The villages of Murter (with Hramina) and Betina developed in the north-west of the island, around a sandy field with numerous wells. Tisno lies in the narrowest part of the Murter channel; over the strait is a 37.5-m long drawbridge. Chief occupations are farming, growing of olives, fruit and vegetables, livestock breeding and fishing. The regional road runs throughout the island. The earliest inhabitants of the island were the Illyrians (remains of the Illyrian-Roman settlement of Collentum near Betina). In the Middle Ages the island was called Srimac; the name Insula Mortarii was also mentioned. In the 13th century there were two villages on the island, Veliko Selo (Big Village) (today"s Murter) and Jezera (Lakes); Betina and Tisno developed most probably during the Turkish invasions.
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