Stećak (tomb) or "stone sleepers" are are inexhaustible source of inspiration
The complex value of tombs called “stećak” in cultural, artistic, architectural, religious and historical sense is unique, not only in the Balkans, but throughout the whole Europe as well as in the world. Even today they are inexhaustible source of inspiration and despite many researches, mysticity of these tombs makes no one apathetic.
[umetnime]
‘Stećak is for me what it is not for the others, what others did not know to see. Yes, it is a stone, but is also a word; it is earth, but it is also sky; it is substance, but it is also spirit; it is scream, but it is also the song; it is death, but it is also life; it is the past, but it is also the future.’ – Mak Dizdar
[umetnime]
The synthesis of language and written forms, faith, customs and culture is sealed into the mysticity of stećak and they represent one of the most important medieval Bosnian legacy. Most of these tombs originate from the period between 12th and 16th centuries and are located in Bosnia and Herzegovina (there are 59.593 tombs at 2687 places), Croatia (4447), Montenegro (3049) and Serbia (2267).
[umetnime]
One of the most important characteristics of tombs on the location of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the fact that all three church organizations had the same medieval understanding of death. It is logical to assume that every of the church organizations at that time cared for their deceased by their traditional patterns, but it can be considered safe that the tombs were used as the tombstones in the Catholic, Orthodox and Bosnian Church.
Ornaments and decoration on tombs are in various shapes, but they cannot help us with defining decedent’s religion, but sometimes texts on the tombs can discover to which one of three church organization that existed in medieval Bosnia and Hum (later Hercegovina) decedent belonged.
Texts on tombs called “epitafi” are extremely important for the study of language and they are written in bosančica. They show symbolism that characterizes medieval art, but also art from romanticism era and gothic art, and the whole life of decedent’s life is tagged, his abilities, how he died, his relation to death and love towards earth.
[umetnime]
Thanks to many legends about stećak, they are not forgotten through the time. In 1950 in Paris was held exhibition of Yugoslav medieval painting and plastic and on that exhibition were presented tombs. After that exhibition the interest for this phenomenon characteristic for medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina suddenly grew between scientists and public.
“Stone sleepers”, as Dizdar names them, ensued in different occasions and are mostly related to the medieval location of Bosnia and Hum. They represent an authenticity and a long tradition of Bosnian – Herzegovinian culture and they are worthy historical heritage which makes us emotional and inspirational.
Designed by Armin Bečić
Copyright Mapa kulture
The motive of a lily as a symbol of rich medieval history of our country has always supervened to admiration and respect. Even during a firm rule of the Kotromanić dynasty, on whose escutcheon it found its own sublime place, the lily was the object of great obeisances by neighbouring monarchs, but also hostile rulers.
[umetnime]
Under a dark blue shield with six golden lilies separated with perfectly withdrawn white line, army of the Bosnian kingdom spread its boundaries to the sea and east. From the palace on Bobovac were sent authoritative and respected messages to whom the western and eastern primaries obeyed without hesitation. Until that age the Bosnian lily testified the most expansive period of the Bosnian statehood and the existence of the country in which we live nowadays.
Lilium bosniacum, from which everything started, got a special place on the botanical map of the lily family thanks to the specific look and origin, because it cannot be found nowhere else except beautiful Bosnian mountains. Kraljeva Sutjeska jealously keeps memories on that golden period in its Franciscan monastery. Despite many temptations and challenges, the Bosnian Franciscans succeeded to keep many worthy artifacts of medieval times through many centuries. On many artifacts are found lilies. Coins which were used to make transactions, carefully crafted and used, has survived to this day as silent witness of the age when the Bosnian statehood was created.
[umetnime]
Entering this little “village” which belongs to the Kakanj municipality, you will find the silence that is interrupted by the mild gutter of the untouched Trstionica river, which divides Sutjeska into two parts – the old and the new one. The silence lives there for a while and it becomes louder, because the locals of this place are older generations of people. The youth goes to other cities to find their luck. Walking on the road along its flow, on the left side you will be welcomed by autochthonous appearance and splendor of one of the oldest mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose building was ordered by Sultan Mehmed El – Fatih.
[umetnime]
Maybe you will not feel the royal spirit in this small place immediately, but with entering in the space around the Monastery, a gentle glance of Queen Katarina from replica of her throne, which is placed at the foot of the old walls of the former glorious castle, will tell you the proud history of Sutjeska. You expect that she is going to greet you gently every moment, because it seems like she is there, like in the period when the feeling of belonging to the famous Bosnian crown was spread out of here. The high rocks that from the north side surround Kraljeva Sutjeska make the gate that upstream along the Trstionica river leads to the even higher Bobovac. Hills between these two places observe every curious passenger. Bosnia was born and dressed in this area. The Bosnian signet was here hit, fed and defended. And it will exist, if God gives! 
