PODVELEŽJE
Continuity of burial through the centuries: tumuls and gradinas, nišan tombstones and bašluks.
Author: Ekrem Tucaković, PhD, Riyasat of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Photo & video: Mirza Hasanefendić
Podveležje is a karst plateau at the foot of the mountain Velež, in the central part of Herzegovina. It is about 21 km long. It belongs to the karst area of Dinarides mountain range.
On the area of Podveležje and slopes of the mountain Velež there are many pits and caves, many tumuli, stone circles, necropolises of stećaks (Bosnian medieval tombstones), the so-called Greek wells, all of which testify of the continuity of living and inhabiting this area. Besides, many toponyms indicate the existence of the Bosnian Church.
According to the census of 1991, over three thousand people lived in this area, mostly Bosniaks. In administrative terms, the plateau of Podveležje belongs to municipalities of Mostar and Nevesinje.
