Radimlja () is a steÃÂak necropolis located near Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in Vidovo polje, 3 km west of Stolac, on the ÃÂapljinaâÂÂStolac road. The Radimlja necropolis is one of the most valuable monuments of the medieval period in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is protected by UNESCO and designated as a part of the World Heritage List.
The earliest tombstones can be dated to the second half of the 12th century and the first half of the 13th century. However, the majority of the steÃÂak tombstones date from the 1480s through the 16th century, as evidenced by the epitaph on one of the tombstones. This was the period when the family MiloradoviÃÂ-Stjepanoviàfrom genus Hrabren lived in the settlement located on a nearby hill Oà ¡aniÃÂi. At the time the location was known as Batnoge, and the creation of the necropolis coincides with the rise of this noble family.
MiloradoviÃÂ-StjepanoviÃÂ family from the genus Hrabren were of the Orthodox faith. The founder was Milorad, who as a Vlach chieftain (cattlemen and warriors organization) lived in the second half of the 14th century. In 1416 his son Stipan is mentioned, in appeal by Ragusa due to fighting along with Petar PavloviÃÂ against Sandalj HraniÃÂ and the Ottomans. He had three sons: Petar StjepanoviÃÂ was first mentioned in 1473 and last time in 1486. Radoja StjepanoviÃÂ died between 1475 and 1477. VukiÃÂ StjepanoviÃÂ was mentioned for last time in 1496.
They were titled as voivodes and knezes, commanded Vlach military institution and held land between Stolac and Mostar. They successfully merged into the Ottoman political and social system. The katun formation by Petar and VukiàHrabren was part of the Vlach group Donji Vlasi (Lower Vlachs) of nahiye Blagaj â and their katun was the largest with 127 houses and 16 unmarried persons out of 37 katuns, 1383 houses and 177 unmarried persons. At the time Petar StjepanoviÃÂ-Hrabren along knezes Vukac, Pavko, Stipan and Radivoj Popratoviàwas included in the order of Raguzan citizens, as well was Ottoman timariot. By 1505, when voivode Radosav Hrabren was buried, the necropolis expansion began to end due to acceptance of Islam, the disintegration of tribal organization, and social events.
Those members of MiloradoviÃÂ-Stjepanoviàwho remained in à ½itomisliàhave taken collective surname Ljoljiàand Kuzman, while those who converted to Islam have taken surname Opijaàand today live in Dubrava near Stolac. From the Dubrava branch, Jeronim MiloradoviÃÂ-Hrabren became an Austrian officer in the 18th century. Other branches migrated to Russia and became famous nobility of the Russian Empire, between circa 15th and 19th centuries, such as Grigorije MiloradoviÃÂ-Hrabren who became a count and a Russian colonel, while Mikhail Miloradovich was prominent Russian general during the Napoleonic Wars.
The necropolis includes 133 steÃÂci. When the ÃÂapljina-Stolac road was built during the Austro-Hungarian period in 1882, it ran through the necropolis and destroyed at least 15âÂÂ20 tombstones. Out of nine types of steÃÂci, 36 slabs, 1 slab with pedestal, 27 chests, 24 chests with pedestal, 4 tall chests, 5 tall chests with pedestal, 2 sarcophagi (i.e. ridge/gable), 31 sarcophagi with pedestal, and 3 of cruciform.
The core of the necropolis was built at the end of the 14th century, when three big chests were made, of which two are richly decorated with motifs in bas-relief. The next phase included simple chests (sanduk) and gable-shaped (sljemenaci) with flower crosses on the front and borders acanthus leaves. The last phase with circa 20 separate steÃÂci of high quality and diverse forms indicates that the site was the cemetery of the MiloradoviÃÂ-StjepanoviÃÂ family, attested in epitaphs on five tombstones.
Due to several Illyrian burial mounds near the necropolis, it seems the location was used from earlier times as a resting place for the dead, and the population of Batnoge continued this ancient sepulchral tradition. During the 1960s excavation, to a depth of 120âÂÂ135 cm revealed nine graves, indicating that up to 50 specimens were destroyed. Analysis of the bodies showed the people were tall with well-developed thorax<nowiki/>es.
Nearly half (63) were decorated, in bas relief, engraving or a combination. The finest decorated examples are tall chests with pedestal and sarcophagus with pedestal, saved for the social elite.
Ornaments include curved lines with trefoil, plastic zigzag, radial circle, rosette, depiction of plastic circles, cluster, rod shaped as letter T, spiral curves. The depiction of arrow and bow on "voivode" steÃÂci previously was related to MiloradoviÃÂ-StjepanoviÃÂ military function.
Figural depictions can be divided to those of male figures with raised right hand (on so-called voivode steÃÂci by MiloradoviÃÂ-StjepanoviÃÂ, or steÃÂci that symbolize Vitus), and scenes of hunting, posthumous kolo and chivalric tournaments with basic artistic and religious interweaving of pagan and Christian ideas.
The inscriptions mention Stipan MiloradoviÃÂ, and his sons Radoja and Petar, three other inhabitants of Batnoge, and three stonemasons: Miogost, Volaà ¡in VogaÃÂiÃÂ, Ratko Brativo(n)iÃÂ.
The steÃÂci were made of limestone cut from Oà ¡aniÃÂi hill, trimmed and then moved to the necropolis for final work and ornamentation.
I: A se kami na Vukcu na Pet[r]oviÃÂu. A se pisa Bolaà ¡in BogaÃÂiÃÂ.
II: A VlaÃÂ Vlahov[i]ÃÂ, [a sjeÃÂe k]ami Ratko Brativo[n]iÃÂ/Brativo[jev]iÃÂ.
III: Az rab b[o]à ¾i Radoje VukoviÃÂ, sinovac vojevode Petra.
IV: Sije leà ¾i dobri Radoje, sin vojevode Stipana, n[a] svoj baà ¡tini na Batnogah. Si bilig postavi na me brat moj vojevoda Petar.
V: A se leà ¾i Stjepan. A ÃÂinio ka[mi] Miogost kovaÃÂ.