Project description
Understanding the stećci phenomenon in medieval Western Balkans
Stećci, medieval tombstones found across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, serve as common grave markers in the plural societies of the Western Balkans, and are not associated with any specific ethnic or religious group. However, due to their large number and scattered distribution, scholarship on stećci is limited. The ERC-funded STONE project will investigate medieval funerary archaeology using innovative methods, focusing on the stećci phenomenon in medieval Herzegovina. The research will delve into the social lifeways reflected in these monuments, redefining our understanding of medieval Western Balkans. The project will introduce epiconography, use a prehistoric landscape approach to study medieval landscapes, establish a discipline of medieval epigraphy in the region, and catalyse a shift away from current regional culture-historical methodologies.
Objective
Stećci are medieval tombstones dispersed throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Still preserved in situ in tens of thousands in the landscapes, they are common grave markers of the Late Medieval and early Ottoman (12th C - 16th C) Western Balkans’ plural societies. Although erected in the geographical region known for the ‘medley of peoples,’ stećci are not attributed to any ethnic or religious group and have always been considered enigmatic, lacking a clear, explicit belonging. The sheer number and dispersed distribution have hampered stećci scholarship, confining our understanding of this heritage to visual information and historical overviews. This multi-scale, multi-proxy archaeological project will integrate innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to study medieval funerary archaeology. The principal goal is to understand the social life of the society that left us these remarkable monuments. Focusing on medieval Herzegovina, the cradle of the stećci phenomenon, the proposed research into the social lifeways of these monuments will redefine the scholarship of the medieval Western Balkans funerary culture and situate it within a European context, significantly raising its visibility within international scholarship and the public domain. In addition to increasing our understanding of stećci, STONE will establish a discipline of medieval epigraphy in the Western Balkans; introduce epiconography, a conceptually innovative approach to study inscriptions and decorations on stećci; use a prehistoric landscape approach to investigate medieval landscape and initiate a paradigmatic shift away from the current culture-historical approach to the study of past societies. The proposed research will serve as a propulsive force within Western Balkan medieval archaeology, enabling it to make a decades-long leap to align with current medieval European funerary and research trends.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia