Dolija

Sunken vessels bear witness to the history of seamanship. Their ill fortune lends insight into lost ancient civilisations. In 1 BC, a Roman vessel transporting dolia sank. Dolia are huge earthenware containers, similar to Greek pithoi that can be filled with up to 3,000 litres of oil, wine or bulk cargo. The ones found in the waters off Cavtat are half the size. The site lies 200 m from Supetar, 1 nm from Cavtat.

Diving tips

NOTE: The site can be reached by boat from Cavtat, but only if accompanied by members of diving centres licensed by the Ministry of Culture. The boat is anchored above the site and, after exploration, the anchoring line is used to complete a decompression stop during ascent.

Marine life

The dolia are home to an old bellicose conger eel; shellfish and algae adorn the amphorae inhabited by fish. They have adapted to their environment and are pink like the scorpionfish, or greyish-blue like the conger eel.