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Necropolis with stećak tombstones in Bečani, the historic site

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Status of monument -> National monument

Pursuant to Article V para. 4 Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Article 39 para. 1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, at a session held on 26 October 2010 the Commission adopted a

 

D E C I S I O N

 

I

 

The historic site of the necropolis with stećak tombstones in Bečani, Municipality Šekovići, is hereby designated as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: the National Monument).

The National Monument consists of the necropolis with 138 stećak tombstones at a site which local residents call Pola stijene in Bečani.

            The National Monument is located on a site designated as Sibinj (old survey), corresponding to part of cadastral plot no. 1236 (new survey), title deed nos. 197 and 243, Land Register entry no. 113, cadastral municipality Brainci; Municipality Šekovići, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The provisions relating to protection measures set forth by the Law on the Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, established pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of Republika Srpska no. 9/04, 70/06 and 64/08) shall apply to the National Monument.

 

II

 

The Government of Republika Srpska shall be responsible for providing the legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the protection, conservation and presentation of the National Monument.

The Commission to Preserve National Monuments (hereinafter: the Commission) shall determine the technical requirements and secure the funds for preparing and setting up signboards with basic details of the monument and the Decision to proclaim the property a National Monument.

 

III

 

To ensure the on-going protection of the National Monument on the area defined in Clause 1 para. 3 of this Decision, the following protection measures are hereby stipulated:

-          all works are prohibited other than research and conservation-restoration works and routine maintenance works, including those designed to display the monument, with the approval of the Ministry responsible for regional planning in Republika Srpska (hereinafter: the relevant ministry) and under the expert supervision of the heritage protection authority of Republika Srpska (hereinafter: the heritage protection authority);

-          the site of the monument shall be open and accessible to the public, and may be used for educational and cultural purposes;

-          no works shall be carried out to tidy the necropolis, remove self-sown vegetation or clear lichens and moss from the stećak tombstones, or make good any damage, without a prior repair, restoration and conservation plan, and with the approval of the relevant ministry and under the expert supervision of the heritage protection authority;

-          the area is a potential archaeological site, and any investigative works must be carried out in the presence of an archaeologist;

-          the dumping of waste is prohibited.

 

The Government of Republika Srpska shall be responsible in particular for ensuring that the following measures are carried out:

-          conducting a geodetic survey of the site;

-          drawing up a plan for the repair, restoration and conservation of the site;

-          drawing up a Management Plan for the site.

 

IV

 

All movable artefacts found during the course of the archaeological survey shall be deposited in the nearest museum able to provide the necessary personnel, material and technical conditions or in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, processed, and suitably presented.      

All movable and immovable archaeological material found during the course of the archaeological investigations shall be professionally analyzed.

Upon completion of the archaeological works the archaeologist in charge of the investigations shall submit a report to the Commission and to the institution that conducted the investigations.

The archaeologist leading the investigations must have access to all the movable and immovable archaeological material found during the course of the investigations and until his/her report is completed, for a period not exceeding three years.

All immovable finds shall be conserved in situ as the archaeological investigations proceed, and the movable archaeological material shall be conserved and placed for safe keeping in a suitable storage facility.

Upon receipt of a report on the investigations conducted, the Commission shall identify which movable artefacts shall be subject to protection measures to be determined by the Commission.

The removal of the movable artefacts referred to in para. 1 above from Bosnia and Herzegovina is prohibited.

By way of exception to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Clause, if the leader of the investigations determines that a given archaeological artefact must be processed abroad, and provides evidence to that effect to the Commission, the Commission may permit the temporary removal of the artefact from the country subject to detailed conditions for its export, treatment while out of the country and return to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

V

 

All executive and area development-planning acts are hereby revoked to the extent that they are not in accordance with the provisions of this Decision.

 

VI

 

Everyone, and in particular the competent authorities of Republika Srpska, and urban and municipal authorities, shall refrain from any action that might damage the National Monument or jeopardize the preservation thereof.

