Medieval Tombstones Beyond the Records: The Podgaj and Sastavci Necropolises, Srebrenica

The necropolis in the village of Podgaj is located on the boundary between the municipalities of Milići and Srebrenica, nestled in the forest above the local houses. It contains seven medieval tombstones, mostly in the form of gabled roofs with pedestals, oriented in a northwest–southeast direction. A crescent moon symbol is clearly visible on one of the monuments. Directly below the necropolis, the Bukovica River and the Zeleni Jadar River meet.

On the hill overlooking the village of Sastavci, shaded by ancient oak trees, lies a necropolis containing around 80 medieval tombstones, mostly in the shape of chests, but also featuring gabled roofs, stelae, and a single stone cross. The majority of the medieval tombstones are oriented in a northwest–southeast direction, while a smaller number are aligned northeast–southwest. They are crafted from conglomerate stone. Many have partially sunken into the ground or are covered in moss, so it is highly possible there are even more monuments at the site. In a 2020 article, local Srebrenica researcher A. Mehmedović merely recorded the existence of this necropolis without providing any additional data, noting only that it was maintained by local residents. However, during our visit, the site was heavily overgrown with ferns and other vegetation.

Our thanks go to our friend Azmir, who guided us to these two previously unrecorded necropolises.