Timetravel

Nuntius is traditional craft from Dubrovnik and exists little more than ten years. Our primary activity is production and placement of herbal products based on natural and manual processing, without artificial additives and industrial or chemical substances.

Considering that our products speaks alone for themselves, and considering that you entered the menu About us, what follows is only about us, within us and around us.

Our Craft name Nuntius is a Latin term for messenger, envoy, transmitter of information or news medium. The concept is reminiscent of the word nuncio, but unlike him we do not convey messages from the Vatican, but from nature. Because of consistency to name Nuntius, we decided not only for the transmission of information about us, but also of our environment which is formed by the past and will be formulate by the future.
Therefore, we invite you to enter this dreaming moment between and travel through space and time in both directions.

Axle

Axis Mundi (World Axis) as the primordial origins of human beliefs and philosophy represent the center of the World. Regardless which culture and civilization presents, it is a symbol of connection between Heaven and Earth, the higher and lower spheres, micro and macro levels... Axis Mundi is often visualized as a tree (crown, trunk and root), hidden in the Kabbalah tree of life, the biblical tree of knowledge, pagan worshiping of the forest gods, while the allegorical meanings are reflected in totems, church towers, minarets, corporate skyscrapers... It can be recognized in the dictum ''healthy body, healthy mind'' or in hermetical law ''as above, so below''.

However, we will focus on the manifestation of Axis Mundi in one rod, around which is wrapped snake and owned by Asclepius, the father of medicine. And not only to that, but also to the fact that the Axis of the World's tree is most often shown as oak.

Cult

Asclepius was the Greek god of medicine, son of Apollo and nymph Coronis, born in Epidaurus by the original Caesarean section. He had an Egyptian version in the name of Imothep, and Roman version as Esculapius. According to mythology centaur Chiron raised Asclepius and instructed him in the art of medicine. With the help of Medusa's blood that gave him the goddess Athena, Asclepius was able to revive the dead. Because of the disruption of the balance between the world of the living and the dead Zeus punish him and killed him by thunderbolt. Here we can notice that Mary Shelley for the subtitle of her cult novel, instead of Prometheus, could write; Frankenstein: or, The Modern Asclepius.

Daughters and sons of Asclepius, according to the myth, continued their father's knowledge. The most prominent among them are Panacea (goddess of healing) and Hygeia (goddess of mental and physical health, hygiene). The two of them together with Asclepius were also the main subject of the original Hippocratic oath, while the rod of Asclepius with staff-wrapped snake, whose changing skin symbolizes regeneration and rejuvenation, remains to this day an official sign of world medicine - duality of health and disease, Axis Mundi of life and death.
Back in the sixth century BC a heritage of Asclepius cult manifested in the establishment of Asclepeion, the shrine in his home Epidaurus, which has become the biggest healing temple and resort of the ancient world. Centuries-old tradition of using herbs and medical disciplines through worshiping the deity of medicine has grown into a cult that spreads to the Southern Adriatic and Illyria. The ancient Greeks from Epidaurus founded a colony on the site of today's Cavtat, a beautiful small town 20 km south of Dubrovnik.

New Epidaurus, the cult of Asclepius and healing temples in the third century BC came under the rule of a new world order, Rome. As a result, Epidaurus becomes Epidaurum, Asclepius becomes Esculapius and health resorts becomes bloody gladiatorial arenas. Romanized Epidaurum survived until the beginning of the seventh century, when the inhabitants fled to the north, to the area of today's City of Dubrovnik. They escaped in front of invading Avars and tribes whose Axis Mundi and deities are tightly woven into an oak trees, in front of the Slavs.

Trinity

About Slavs, their tribes and divine hierarchy history does not reveal too much, and what it reveals is often questionable and contrary. In competition of Rod (god of birth and creation) and Svarog (god of fire), Svarog's son Perun (god of heavenly thunderbolts) has a special place, certainly because he resides in the crown of the sacred oak tree. At the root of the oak resides his angry opponent Veles (god of the underworld).
For the duality of heaven and the underworld, as well as rounding of the Slavic Axis Mundi, the role takes Mokosh (goddess of fertility), which as Perun's wife half a year spent with him, and the other half with its rival Veles. Mokošica near Dubrovnik is named toward that mother nature, protector of women and women's handicrafts. Slavic tribes settled on the coast and on the slopes of Srđ hill, in an area that was covered with forests of oak (oak lužnjak or dub). Of course, over time the settlement was called Dubrava.
And so, in one place there was blended three heritages; Slavic paganism, Roman culture and Greek heritage of cult of Asclepius. The mild climate, sea, colorful world of herbs and spices together make up more than sufficient predisposition for the development of a very particular city.

Oaktown

Early History of Dubrava, Ragusa or Dubrovnik even today is controversial and undiscovered. Fortunately, it is not the goal of this trip and we will gladly skip it.
The Roman Empire collapsed and gives a path to another new world order, Asclepius cult becomes a scientific discipline and social status, while features and power of ancient Perun now carry St. Elijah, St. Michael and St. George. Through the time the oak's forests disappeared and today the oak trees in Dubrovnik are alive only in the lyrics of our national hymn and in expensive furniture.

However, intangible heritage is preserved and is constantly being recreated and upgraded, mostly thanks to a small but powerful Republic of Dubrovnik. In its shelter was established one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe since 1317. Within the monastery of Little brothers the Franciscan monks preserved numerous recipes and books in the field of medicine and pharmacology.

TThe tradition of collecting and preparing herbs, folk medicine and scientific knowledge is still a part of the spiral that connects the upper and lower levels of our Axis Mundi, our aspirations for conformity of mind and body with the society in which we live, cosmo-ethics. The proof of worshiping Asclepius (or tricky falsification of history) is the Latin inscription on the Rector's Palace from the fifteenth century:

"This is a divine gift of father Apollo, which is the only one who found medical skill, five centuries buried, and who teached witch herb is worth as a remedy. This is Esculapius of stone carved, our glory, born in Dubrovnik. Our wise ancestors wished him to be included among the gods because they know that he is above every human praise and that almost no one is more useful to the world but him. "

On the right side of the inscriptions there are carved capital representing Asclepius in his alchemical laboratory and his servant shows the way to citizens and farmers. They bringing him gifts of nature, including the chicken, the usual doctor's fee in exchange for herbal preparations. That act of trade which is etched in stone as a memorial, completes the story of Oaktown, and yet it's still alive.
Giving the farmer on the square some cream, balm or oil and get in return some local arugula, cheese, lemon or eggplant is priceless, as an experience, as a tradition and as a confirmation of the quality of what you've done with your knowledge, passion and hands...
And it's a story about us.

Hunting tales

SEverything that is told here is the inspiration for what we do and what we produce.
And today, to feed and survive we have to go hunting. The hunting grounds are shopping centers, boutiques, markets ... The weapon is money, and to make weapons byselves it's not enough to have wishes, ideas and will. It's not enough to be in condition, proactive, to have attitude ... It's not enough to know how to create, design, advertise and sell... It's not enough to know languages, to be communicative, computer literate, polite... even be resistant on wind, rain and heat. It's insufficient to withstand human vanity, envy, selfishness ...