Mystical Bosnia and Herzegovina

Radimlja near Stolac, the largest necropolis of wonderfully preserved tombs, testifies about the particularities of "kind Bosniaks" as the inhabitants of Bosnia were then called. Bogomilism, and even the church of Bosnia, as the most widespread religion of the middle ages, had their own characteristics. They are found on the tombs which survived to this day. 
At one time, in ages past, a girl asked for in marriage always asked her future husband: - Can you lapidate me? This meant, if he could, in case of her death, cover her with a stone both her length and width, i.e. can he place a tombstone on her grave. This data speaks of the importance of tombstones to our forefathers. Messages were written on tombstones which carried inscriptions about the life of the deceased, about unrequited love or pride and dignity of the people back then. One of the more famous epitaphs from a tombstone claimed: When I die burry me standing up, since I kneeled sufficiently during my life! 

Tombs are full of written feelings, religious symbols, poetry and protection from evil forces. Radmilja is the most famous necropolis of tombs, it is located in Vidovo polje (Vidovo field), 3 km west from Stolac, it is held to be a mystical area - 133 stone tombs, created during the 14th century. There are stone tombs weighing over 30 tons. 

The shape of the tombstones vary: from stone slabs, coffins, gabled tombstones and crosses, all the way to children tombstones.
Ornaments on the tombstones, skilfully carved by the hand of a master, presented various symbols such as: spirals, fire symbols which was supposed to protect the deceased from demon attacks, and crosses which are differentiated and which belong to various cultures Latin, Maltese, Greek and even tau crosses, which are tied to the Asiatic area. Besides religious and church symbols, one could see astral elements on tombstones, such as rising sun, stars and moon, or staffs which represent symbols of the Bogomil priests - Didovi (Grandfathers). Some of the ornaments are tied to the ancient period of Bosnia and represent elements of Illyrian cults of nature; in Radmilja one can see plant ornaments, animal figures, human figures, but also motifs from everyday life, swords, spears and even heraldic symbols of noble families of this region.

Vjetrenica is the largest and most famous cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a protected natural monument and a tourist destination in south-eastern part of Herzegovina. Located 300m east from Zavala, on the western edge of Popovo polje, in municipality Ravno, and 12 km away from Slano on the coast of the Adriatic sea (Republic Croatia), i.e. 80km from Mostar. The length of the cave is around 7000 meters, and because of natural ventilation and wind which goes through it, it received the name Vjetrenica. The wind that greets visitors at the entrance, resembles "faery breath", and contributes to the atmosphere and the mystical experience for the tourists.
Legends about brigands and faeries are tied to this cave, and today Hajdučki stol (brigands table) stone tables at the end of the tourist route are testaments of these stories, Turkish cemetery - grouped stalagmites deposited on a clay surface, which resemble Turkish tombstones with their shape as well as Vilino guvno, a place where the faeries sang and danced.
Stories about faeries from Vjetrenica are what usually stirs people's imagination. Faeries of extreme beauty would steal young men, they would entertain them with song and dance, and then release them with a threat that they should tell no one of their encounter. There were several faeries according to folk belief: faery Oblakinja (cloud) brought forth water and rain into the cave, faery Brodarica (ship operator) was the mistress of the lakes in the caves, faery Vidarica (healer) healed injuries of wounded heroes. Faery Biljarica (herb healer) was in charge for miracles, she returned the power of sight and speech to people, faery Proročica (prophet) guarded the truth and fought against injustice while it is believed that faery Vjetrenica is still present today, she is in the cave when the wind blows through it.

