Original scientific paper

Summary

Anđela Horvat

Abstract

At the exhibition of our mediaeval art in Paris and Zagreb in the year 1950-1951, among other material there were exhibited the grave monuments of mediaeval Bosnia. The international public was very much attracted by them. The usual name of these monuments is stećak, mramorje or mašeta. They are mentioned in literature a hundred years ago. Many experts have different opinions about their origin, form and ornaments. But, it is sure, that they are characteristic for the cultural area of which Bosnia was the centre. The peculiarity of these monuments is, that they unite the inherited influence of the European culture with the motives of the native art. At the same time we feel in them the sense for the representations of everyday life (p. ex. hunting, dancing ect.).
This art lasted from XII-XVI. century. Concerning the early dating of these monuments, the appearance of such representations is very rare in the mediaeval sepulcral art.
The dead body is not buried in a coffin or sarcophagus, but under a stone - on the ground, the nobles - and such kind of burial is very interesting for the history
of culture.
All mentioned till now, concerns the monumental examples of these stones. Some of them are found on the territory of NR Croatia in Dalmatia, where there exist about 30 such cimetries. A great number of these monuments is generally only a simple stone slab, rarely ornamented.
Topographically the published monuments could be placed among the rivers Zrmanja, Una and Sava, the Adriatic sea and the river Drina, where they pass into the region of NR Serbia. But the district of their extension is much larger. We find them also on the territory of Krbava, Lika and Slavonija. So their topography moved to the west from the river Zrmanja and Una, and to the north from the river Sava (Debelo Brdo, Grabušić, Pećane, Mogorić, Tušice, Kom. Plaški, Dragotin, Srednji Borci).
On the enclosed map we see the mentioned new locations. Their former topography is marked with diagonal lines. The enlarged topography of these monuments passes over the border of the mediaeval state of Bosnia, and that of the Bosnian church. Probably the most important factor beside the social and other conditions is the geological factor, which determines their spreading.
The researches cannot give us yet any definite results.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

327532

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/327532

Publication date:

1.6.1951.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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