Mramorje Explained

Mramorje
Native Name:Мраморје
Alternate Name:Bagruša / Багруша
Map Type:Serbia
Map Size:205
Coordinates:43.9578°N 19.43°W
Material:limestone blocks
Built:14th century
Condition:Ruined
Public Access:Yes
Designation1:WHS
Designation1 Partof:Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards
Designation1 Date:2016 (40th session)
Designation1 Type:Cultural
Designation1 Criteria:iii, vi
Designation1 Number:1504
Designation1 Free1name:Region
Designation1 Free1value:Europe and North America
Designation2:Serbian Cultural Property of Great Importance
Designation2 Offname:Mramorje
Designation2 Date:25 September 1968
Designation2 Type:Archeological Site of Exceptional Importance
Designation2 Number:AN 26

Mramorje (Serbian: Мраморје) or Bagruša (Serbian: Багруша) is a medieval necropolis, located in Perućac, Serbia, and is among the best preserved necropoli of the region. The necropolis was built in the 14th century, and extends between the Drina river and the main road that follows its course, at the entrance of the settlement. The site is protected by the Republic of Serbia, as a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance, but is nevertheless threatened by the Drina river on one side and the continued expanding of the town of Perućac, on the other. Stećaks was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, of which 3 sites are located in Serbia, Mramorje being one of them.[1]

The Necropolis

The Necropolis, with about 200 tombstones made of solid limestone, was established in the fourteenth century. The largest found specimens of tombstones in the necropolis reach a length of 2m (07feet), and a width and height of nearly 1m (03feet). Earlier sources record a number of 122 monuments, while according to recent data, there are 93 as follows: 46 panel, 18 with stand, 10 slemenjak without stand, 7 sarcophagus with stand, 10 sarcophagus without base, and 2 amorphous samples. Over time, some of the tombstones were moved, others have sunken into the ground, while several items were transferred to museums (two tombstones with no decorations are in the collection of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, and one is in the National Museum in Užice).

Tombstones in the necropolis are arranged in regular rows, and also tend to have an east–west orientation. No inscriptions can be read on the tombstones, however a number of them are fine-processed, very few of them are decorated, and there are a few recorded motifs (including circles, the moon, and sword and shield designs).[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards.
  2. Web site: Kamp Perućac. srbijacentar. 22 November 2010. sr. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716123818/http://www.srbijacentar.com/kategorije-linkova/putovanje/kampovanje/kamp-perucac. 16 July 2011.