 

VII

 

The Government of Republika Srpska, the relevant ministry and the heritage protection authority, and the Municipal Authorities in charge of urban planning and land registry affairs, shall be notified of this Decision in order to carry out the measures stipulated in Articles II – VI of this Decision, and the Authorized Municipal Court shall be notified for the purposes of registration in the Land Register.

 

VIII

 

The elucidation and accompanying documentation form an integral part of this Decision, which may be viewed by interested parties on the premises or by accessing the website of the Commission (http://www.kons.gov.ba).

 

IX

 

Pursuant to Art. V para. 4 Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, decisions of the Commission are final.

 

X

 

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of BiH.

 

This Decision has been adopted by the following members of the Commission: Zeynep Ahunbay, Martin Cherry, Amra Hadžimuhamedović, Dubravko Lovrenović, and Ljiljana Ševo.

 

No.05.2-02.3-71/10-34

26 October 2010

Sarajevo

 

Chair of the Commission

Amra Hadžimuhamedović

 

E l u c i d a t i o n

 

I – INTRODUCTION

Pursuant to Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Law on Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, established pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a “National Monument” is an item of public property proclaimed by the Commission to Preserve National Monuments to be a National Monument pursuant to Articles V and VI of Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and property entered on the Provisional List of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH no. 33/02) until the Commission reaches a final decision on its status, as to which there is no time limit and regardless of whether a petition for the property in question has been submitted or not.

On 1 October 2010, history teacher Senad Kuč of Šekovići submitted a proposal/petition to designate the necropolis with stećak tombstones in Bečani, Šekovići Municipality, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Pursuant to the provisions of the law, the Commission proceeded to carry out the procedure for reaching a final decision to designate the Property as a National Monument, pursuant to Article V, para. 4 of Annex 8 and Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments.

 

Statement of Significance

The mediaeval tombstones known as stećci (pl. of stećak) are unique to Bosnia and Herzegovina and its neighbours. They provide impressive evidence of the growing economic power of Bosnian feudal society in the 14th century, the opening of mines, increasing urbanization, and the wish of individuals to display their status and power through the appearance of their tombstones. They are of outstanding historic and artistic importance.

The necropolis with stećci in Bečani, with 138 tombstones, is located at a site which local residents call Pola Stijene. All four basic shapes of stećak tombstone are present in the necropolis: slabs, chest, gabled (sarcophagus-shaped) and standing stones in the shape of upright slabs (rectangular parallelopipeds) widening towards the base and with a triangular, flat or arched top, or topped by a lipped arch. Seven are decorated with crescent moon and sword motifs.

 

II – PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE

In the procedure preceding the adoption of a final decision to proclaim the property a national monument, the following documentation was inspected:

-          Documentation on the location and current owner and user of the property (copy of cadastral plan and copy of land registry entry),

-          Data on the current condition and use of the property, including a description and photographs, data of war damage, data on restoration or other works on the property, etc.,

-          Historical, architectural and other documentary material on the property, as set out in the bibliography forming part of this Decision.

 

Pursuant to Article 12 of the Law on the Implementation of Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments Established Pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the following procedures were carried out for the purpose of designating the property as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina:

-          A proposal/petition to designate the necropolis with stećci in Bečani, Municipality Šekovići, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina was received under cover of letter ref. 05.2-35.1-19/10-71 of 5 October 2010,

-          Letter ref. 05.2-32.2-10/10-196 of 6 October 2010 requesting views and documentation on the designation of the necropolis with stećci in Bečani, Šekovići Municipality, was sent to the Mayor and the Department of Town Planning and Cadastral Affairs of Šekovići Municipality, the Ministry of Regional Planning, Construction and the Environment of RS, the Institute for the Protection of the Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of RS and the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport.

