Medievalists.net

Where the Middle Ages Begin

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles

Medievalists.net

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Articles

Late medieval Tombstones (stecci) in the area of Zabljak (Montenegro)

by Sandra Alvarez
July 16, 2012

Late medieval Tombstones (stecci) in the area of Zabljak (Montenegro)

Vemić,Dejan

Master of Arts degree in Medieval Studies,Central European University, Budapest June (2011)

Abstract

Stećak (sing.) or stećci (pl.) are late medieval tombstones found in the western Balkans, predominantly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern Croatia, northern Montenegro, and western Serbia (see Map 1). They are a unique phenomenon. Unlike antique sarcophagi, stećci are pseudo-sarcophagi; they are solid blocks of stone positioned on top of graves. They appear in the shape of slabs, trunks, crosses, and pillars; the shape most similar to antique sarcophagi is the high pseudo-sarcophagus (with a “roof”).1 The term stećak itself literally means standing tombstone. It is the term mainly used by scholars and in the scholarly literature, while the local inhabitants usually call them by folkloric terms such as Greek graveyards, Hungarian graveyards, limestones, stones, and graves.2 In older, mostly popular, literature these monuments were also known as Bogomil gravestones for their supposed association with the medieval Bogomil cult.

Click here to read this article from Central European University 

Subscribe to Medievalverse




Related Posts

  • MEDIEVAL MONOLITHIC TOMBSTONES/STEĆCI AT THE GREBINE SITE NEXT TO ČEVELJUŠA (PLINA) NEAR PLOČ
  • Four medieval sites added to UNESCO's World Heritage List
  • The Ottoman influences on Croatia in the second half of the fifteenth century
  • Late Antique and Early Byzantine fortifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Multi-confessionalism in Medieval and Ottoman Bosnia-Herzegovina
TagsBogomils • Daily Life in the Middle Ages • Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages • Greek • Medieval Archaeology • Medieval Balkans • Medieval Religious Life • Medieval Social History • Serbia

Post navigation

Previous Post Previous Post
Next Post Next Post

Medievalists Membership

Become a member to get ad-free access to our website and our articles. Thank you for supporting our website!

Sign Up Member Login

More from Medievalists.net

Become a Patron

We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model.

 

We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval. Our website, podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages. We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast, hire more writers, build more content, and remove the advertising on our platforms. This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce.

Become a Patron Member Login

Medievalists.net

Footer Menu

  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Copyright © 2025 Medievalists.net
  • Powered by WordPress
  • Theme: Uku by Elmastudio
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter