Traces of civilization on Velebit date from long ago, i.e. late paleolithe, and continue until nowadays. The first inhabitants of this region were the Illirian tribes Japods and Liburns, who dwelled here from 2000 B.C. until the 5th century. The Velebit area was a part of the Roman, and later Byzant Empire. By the beginning of the 7th century, these lands were (apart from some indigenous population of the Illirians) inhabited by Croats. In the beginning, the entire area of Lika, coastal and continental slopes of Velebit were a part of the so-called "Banovina", which was the administrative part of the Kingdom of Croatia, and later Hungarian-Hapsburg Monarchy. Excessive infrastructure projects were undertaken - construction of buildings, roads etc. Trade and life in general were improved - profane and sacral. In sacral terms, the Velebit area was under the administration of three bishoprics: Nin in the south, Krbava in the east and Senj in the north-west. During the Turkish conquerings by the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century, the regions from which the Croats withdrew were inhabited by the orthodox shepherds from deep inside the Balcans. After the liberation of Lika in 1689, Croats were reintroduced - from Buna, Kotor, higher hills and islands. Numerous archeological localities and foundings (fortifications, towns, churches, monasteries...) witness of the ancient history and lives of different nations and tribes who played their role in the general development and cultural heritage of Velebit and its surrounding.

So far no comprehensive archeological researches were made, so there are no relevant cultural or historical bases.

The traces of men's continuous dwelling on Velebit date from the end of the 3rd millenium B.C., mostly on altitudes below 700 meters, where a large number of ancient settlements was discovered.

People often went into the higher parts of the mountain for hunt, grazing and partly trade, i.e. mostly on season term bases, which explains the fact that there are no continuous traces of men's presence - Japods, Liburns, Romans and Croats, on higher altitudes.

The inhabitans of the costal slopes had to thread into the higher parts in seek of fertile soil and grazing, while the continental part of the population had all these things in their vicinity. That explains the scattering of the cultural and historical landmarks on the coastal side. Inofficial laws and verbal agreements on property relations were respected through history, so that even nowadays they are still valid in the most conservative parts of the country, although such manner of contracts is rapidly dying out. On the Velebit area there is also a number of ancient legislative acts found - in ancient times, they were carved into stones (The "Written Stone" close to the Kosinj valley, the stone from Panos of Jablanac and the Bovan rock).

There are numerous summer lodges, churches, wells, water pits, reservoirs, chapels etc., and many of them will be declared protected cultural objects.