-          Under cover of letter ref. 21. 53/052-208/10 of 11 October 2010, the Department of Geodetics and Proprietary Rights of Republika Srpska, Šekovići branch, submitted a copy of cadastral plan no. 1236 c.m. Brainci and title deed nos. 197 and 243 c.m. Brainci, Municipality Šekovići,

-          Under cover of letter ref. 07-40-4-3883-1/10 of 13 October 2010 the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport provided details of the current status of the mediaeval necropolis in Bečani, Šekovići Municipality,

-          Under cover of letter ref. 03-053-61/10 of 21 October 2010, Šekovići Municipality provided title deed no. 197 and 243, a copy of cadastral plan for c.p. no. 1236, and Land Register entry no. 113, c.m. Brainci, and expressed the view that the property should be designated as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina without further delay.

 

      The findings based on a review of the above documentation and the condition of the property are as follows:

 

1. Details of the property

Location

The village of Bečani is 3.52 km north-west of Šekovići. The necropolis with stećci is at a site below a rock face, which local residents call Pola stijene, at an altitude of 665 m, 44°19'39.8"N 18°50'42.03"E.

            The National Monument is located on a site designated as Sibinj (old survey), corresponding to part of cadastral plot no. 1236 (new survey), title deed nos. 197 and 243, Land Register entry no. 113, cadastral municipality Brainci; Municipality Šekovići, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The plot where the tombstones stand is in the private ownership of Vidović Malina widow of Jovan née Mrkajić and Dukić Petka Filip.

Historical background

The Šekovići area has been inhabited and a busy cultural and communications centre since ancient times, as evidenced by numerous toponyms such as Kaštielja (Kastel), Grada (fort or town), Gradine (hill fort) or Crkvina (site of a church). Substantial masonry structures still survive on some of them. No archaeological investigations of these remains have yet been undertaken, so that, given the lack of scholarly data, all that can be said is that the site was inhabited and saw considerable activity in the past, but no specific dates can be allotted to certain events and changes(1).

Much of the area of the early feudal župas (counties) of Osat and Birač (present-day municipalities of Srebrenica, Vlasenica, Bratunac, Šekovići and Kladanj) were held by the aristocratic Trebotić family, members of which were also voyvodas of Usora. In the time of Ban Tvrtko the wider region of the Bosnian part of the central Drina valley became part of Usora, when an aristocratic clan from the Drina valley region happened to become the hereditary holder of the title of the Usora voyvodas(2).

The toponyms Varošište (town, commercial area, a name generally indicating an area of settlement), Tabaci (suggesting the presence of a tannery) or Hanište (site of a caravanserai) are evidence of an active economic and cultural life during the Ottoman period. At this time, major roads ran through these parts, linking the river Spreča valley with Sarajevo via Vlasenica(3).

 

2. Description of the property

Stećci may be divided into two main groups, recumbent and upright. According to Šefik Bešlagić, recumbent monoliths consist of slabs, chests and sarcophagus-like or gabled tombstones, while upright or standing stones consist of slabs, chests, rectangular blocks, gabled blocks, stelae, obelisks and forms transitional between these and the pillar-like tombstones known as nišan, cruciform tombstones, and those of indeterminate shape(4). Upright stećci are usually in the shape of rectangular parallelopipeds with the narrower end at the base, thus most closely resembling slabs and chests, except that they are upright rather than recumbent, and largely reminiscent of the stelae of Antiquity.

These upright slabs or rectangular parallelopipeds come in several subtypes. They usually have a flat top and a parallel symmetrical base. Next most common is the slab with a triangular top like a double-pitched roof, though there are also some with three “roof” panes. Yet others have an arched top. Of these, some have an arched or barrel-shaped lip in the middle of the top, others have an arched concavity at that point, and some have two arched concavities. Many slabs widen gradually from bottom to top, with the wider faces thus forming isosceles trapezoids. This type may also have a flat or triangular top (the latter again double- or triple-pitched), or an arched top, with or without an arched lip or concavity in the middle. There are also some slabs widening towards the top with a triangular top where there is a moulded band in the middle of one or both wider faces, accentuating the impression of height.

