On the busy, ancient cobbled streets of Šibenik something stands out from the crowd: like the coloristic accent on an abstract painting, there is a bright orange spot. It’s a man wearing a picturesque hat: the šibenska kapa. This original accessory, worn only by men, has a long history: some say it belongs to a tradition of the Iapodi tribe who populated the area before the arrival of the Croats. It’s decorated with two rows of ornaments sewn with black thread – spiral coils, symbols of the everlasting circle of life that also survived in the form of folk dances like a whirling kolo. Its unique look and history gave the šibenska kapa a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
