By: Emir Medanhodžić
That desecration of medieval tombstones (stećci) occurs even in neighboring Croatia is clearly shown by photographs taken by my friend Damir from Janjina, who documented this necropolis at the Sućurje site, municipality of Janjina, on the Pelješac Peninsula.
To begin with, Pelješac was once an important center of the Bosnian Church and its Krstjani (Bogomil clergy), with its seat in Ston, where the Gost (spiritual leader) of the Bosnian Church resided. Due to the region’s relative isolation, certain cultural and spiritual traits were preserved here for centuries — such as the Krstjani greeting “Praised be God” (later adapted to “Praised be Jesus”), the construction of stone headrests, and other unique features. More about this can be found in the rare 1926 book by Zvonimir Bjelovučić, published in Dubrovnik.
Unfortunately, the stećci at this site have been damaged during the construction of an electrical power line, with tire tracks clearly visible across the tombstones. Remains of an old Bosnian Arian church can also be seen here; in the 18th century, it was converted into the Catholic Church of St. George (sv. Juraj), and several tombstones were reused for the construction of the altar and crosses.
The entire site is now overgrown with dense vegetation, and it would be commendable if the residents of Janjina could restore and mark this culturally and historically significant heritage and tourism site.
