Neveš, also known as the “Greek Well,” is said never to run dry, and tradition holds that it is over 2,000 years old.
The well is located in a hamlet belonging to Bjelojevići village, an area rich in cultural and historical heritage. The site’s special value is that the famous Boljuni stećak necropolis lies only about 20 meters from the well.
Built from 1, 3000 Stone Blocks
Neveš consists of approximately 1,300 stone blocks of different sizes, arranged in 20 concentric rings.
The top is about 10 meters wide, while the ratio reduces to approximately three meters at the bottom. The well is around six meters deep, with 17 stone steps leading down to the water level.
Of particular interest is a large stone basin, approximately 120x70x80 centimeters, which is part of the well.
For decades, Neveš played an important role in locals’ lives. It was mostly filled with autumn rain. The water from the well was used to wash the laundry and water livestock. The well was used until the end of the 20th century.
Tradition Lasting for Centuries
Putni Kofer wrote that the story that it has never run dry, not even during the heavy droughts, is tied to Neveš.
Its name is closely connected to that trait. Neveš, or “Neva Water”, according to local tradition, symbolizes the water that never dries up.
The exact age of the well is difficult to determine. Some assume that it emerged before the nearby medieval necropolis.
This assumption is based on the channel that brought rainwater to the well, running diagonally through the necropolis.
Beside the Famous Stećci
Boljuni are today famous for the stećci necropolis, but Neveš shows that traces of life in this area can reach much deeper into the past.
Four additional wells of similar characteristics are located nearby, but Neveš is the biggest and best preserved.
Its construction, the arrangement of stone blocks, and preservation make it a unique witness to the life of the people who lived in this area long before the Middle Ages.
Hutovo blato Close By
In the wider area lies the Hutovo blato Nature Park, which covers around 8,000 hectares in the Čapljina and Stolac area.
Swamps, lakes, karst springs, and numerous watercourses make this area one of the most significant bird habitats in this part of Europe.
The Krupa River is particularly interesting, the main watercourse of Hutovo blato. It is around nine kilometers long and known for the unusual phenomenon of reversing its flow direction. When the water level of the Neretva River rises, the water can push the Krupa back towards its source and Lake Deransko.
This, in a relatively small area of Herzegovina, traces of different epochs meet – from the ancient stone well and medieval stećci to the natural phenomena of Hutovo blato.
