Ocevija, picturesque village near Vares is perhaps the last one in Europe that has still, at the time of modern techniques and factories, preserved traditional, medieval way of forging iron.
The village is located on the mountain Zvijezda, about halfway between Vares and Olovo. Until recently, the gravel road led to it. It is known for forges that are run by the water power. Residents say that these are the last forges in Europe that work on medieval, traditional way.
In the valley, there is small village Ocevija through which flows a small river Ocevijica. It is responsible for forges, all in a single row. In front of the forge of Jozeljic family, Anadolu Agency (AA) team was welcomed by the son Drazen. Fire in the forge is ready. Father Mijo and Drazen started with work, as well as with the story about the craft that is not appreciated today both in BiH and abroad.
Mijo started with forging iron from an early age. Even as a 15- year- old boy he learned about forging iron from his father. All generations of men in Jozeljic family were farriers.
“It is a tradition 500- 600 years old. There are no documents saying when they started to deal with it. It is a tradition that went from generation to generation. As a boy, I started to bring lunch to elderly and learning slowly“, said Mijo for Anadolu Agency.