Mosque on a bird's nest

On the rock Kušlat, which rises high above the canyon of the rivers Drinjača and Jadra, on the medieval fort the oldest military mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina is located. One reaches this architectural pearl on foot, whose construction is tied to the period of the initial arrival of the Ottomans to this area. The mosque and fort of strategic importance have for centuries attracted attention of passers-by through the valley through which the highway Zvornik - Bratunac stretches and it left people perplexed due to interesting legends.
Numerous legends and curiosities are tied to the fort and mosque on Kušlat rock which survived in folk and literature. It is believed that the name of the medieval fort stems from the name of the noble Bosnian family Kuršlatović, though the name can be tied to the Turkish word Kuš i.e. bird. This is why the story that the fort got its name because of a "bird's nest" is interesting.
The Bosnian folk has for centuries transferred legends about this ancient place of worship, which is called, because of its specific position, "mosque in bird's nest". Probably one of the most interesting stories is connected to the belief that the mosque was "transferred" and built in a plain by inhabitants of Konjević Polje and Pahljević. On numerous occasions it was built, but every time during the night, the mosque would miraculously disappear from the plain and would appear in the morning on Kušlat rock. There where it apparently always belonged, it shone like a pearl on sunlight. During the military aggression of Serbia and Montenegro on Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) the mosque was, like in numerous other places where ethnic cleansing and genocide were conducted, demolished, but after the aggression it was restored as a symbol of victory of good over evil.

Holly stone of the Bogomils


Though there is a small number of documents which would significantly which would shed light on a mystery called "Old man-stone" from the folk legends, we can conclude that this holly object is positioned next to a twisting road north-west from the village Osoja and Gačica more than a thousand years ago. On first sight we can see that we're not talking about a sarcophagus, but a sacral object which once served for religious rituals of the Bosnian Bogomils.



In the book "History of Bosnia and Herzegovina" historians claim that in the tenth century, or even earlier, in this area the Bogomils appeared, which in the Slavic sources were also called Babuni (baboons). Franjo Rački related them to Patarens and he claimed that they were the originators of Bosnian Patarens. According to the research of Rački, Bogomil's were dualists. They believed that the spirit and the invisible spirit world were created by god, and material, physical are the act of the devil or Satanijel, which represents evil, and everything that occurred in the age of the Old Testament (Torah) were the act of the devil and that's why Moses and the prophets were damned. Bogomil's didn't have a classic church as a place for prayers, instead they performed their religious rites in a simple house, which was called hiža, or on specific places in nature. Bogomils disappeared from these areas with the advent of the Ottomans, though there is data that they dwelt there in a much smaller number until the twelfth century.

Holly place of healing

Old man stone is saddle shaped, and when a man sits in its saddle he is turned exactly towards east. Around the stone is a masterfully etched stopien where Grandfathers sat, Bogomil priests, who placed their hands on the worshipers. There are no religious symbols on the old man stone, and there are no other etched symbols. Even after the conversion of the Bogomils to Islam, the Bosnian folk were still in awe of the "old man stone". They even believed in its healing powers, and when sick, they would bring their cattle there and they claim that they received help every time. Especially during the time of threshing wheat, when the horse couldn't urinate, they would bring him there, they would go around the "old man stone" three times and the horse would be cured every time.

State decision

That there were always inhabitants around this Bogomil sacral place is proved by the stream close by which was enlisted as one having the clearest drinking water. The stronger the winter, the warmer the water in the stream, and the hotter the summer, the cooler the water got. Before, when there were no waterworks, settlement was built around clear drinking water. Many years on the right side of the stream there was a place for doing laundry which was frequented by women from the village.

That "old man stone" is an object of historical importance for this area, is confirmed by the fact that the Yugoslav historians protected the monument by state decision 980/51 when during the fifties the military industry was being built up in Vitez.

Whoever manages to read the ancient symbols - will cause flooding of the world!

Legend says that the locals fighting a flood in "Raspuklina" on "Pisana stijena" threw clay from the rocks, unwashed sheep wool, uncooked eggs and honey combs with wax. The spring went dry, the mountain "closed"! But, because of the danger of the letter being deleted, or "interpreted", will the prophecy from the legend come true?

Prior to the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina the village Žlijeb was one of the most beautiful and best populated villages in the Višegrad county. Serbian aggression left devastating consequences on this part of the Višegrad county, the village was left without houses and inhabitants. All that was left of the village is the name.

