In the boundaries of today’s Bosnia and Herzegovina there have been many layers of prehistory cultures and their creation and disappearance is linked to migrations of unidentified ethnic groups.
Paleolithic in B&H is market with oldest monument of Paleolithic in southeastern Europe – engravings in cave Badanj near Stolac in Herzegovina. The magnificent one is Horse attacked by arrows, preserved in fragments and dated around 14500-12000 B.C.
During time when Neolithic and Copper cultures were appearing, in Bosnia and Herzegovina have happened interesting mixture of Mediterranean cultures and those of Panonian cultures. Herzegovina was under the influence of impresso ceramics from western Mediterranean as seen in Green Cave near Mostar, Čairi near Stolac, Lisičići near Konjic and Peć Mlini near Grude. People used to live in caves or simple settlements on hilltops. In the upper mainstream of Bosna river and northeast parts of Bosnia (Obra I near Kakanj) people used to live in wooden houses build on river. In that culture we can see influences from Adriatic cultures on south and Starčević culture on northeast. Original expressions of that culture are ceramic pots on four legs, so called – riton. We can find the also in Danilo culture on the Croatian coast. Thanks to this objects, Kakanj culture is considered a part of wide circle of Neolithic nations that followed a cult of life force (from northern Italy, Dalmatia and Epirus to Aegean).
Butmir Culture near Sarajevo is distinctive with fine glazed ceramics with miscellaneous geometrical decorations (often spirals).
The Essay on The idol of the cave
In Francis Bacon, The Four Idols are described as the causes of the human error in the pursuit of knowledge. The four idols are, the idol of tribe, the idol of cave, the idol of the marketplace and the idol of the theater. The idol of the cave is defined as those which arise with in the mind of the individual. This idol is common to all human beings. Francis Bacon stated that “The lofty and ...
Figures from Butmir are unique sculptures modeled with hand; heads are almost like portraits with emphasized parts of body.
Monumental city walls of Daorson near Stolac, 4th century BC.
Bronze Age settlements in Herzegovina were built like citadels (natively called – gradina), and in Bosnia we have necropolises with stone tumuli. During that time, bronze arms, decorated plates, flat necklaces and fibulas were decorated with specific geometrical style of engraved ornaments.
From 7th century BC bronze is replaced by iron, and only jewelry and art objects were still made out of bronze. Bronze culture of Illyrians, ethnic group with distinct culture and art form started to organize itself on today’s Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Different Illyrian tribes, under the influence of Halstat cultures from north, formed original regional centers. With the notable exception of Pod near Bugojno in the upper valley of the Vrbas River, nothing is known of their settlements. In eastern Bosnia in the cemeteries of Belotić and Bela Crkva, the rites of inhumation and cremation are attested, with skeletons in stone cists and cremations in urns. Metal implements appear here side-by-side with stone implements. Most of the remains belong to the fully developed Middle Bronze Age. Very important role in their life was the cult of the dead, which is seen in their careful burials and burial ceremonies, as well as richness of the burial cites. In northern parts there was long tradition of cremation and burial in shallow graves, while in the south the dead were buried in large stone, or earth tumuli (natively called – gromile) that in Herzegovina were reaching monumental sizes, more than 50 m wide and 5 m high. Japodian tribes (found around Bihać) have had affinity to decoration (heavy, oversized necklaces out of yellow, blue or white glass paste, and large bronze fibulas, as well as spiral bracelets, diadems and helmets out of bronze foil.
In 4th century BC first outbreak of Celts is recorded. They brought the technique of the pottery wheel, new types of fibulas and different bronze and iron belts. They only passed on their way to Greece, so their influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina is negligible.
The Essay on The First Half Of The Seventeenth Century Witnessed The Last
The first half of the seventeenth century witnessed the last and greatest of the religious wars, a war that for thirty years (1618-48) devastated Germany and involved, before it was over, nearly every state in Europe. For more than half a century before the war began, the Religious Peace of Augsburg (1555) had served to maintain an uneasy peace between the Protestant and Catholic forces in ...
Antiquity
Stone baptistery from Drinovci near Grude, 4th century.
In delta of Neretva on the south there was important Hellenistic influence of Illyrian tribe Daors. Their capital was Daorson in Ošanići near Stolac[4]; to date, main center of Ancient culture in B&H. Daorson in 4th century BC was surrounded by megalithic, 5 m high stonewalls (large as those of Mycenae in Greece), composed out of large trapeze stones blocks. Daors have made their unique bronze coins and sculptures. Finally, Romans subdued the Illyrians in first century BC, and after that the history of these parts is history of Illyrian provinces of Rome and Byzantium.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina Romans built several small temples decorated with reliefs. The complex of step sanctuary in Gradac near Posušje from year 184 AD had marble temple dedicated to recently deceased emperor Marcus Aurelius. On the reliefs we can feel naturalism of native craftsmen, and in mosaics the Hellenistic influence, especially in those found in villas near Stolac (second half of 3rd century).
Late roman art in B&H is marked with building of villas, Christian mausoleums, basilicas and oratories like: Mausoleum in Šipovo near Jajce and Villa Mogorjelo near Čapljina (early 4th century).
Sculptures that we inherited are ones like: Hellenistic relief of Minerva, Jupiter and genius-protector from Šipovo (2nd century) and extremely barbarically stylized relief of four friends from Zenica (end of 4th century)