Another important kind of standing stone is the upright chest. Here too the top may be flat, double- or triple-pitched, or arched, with or without an arched lip or concavity. Upright chests are sometimes cut as rectangular blocks with a square base, in which case they are commonly taller than other standing stones. In some cases this type of standing stone has a four-sided pyramidal top, sometimes surmounted by a sphere (Sokolac). There are also sanding stones with dome-like tops, surmounted by spheres or hemispheres (Rogatica).

A few standing stones are not pure rectangular blocks, but narrow very gradually towards the top to end in a rectangle that is smaller than the base. There are very few instances of rectangular blocks widening towards the top, and these are not as tall as usual (the Kalesija region).

A few standing stones of pentagonal section, i.e. in the shape of a gabled tombstone without a plinth but standing on one end, have been recorded (the Živinica and Bratunac region).

A fair number of standing stones of indeterminate shape or only superficially worked have also been identified.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, stećci in the form of standing stones account for only 4% of the total number of stećci; in Serbia this rises to 11%, while in Montenegro the figure is only 0.85% and in Croatia 0.07%. They are rare in Herzegovina and western Bosnia, uncommon in central Bosnia, and plentiful in eastern Bosnia. The greatest diversity of shape among standing stones is to be found in the Bratunac, Srebrenica and Kladanj areas. Bešlagić is of the opinion that standing stones were first erected in the first half of the 15th century, but that they mainly belong to the end of the 15th and first half of the 16th century. Further evidence of this late dating can be seen in the fact that tombstones of these shapes are usually situated on the edge of a necropolis.(5)  

The necropolis has a total of 138 visible stećci, of which four are slab-shaped, 15 are chest-shaped, 41 are gabled (sarcophagus-shaped), 77 are standing stones and one is of indeterminate shape, having sunk into the ground. Šefik Bešlagić identified 179 stećci on this site (eight slabs, 41 chests, 40 gabled and 90 standing stones).(6) These figures reveal the difference between the number of standing stones at the time Bešlagić was recording stećci and the time of the survey in 2010. The basic typological classification of stećci is into horizontal and standing monoliths. Standing stones occur in three common forms – stele, obelisk (the top pyramid-shaped) and nišan (flat-topped). Standing stones are more typical of eastern and central Bosnia (Olovo, Trnovo and several places in the Drina valley) than of the southern part of the country (the area formerly known as Hum), where none have yet been identified. Seven stećci were found to be decorated (two gabled and five standing stones) with crescent moon and sword motifs.

Condition of the stećci

Stećak no. 1 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 126x54x33 cm;

Stećak no. 2 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) with triangular top, measuring 138x50x34 cm;

Stećak no. 3 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) with triangular top, measuring 127x87x33 cm;

Stećak no. 4 - standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 125x70x22 cm;

Stećak no. 5 – standing stone damaged, measuring 110x60x55 cm;

Stećak no. 6 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 145x86x36 cm;

Stećak no. 7 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, sunken, measuring 105(visible)x70x26 cm;

Stećak no. 8 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 110x74x26 cm;

Stećak no. 9 – gabled, lying north-south, plinth measuring 175x70x40 cm;

Stećak no. 10 – gabled, measuring 140x60x30 cm;

Stećak no. 11 – standing stone on its side, measuring 70(visible)x55x25 cm;

Stećak no. 12 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 175x63x32 cm;

Stećak no. 13 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 214x65x20 cm;

Stećak no. 14 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 178x59x20 cm;

Stećak no. 15 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 180x70x45 cm;

Stećak no. 16 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 194x67x30 cm;

Stećak no. 17 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 200x70x30 cm;

Stećak no. 18 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 175x65x24 cm;

Stećak no. 19 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 88x36x10 cm;

Stećak no. 20 – gabled, sunken into the ground, measuring 124x44x18 cm;

Stećak no. 21 – gabled, overgrown with brambles and sunken, measuring 164x38x10 cm;

Stećak no. 22 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 180x70x30 cm;