Pisana stijena (Pisana rock)

The reason why this place became a place of mysterious legends is because of the steep rock on the slopes of Tara and Dikava, which were called by the folk Pisana stijena. Drawings or prehistoric symbols, for which the experts claim are the first indications of a pictographic or pictorial writing, leave no body indifferent.

-Once upon a time out of the rock a powerful stream of water burst creating a cave...Together with the river towards Drina it flooded the most fertile land. In the fight with the flood, especially when it rained, the inhabitants threw clay from the stones, unwashed sheep wool, uncooked eggs and honey combs with wax into "raspuklina".

Weird signals

The stream dried out, the mountain "closed", but the water burst onto the other side of Tara, into Perućica. The rock broke, the stream gushed onto the other side! Still to this day it springs and forms a river only 365 meters long, which is why people call her "river year".

Legends say that someone recorded that event onto "Pisana stijena"! To this day no one managed to read or interpret what is written. But, this miraculous story doesn't end here. The legend continues:

-When the letter is completely deleted or fully read the water will burst again from the "Pisana stijena"! As the altitude of the crack, especially during the summer time, the water appears and "deletes" the letters, the concern becomes greater that the prophecy will come true.

Old legend about the grave of the Turkish soldier

On the territory of Sanski Most there is no place that so many myths, legends and folk tales are related to it like the place Kamengrad, a tame Bosnian village located next to the motorway which connects Sanski Most with Bosanska Krupa. On a steep ridge which rises above the village are the remnants of a medieval fort. At first sight one can see that the builders took care where to build the fort. The place where the fort is located is accessible only from one side, which states that Kamengrad was difficult to occupy. It was built by the Hungarian princes Babonić which lived on the mouth of rivers Sana into Una, on the place which is today called Bosanski Novi.

540 years ago, this area was a scene of bloody battles. In the valley underneath the fort in Kamengrad was a large army camp of the Turkish sultan Mehmed Fatih. Some time before that, Ključ was occupied, the last city of medieval Bosnia. That's when the last Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević was executed. An old legend claims that the battle lasted shortly, but it was bloody. Hungarian crew which defended the fort was cut down until the last person. The Turkish army also suffered losses. The old Shahid (martyr) cemetery bellow the fort. Grave stones are still standing which were built more than five centuries ago.

The attention of visitors is drawn by the stone sarcophagus. Folk tales say that this is the resting place of a Turkish soldier - carrier of the flag (bajraktar - flag carrier) which showed great courage. He obtained over fifty wounds during the battle, but he still boldly charged the Hungarian fort. In the heat of the battle the soldier's head was cut off. Legend says that he descended the hill carrying his severed head under his arm. Only when a woman saw him and screamed in terror did the soldier fall to the ground. That's where he was buried.

Bad luck for evil doers

Inhabitants of Kamengrad always paid special attention to this grave. Close to this sarcophagus a Bajraktar's (flag carrier's) mosque was built which was destroyed by the Serbian army during the aggression onto BiH. It is considered that this place was blessed by special mercy by God, since the man in the sarcophagus died on the road of Allah's faith. That's why since the old days Bajraktar's graveyard is a place of pilgrimage. From this place in the last hundred years countless prayers were sent. The diseased prayed to be cured, soldiers to return alive from the war, parents for their children to be happy in life, agricultural workers for a fruitful year...

Legend claims that everyone who tried to destroy the soldier's grave was struck by god's wrath. In WWII the grave was desecrated two times. Both men which committed this died soon. And at the time of aggression on Bosnia (1992-1995) the Serbian army placed explosives into the stone sarcophagus which failed to explode. The man who was placing it, was struck by a stroke the next day. The grave of the Turkish soldier remained untouched.

The older inhabitants claim that the ghost of the soldier appeared a couple of times. It always happened during the night. The apparition, holding its head under its arm, radiated with a weird glow climbing the hill towards the old fort - it happened the inhabitants claimed, always before large wars. That's what happened prior to the aggression onto Bosnia in 1992.