First published: 30/08/19.

Ilya Burlak 2.0

Stećci

Stećci (Inscribed)

Stećci by Ilya Burlak

I visited two of the properties of this serial site in July of 2019 on the way from Mostar to Dubrovnik. One of the best preserved and best known of the stećci cemeteries, Radimlja, is well signposted and located directly on the main road leading into the town of Stolac, making it an accessible and easy stop. I was the only visitor on that afternoon. The two staff members at the visitor center were clearly excited that someone decided to stop by. Having paid a nominal fee for entrance, I got a 5-minute lecture from one of them on the origins of stećci tombstones and their place in local history.

There are over 60 decorated limestone slabs at Radimlja. Quite a few are impressive, especially the ones showing the figure of a man with a raised hand. The girl at the visitor center intimated that there is no clear consensus on what the picture represents, which I found a bit strange given that the cemetery is only 500+ years old - I would expect some definitive explanations to survive from that time. I declined the offer of a guided tour, and simply spent the next 15 or so minutes roaming around the field. A true connoisseur may need more time, but a layman visitor will see all there is to see in that time. After I had taken what I thought were enough pictures, I lingered at the outdoors “café” area by the entrance with a cup of espresso, and was on my way. The whole stop took under half an hour.

Another stećci site, Boljuni, is located 15 minutes out of Stolac to the southwest. There are a couple of small road signs announcing it, but it is sufficiently situated off main roads in the middle of nowhere to require a careful GPS assistance to get to. The adjoining hamlet did not look lively to any degree; a couple of locals that I saw were clearly amused by the appearance of tourists. The necropolis – there are actually two separate graveyards a few hundred feet from each other – has no visitor center, no staff, and the fences around have no locks. The clearly neglected look adds a measure of authenticity but the carvings are few and barely visible. The OUV is hard to discern here. I spent maybe 15 minutes browsing around.

Radimlja is 30 minutes by car from Mostar. I left Boljuni less than an hour and a half after starting off from Mostar.

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