Author
Ian Bancroft
Ian Bancroft is a writer and former diplomat based in the former Yugoslavia. He is the author of a novel, Luka, and a work of nonfiction, Dragon’s Teeth: Tales From North Kosovo.
Articles by this author
Preserving the Imaret of Kavala: Safeguarding an Ottoman Landmark
Culture
Preservation efforts have protected the historical design and cultural legacy of the Ali Pasha-gifted Imaret of Kavala—one of most important Ottoman landmarks in Greece.
Family Secret: The Mystery of North Macedonia’s Ohrid Pearls
Arts
Artisans are preserving the elusive technique behind these pearls—handmade from a fish, not an oyster—in a town of Slavic, Byzantine and Ottomon influences.
The Living Tradition of Bosnian Woodcarving
Arts
The backstreets of Sarajevo’s old town are alive with the repetitive thud of metalworking. In this European capital, with its contemporary high-rise buildings and modern brands, you can still hear the heartbeat of tradition.
The Bridge of Meanings
History
Arts
There is no truer symbol of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, than its Old Bridge. The magnificent icon of Balkan Islamic architecture was destroyed during the 1992–’95 war—but not for long. Like the multicultural workforce that produced the original hundreds of years earlier, a broad team of architects, engineers and others came together immediately to plan its reconstruction. This summer marked the 20th anniversary of the bridge’s reopening.