Perunika (Iris) was named after Perun – Slavic God of Thunder. Legend says that perunika would overgrow in the place that was touched by Perun’s lightning.
Many species of Iris grows in Herzegovina and Dalmatia: Iris illyrica, iris croatica, and Iris pseudopallida. Many antiques writers, such as Teofrast, Nicander and Plinius, mention it.
The root of perunika was used in medicine and in agriculture, but its biggest value was in perfumery. According to the Plinius, the odour of perunika was produced only by Greek cities such as Corint, who led in perfume manufacturing and exported it all over the Mediterranean, and Kizik. Hereof testimony many ceramic pots for perfumes – alabastron and aryballos. In the first fase, the perfume was in liquidity, but Corinthians were started to produce fixed perfume (Greek stymma, something like today’s cream). It was more economical for transport and it was prepared for special pots – pikside.
Many pots for perfumes were founded in the field of Narona where, in the IV. century B.C, Greeks founded emporium (port) and established market place in the Neretva, on which boats and ships triere – trireme, were sailing.
Plinius Secundus, in his encyclopedia Naturalis historis writes: “Iris laudatissima in Illyrico, et ibi quoque non in maritimis, sed in silvestribus Drilonis et Naronae”. (Perunika from Illyrica is very praised, not those along the shore, but those in the woods along Drim and Neretva).
