Nikola Vitov Gucetic
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Nikola Vitov Gučetić (Italian: Nicolň Vito di Gozze) was a statesman, philosopher, writer and author of one of the first scientific dissertations regarding the speleology. He was born in Dubrovnik in 1549 where, (including Italy), he received most of his education. He was the famous philosopher and science writer. Gučetić was the central person of a cultural life in Dubrovnik in his time and owned probably the biggest private library in town. He died in 1610.
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The Statesman
Rarely traveling outside the limits of town, he was occupied by the trade, finances, other official duties for the city- state. Elected duke of Dubrovnik seven times on the turn of the 17th century, he devoted his life to the prosperity of the city. The very pope Clement VIII awarded him the honorary doctorate of philosophy as well the master degree in theology, became famous and was highly regarded for his works related to philosophy, politics, sociology, and pedagogy.
On Winds and Caves
According to cultural and political situation of his time, in attempt to be as accesible to as many readers possible, he used to write in Italian language. In the year 1584 the first and in 1585, the second edition of his book Sopra le Metheore d' Aristotile, (About Aristotle's meteors), was published. in Venice. This work is a comment on explanations of natural phenomena according to the principles of natural philosophy given by Aristotle.
In a part of a book relating to the meteorology which discuss the phenomenon of wind, the writer mentions two caves - Šipun cave near Cavtat in Dubrovnik area. Another unnamed cave in Popovo polje (Herzegovina) is mentioned, (most probably today's Vjetrenica cave, vjetar=wind), is noted to generate very strong winds at their entrances. Based on their observations Gučetić is explaining the origin of winds in general and winds in some caves by the process of evaporation of the Earth elements which are caused by the Sun. Being warm, dryer an denser, the evaporation medium is unable to penetrate the Earth trough its surface, but only through the large openings and that is what produces wind. Scientist noted that wind can not be observed deeper inside the cave, but only at the entrance. He explained that by acceleration of the air current in narrower passages, similar to the that one of the sea current in narrow sea passages.
In the case of a windless Šipun cave, Gučetić stated that this phenomenon is not universal for all caves. He explained the absence of wind on its entrance by its higher humidity and presence of a lake in one or more of possible passages. According to his opinion, the bigger amount of water is favorable for the growth of stygobites and troglobites which are abundant in the cave near Cavtat.
Other works
- Dello stato delle republiche secondo la mente di Aristotele 1591
- Discorsi della penitenza 1589
- Governo della famiglia 1589
The Noble Family
Nikola Vitov-Gucetic is just one member of well known family as is well known writer Ivan Gucetic, (1451 - 1502). In town of Trsteno,(trska=reed), near Dubrovnik, the first arboretum in this part of the world was founded by the noble family in 1495. Within once their country house, there is the oldest, (designed in 1502), Renaissance park in Croatia with numerous exotic plants. On the central market place of Trsteno there are two huge, 400 years old, (5 m thick and 60 m high), plane trees the unique specimens of its kind in Europe.
External Links
- Vjetrenica Cave (http://www.jakopin.net/primoz/slike/vjetrenica_2002_l.html)
- Croatian Speleology (http://pubwww.srce.hr/speleo/index.html)
- Croatian Speleology Links (http://www.cavepage.magna.com.au/cgi-bin/searchlink.pl?Croatia)
- UCLA Special Collection Library (http://www.library.ucla.edu/special/scweb/ald95.htm)
- Arboretum of Trsteno (http://www.croatia-vacation.com/english/index.htm)