Stećak no. 23 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 175x60x20 cm;

Stećak no. 24 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 160x56x15 cm;

Stećak no. 25 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 178x67x45 cm;

Stećak no. 26. – chest, sunken, measuring 144x44x15 cm;

Stećak no. 27. – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 150x56x17 cm;

Stećak no. 28 – chest, measuring 140x43x20 cm;

Stećak no. 29 – standing stone, on its side, plinth measuring 170x67x20 cm;

Stećak no. 30 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 177x83x34 cm;

Stećak no. 31 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 162x64x42 cm;

Stećak no. 32 – gabled, decorated, lying north-south, measuring 177x78x53 cm. The ends are decorated, but the decoration could not be identified as the stećak has sunk into the ground;

Stećak no. 33 – gabled, measuring 184x85x50 cm;

Stećak no. 34 – gabled, measuring 173x63x30 cm;

Stećak no. 35 – gabled, measuring 188x70x35 cm;

Stećak no. 36 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, decorated, measuring 90x70x22 cm. The side is decorated with a sword motif in reverse relief;

Stećak no. 37 – slab, broken in half and decorated, measuring 90x110x16 cm. The flat surface is decorated with a crescent moon in relief;

Stećak no. 38 – gabled, measuring 168x65x30 cm;

Stećak no. 39 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 105x95x30 cm;

Stećak no. 40 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 80x65x30 cm;

Stećak no. 41 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with arched top, measuring 65x48x20 cm;

Stećak no. 42 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 60x53x25 cm;

Stećak no. 43 – gabled, sunken, lying north-south, measuring 180x80x10 cm;

Stećak no. 44 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 113x68x22 cm;

Stećak no. 45 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, lying on the ground, measuring 98x60x10 cm;

Stećak no. 46 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 95x48x38 cm;

Stećak no. 47 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 118x65x20 cm;

Stećak no. 48 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 116x66x25 cm;

Stećak no. 49 – fallen standing stone with triangular top, measuring 125x68x17 cm;

Stećak no. 50 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 200x115x33 cm;

Stećak no. 51 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 90x66x30 cm;

Stećak no. 52 – fallen standing stone with triangular top, measuring 186x90x25 cm;

Stećak no. 53 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, broken in half, measuring 136x64x30 cm;

Stećak no. 54 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 135x83x35 cm;

Stećak no. 55 – chest, lying north-south, measuring 190x68x34 cm;

Stećak no. 56 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 134x70x25 cm;

Stećak no. 57 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, damaged, measuring 73x66x22 cm;

Stećak no. 58 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 100x65x40 cm;

Stećak no. 59 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 110x57x33 cm;

Stećak no. 60 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), broken in half, measuring 87x40x20 cm; (in a tree)

Stećak no. 61 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 126x60x40 cm;

Stećak no. 62 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 140x73x28 cm;

Stećak no. 63 – chest, lying north-south, measuring 170x80x30 cm;

Stećak no. 64 – chest, measuring 180x75x20 cm;

Stećak no. 65 – standing stone – flat-topped slab (rectangular parallelopiped), leaning off true, measuring 80x30x20 cm;

Stećak no. 66 – chest, sunken, measuring 195x50x15 cm;

Stećak no. 67 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 75x55x22 cm;

Stećak no. 68 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), top damaged, measuring 83x45x40 cm;

Stećak no. 69 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 105x56x27 cm;

Stećak no. 70 –standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 127x73x42 cm;

Stećak no. 71 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top measuring 82x50x18 cm;

Stećak no. 72 – gabled, measuring 166x76x28 cm;

Stećak no. 73 – chest, measuring 145x84x30 cm;

Stećak no. 74 – fallen standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 140 cm in length;

Stećak no. 75 – chest with plinth, measuring 130x59x65 cm;

Stećak no. 76 – gabled, measuring 160x50x22 cm;

Stećak no. 77 – gabled, measuring 114x34x16 cm;

