There is a large archeological complex discovered deep in the woods in the village Bakinci, the Municipality of Laktasi, where the fortress of Balkis used to exist in the early Byzantine period.
Early-Byzantine town Balkis was first mentioned in the summer of 597 on the famous military campaign of general Bajan from Gradiska to today’s Split. The Avarian general burned the city that was discovered today, according to archaeologist Bojan Vujinovic.
Balkis occupied about 100,000 square meters and could accommodate about 500 people.
“It was discovered back in 2012 when the research on this site officially started. Three basilicas were discovered outside the city’s fortress and a part of the upper town was explored as well by the year of 2015,” said Vujinovic.
“This is, most probably, the oldest episcopate on the territory of Republika Srpska (the RS), or one of the oldest episcopates in the entire BiH,” said archeologist Bojan Vujinovic.
A table with the names of three bishops Constantius, Andreas, and Konstanz was discovered in Balkis. This town can also be related to the restoration of the basilica in Pannonia and Dalmatia, which were ordered by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.
Numerous foreign institutions showed interest in this city, including experts from the UCL, the Institute of Archeology of Ljubljana, the Academy of Sciences and Arts from Zagreb, as well as the experts from Austria. Professor Sussane Hakenbed, who teaches the late antiquity at the University of Cambridge, also visited the site. These institutions showed interest for cooperation with archaeologists at this site as well.
From the Tourist Organization of the Municipality Laktasi stated that this site is in a permanent tourist offer for everyone who chooses to visit this municipality and take a look at its offer.
(Source: Radiosarajevo.ba)
