By: Emir Medanhodžić
The village of Brijesta is located on the northern part of the Pelješac peninsula, 15 km from Ston as the crow flies. At this location, Bešlagić recorded a necropolis of five medieval tombstones in the form of slabs (I have recorded seven medieval tombstones), although there are alternative interpretations suggesting these are not medieval tombstones but rather ordinary tombstones, given that the necropolis is situated within a cemetery belonging to the 16th-century Church of St. Liberan.
Interestingly, while the church has been officially recorded as Catholic, by measuring its orientation with a compass, I determined that it is an Orthodox church, based on the east–west orientation of the altar. From my own inspection of the monuments, I can confirm that at least two are definitely medieval tombstones in the form of slabs, as there is no evidence of a masonry grave beneath them; however, nothing can be claimed with absolute certainty without archaeological excavations.
The remaining slab medieval tombstones have sunken into the ground and bear no inscriptions.
Another fascinating site is the tower and watchpoint, built in 1617 as a defense against Venetian hajduks, uskoks, and pirates, as this was a strategic vantage point for controlling entry into the Bay of Ston. The tower is currently locked and neglected, yet it has the potential to become a hallmark of Brijesta, a place that has gained significant potential for tourism development following the opening of the Pelješac Bridge.