Stećak no. 78 – gabled, measuring 165x59x38 cm;

Stećak no. 79 – gabled, plinth measuring 152x75x40 cm;

Stećak no. 80 – sunken gabled, measuring 165x72x18 cm;

Stećak no. 81 – gabled, measuring 182x68x32 cm;

Stećak no. 82 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 145x47x35 cm;

Stećak no. 83 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 136x68x34 cm;

Stećak no. 84 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 135x90x30 cm;

Stećak no. 85 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 60x35x18 cm,

Stećak no. 86 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 66x32x26 cm;

Stećak no. 87 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 107x54x38 cm;

Stećak no. 88 – standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 110x57x16 cm;

Stećak no. 89 – gabled, measuring 110x40x22 cm;

Stećak no. 90 – gabled, measuring 130x65x15 cm;

Stećak no. 91 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 112x63x33 cm;

Stećak no. 92 – decorated gabled, measuring 140x40x18 cm. A decoration was recorded on the front of the tombstone, but since the tombstone is sunken the decoration could not identified;

Stećak no. 93 – sunken gabled, measuring 120 cm in length;

Stećak no. 94 – gabled, measuring 147x65x56 cm;

Stećak no. 95 – gabled, measuring 196x70x62 cm;

Stećak no. 96 – slab with plinth, measuring 190x54x18 cm;

Stećak no. 97 – slab, measuring 133x57x18 cm,

Stećak no. 98 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 182x77x40 cm;

Stećak no. 99 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 130x56x48 cm;

Stećak no. 100 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 190x75x60 cm;

Stećak no. 101 – gabled, lying north-south, measuring 183x52x25 cm;

Stećak no. 102 – slab under a tree root;

Stećak no. 103 –standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 130x40x40 cm;

Stećak no. 104 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), lying on the ground and sunken, measuring 110x48x35 cm;

Stećak no. 105 – standing stone – flat-topped slab (rectangular parallelopiped), lying on the ground and sunken, measuring 70 cm in width;

Stećak no. 106 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), lying on the ground and sunken, measuring 120x76x20 cm;

Stećak no. 107 – chest, sunken, measuring 150x60x12 cm;

Stećak no. 108 – decorated standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 102x70x57 cm. A crescent moon, horns pointing downwards, with a hand below, on the side of the standing stone;

Stećak no. 109 – chest, lying west-east, measuring 205x100x18 cm;

Stećak no. 110 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 154x86x57 cm;

Stećak no. 111 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with lipped arch top, measuring 120x65x46 cm;

Stećak no. 112 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 110x64x27 cm;

Stećak no. 113 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 137x77x35 cm;

Stećak no. 114 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with arched top, measuring 120x55x30 cm;

Stećak no. 115 – fallen standing stone – slab (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 125x48x24 cm;

Stećak no. 116 – decorated standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 96x63x20 cm. A rosette motif on the side of the standing stone;

Stećak no. 117 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with lipped arch top, measuring 125x72x45 cm;

Stećak no. 118 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 95x48x30 cm;

Stećak no. 119 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 148x70x16 cm;

Stećak no. 120 – fallen standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped), with triangular top, measuring 190x67x18 cm;

Stećak no. 121 – sunken stećak which could not be measured;

Stećak no. 122 – gabled, lying west-east, measuring 160x47x15 cm;

Stećak no. 123 –standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 70x35x17 cm;

Stećak no. 124 –standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 160x50x30 cm;

Stećak no. 125 – fallen, sunken standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) with triangular top, measuring 115 cm long x 40 cm;

Stećak no. 126 – fallen standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, decorated, measuring 155x65x23 cm. A crescent moon on the face of the stone;

Stećak no. 127 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) with triangular top, measuring 103x57x28 cm;

Stećak no. 128 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, with triangular top, measuring 120x74x30 cm;

Stećak no. 129 – standing stone – chest (rectangular parallelopiped) with arched top, measuring 70x50x30 cm;

