Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) boasts numerous natural and cultural landmarks. Although significant, many remain “hidden” and often neglected. One such landmark is Neves Voda—a Greek well located near Stolac.
BiH photographer Boris Trograncic, who frequently captures various scenes, recently visited Bjelojevici, a village in southern Herzegovina. This village is known for its proximity to the necropolis of the Boljuni stecak tombstones (medieval tombstones) and the ancient Greek well, believed to have been built 2.000 years ago.
“Arriving in the village on a hot afternoon, I found people working in the fields, who showed me the way to the stecak necropolis. The site is well-maintained, with the stecak tombstones fenced off and clearly visible,” says the photographer.
The necropolis of the Boljuni stecak tombstones is located in the village of Bjelojevici, 15 kilometers from Stolac, towards Hutovo Blato. Trograncic explains that the Boljuni necropolis is where the members of the Boljuni tribe, especially those from Bjelojevici, lived.
“The necropolis dates back to the second half of the 14th century, with most stecak tombstones from the 15th century and some from the 16th century. It includes the grave of the famous military leader Vlatko Vukovic Kosaca, lord of Hum and military commander of the Bosnian king Tvrtko I,” he explains.
Namely, the historical sites of the Boljuni I and II necropolises have been declared national monuments of BiH. However, a particular attraction is the Greek well, also known as Neves Voda.
“In the Stolac area, such ‘okruglac’ (round) wells were in use until the 1960s. The well was mostly filled by autumn rains, with rainwater flowing between the stecak tombstones and being channeled into the well. It was used for watering livestock and washing. People even learned to swim here,” he explains.
Trograncic further explains that the well dates back to the Illyrian period. Given the arid region’s long-standing need for water, it is realistic to assume that its origins are ancient.
An especially intriguing story linked to this Greek well is that it has never dried up.
“There’s an interesting fact about Neves Voda. They say this well has never dried up, and it might be connected to Hutovo Blato by some channel,” Trograncic notes, Klix.ba writes.
Photo: Boris Trograncic
E.Dz.
