medieval Vlach population); in all probability they very early on came into contact with old South Slavic tribes.[12]

Annotations

  1. ^ Sometimes referred to as Kričkovi,[1] Kričovi,[1] Kričkovići or Kričani. Beside mentioned above, professor Momčilo Poleksić from Pljevlja, hailing from Drobnjak, said that the name may have been a transformation from grčki ("Greek") to krički.[11] The locals of the Kričak region call the village of Kričak, Krčak, because it allegedly was the place of a "Greek warrior settlement".[11] In Serbo-Croatian, kričiti and kriknuti means "shouting"; kričak means a "person who shouts".[13]
  2. ^ It is assumed that ancient tribes of Balkans were already completely or partially Romanized before Slavs overwhelmed them at the end of the 6th century.[14]

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

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