Stećak no. 130 – chest, lying west-east, measuring 173x86x24 cm;

Stećak no. 131 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 145x60x40 cm;

Stećak no. 132 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 120x65x60 cm;

Stećak no. 133 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped) widening towards the top, measuring 105x64x54 cm;

Stećak no. 134 – standing stone – flat-topped chest (rectangular parallelopiped), measuring 100x55x40 cm;

Stećak no. 135 – chest with only the outlines visible, sunken into the ground and could not therefore be measured etc.;

Stećak no. 136 – chest with only the outlines visible, sunken into the ground and could not therefore be measured etc.;

Stećak no. 137 – chest with only the outlines visible, sunken into the ground and could not therefore be measured etc.

 

3. Legal status to date

The records relating to the protection of the property were inspected during the drafting of this decision, and the findings are as follows:

The Regional Plan for BiH to 2000 lists 31 sites of necropolises with stećci (929 stećci in all) in Šekovići Municipality as Category III monuments, with identifying them in detail.(7)  

A letter from the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the Federal Ministry of Culture ref. 07-40-4-3883-1/10 of 13 October 2010 states that the property is listed under the heading: Bećani, Bećani, Municipality Šekovići. Mediaeval necropolis (179 surviving stećci). Late mediaeval.

The property was not on the Register of Cultural Monuments of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

4. Research and conservation-restoration works

Šefik Bešlagić carried out investigative works, recording and assembling data on the stećci and publishing his findings in 1971.(8)  

Details of the sites at Šekovići were published in 1988.(9)  

No conservation-restoration works have been undertaken.

 

5. Current condition of the property

            The findings of on-site inspections conducted on 16 September 2009 and 8 October 2010 are as follows:

-          the plots were identified and the area of the protected zone was determined

-          the stećci are in woodland, below a rock face which local residents call Pola stijene

-          some of the stećci are chipped, damaged, overturned, or partly or wholly sunken into the ground

-          the stećci are covered to a greater or lesser extent with plant organisms (lichen and moss)

-          some of the stećci are overgrown with brambles and sunken, and could not therefore be properly examined

-          in order to determine the number of decorated stećci, the necropolis will have to be cleared, consisting mainly of the removal of low-growing vegetation and brambles, and of removing moss from the tombstones, followed by investigative works to identify the numbers and types of decorative motifs.

 

6. Specific risks

-          deterioration of the site from long-term neglect

-          adverse effects of the elements

-          self-sown vegetation.

 

III – CONCLUSION

Applying the Criteria for the adoption of a decision on proclaiming an item of property a national monument (Official Gazette of BiH nos. 33/02 and 15/03), the Commission has enacted the Decision cited above.

The Decision was based on the following criteria:

A.         Time frame

B.         Historical value

C.         Artistic and aesthetic value

C.i.       quality of workmanship

C.ii.      quality of materials

C.iii.      proportions

C.v.       value of details

D.         Clarity

D.ii.      material evidence of a lesser known historical era

E.         Symbolic value

E.i.       ontological value

E.ii.      religious value

E.ii.      traditional value

G.         Authenticity

G.i.       form and design

G.ii.      material and content

G.iii.     use and function

G.iv.      traditions and techniques

G.v.      location and setting

G.vi.      spirit and feeling

H.         Rarity and representativity

H.i.       unique or rare example of a certain type or style

 

The following documents form an integral part of this Decision:

-          Ownership documentation:

-         Copy of cadastral plan for c.p. no. 1236, title deed nos.197 and. 243 c.m. Brainci, Municipality Šekovići. scale 1:6250; issued by the Department of Geodetics and Proprietary Rights of Republika Srpska, Šekovići branch, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (letter ref. 21. 53/052-208/10 of 11. 10. 2010)

-         Title deed no. 197 and 243, copy of cadastral plan for c.p. no 1236, Land Register entry no. 113, c.m. Brainci were submitted by Šekovići Municipality with letter ref. 03-053-61/10 of 21 October 2010, expressing the view that the property should be designated as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina without further delay

-          Documentation on previous protection of the property:

-         Letter ref. 07-40-4-3883-1/10 of 13 October 2010 from the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport

-          Photodocumentation:

-         Photographs taken on 16. 09 and 08. 10. 2010 by historian Zijad Halilović using Canon EOS 450D digital camera

-          Technical documentation:

-         Technical drawings of the property (plan of the necropolis and drawings of the stećak tombstones), measured and recorded on 8 October 2010 by archaeologist Silvana Čobanov, historian Zijad Halilović and architect Nermina Katkić.

 

Bibliography

During the procedure to designate the monument as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina the following works were consulted:

 

1971.    Bešlagić, Šefik. Stećci, kataloško-topografski pregled (Stećak tombstones, a catalogue and topographical survey). Sarajevo: Veselin Masleša, 1971

 

1980.    Various authors. Regional Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina, phase B – valorization of natural, cultural and historical assets. Sarajevo: Institute for Architecture and Town and Country Planning of the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo and the Planning Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, 1980

 

1982.    Anđelić, Pavao. Studije o teritorijalnopolitičkoj organizaciji srednjovjekovne Bosne (Study of the territorial and political organization of mediaeval Bosnia). Sarajevo: Svjetlost, 1982, 153

 

1982.    Bešlagić, Šefik. Stećci, kultura i umjetnost (Stećak tombstones, culture and art). Sarajevo: Veselin Masleša, 1982

 

1988.    Arheološki leksikon Bosne i Hercegovine (Archaeological lexicon of BiH). Vol. 3. Sarajevo: National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1988, 61-82

 

Text from the Decision designating the natural and built ensemble of the Lomnica Monastery, Šekovići Municipality, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 07.2-2-212/05-5 of 9 November 2005 (Official Gazette of BiH no. 44/09).


(1) Text from the Decision designating the natural and built ensemble of the Lomnica Monastery, Šekovići Municipality, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 07.2-2-212/05-5 of 9 November 2005 (Official Gazette of BiH no. 44/09)

(2) Anđelić, Pavao, Studije o teritorijalnopolitičkoj organizaciji srednjovjekovne Bosne (Sarajevo: Svjetlost, 1982), 153.

(3) Text from the Decision designating the natural and built ensemble of the Lomnica Monastery, Šekovići Municipality, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 07.2-2-212/05-5 of 9 November 2005 (Official Gazette of BiH no. 44/09)

(4) Bešlagić, Šefik, Stećci-kultura i umjetnost (Sarajevo:IRO „VESELIN MASLEŠA“, 1982), 79, 80, 105 i 122.

(5) Bešlagić, Šefik, 1982, 103-106, 121-122

(6) Bešlagić, Šefik, Stećci, kataloško-topografski pregled (Sarajevo: Veselin Masleša, 1971), 215

(7) Various authors, Regional Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina, phase B – valorization of natural, cultural and historical assets, Institute for Architecture and Town and Country Planning of the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo and the Planning Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, Sarajevo, 1980, 51

(8) Bešlagić, Šefik, Stećci, kataloško-topografski pregled (Sarajevo: Veselin Masleša, 1971), 215.

(9) Arheološki leksikon Bosne i Hercegovine, Vol. 3 (Sarajevo: National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1988), 61-82



Necropolis with stećak tombstones in BečaniNecropolis with stećak tombstones in BečaniNecropolis with stećak tombstones in BečaniNecropolis with stećak tombstones in Bečani - standing stones
Necropolis with stećak tombstones in Bečani - standing stones Stećak tombstone no. 1Stećak tombstone no. 8Stećak tombstone no. 9
Stećak tombstones nos. 12 and 13Stećak tombstone no. 25Stećak tombstone no. 32Stećak tombstone no. 39
Stećak tombstone no. 44Stećak tombstones nos. 44, 45 and 46Stećak tombstone no. 87Stećak tombstone no. 126


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