Badanj Cave

Badanj Cave (Bosnian: Badanj Pećina) is located in Borojevići village near the town of Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This rather small cave has come to public attention after the 1976 discovery of its cave engravings, that date to between 12,000 and 16,000 BCE.[1]

Badanj Cave
Badanj Pećina
Cave carvings in Badanj Cave
Badanj Cave Location in Bosnia and Herzegovina Show map of Bosnia and Herzegovina Badanj Cave Badanj Cave (Yugoslavia) Show map of Yugoslavia
Location	Borojevići village near Stolac
Coordinates	43.100556°N 17.895833°E / 43.100556; 17.895833
Geology	Karst cave
Show cave opened	yes
Features	Rock art
Website	www.centarzakrs.ba

Thanks to local natural benefits and preferable composition, topography, climate, hydrography and vegetation and rich hunting grounds always have attracted prehistoric settlers - the region has been settled since ancient times. The site is rock shelter or overhang recessed beneath a cliff that descends to the right bank of the river Bregava.

Two chronologically distinct strata of Palaeolithic occupation were identified beneath the surface layer. Of particular significance was the discovery of a particular carving of the Badanj site, as it ranks among the oldest works of art in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The carving is cut into the diagonal surface of a large polished block of stone, and probably represents a horse seen from the offside flank that has been hit by arrows. Only the rear half of the body survives, with flanks typical for a horse and part of the body; the rest of the drawing has been partly damaged.

The Badanj carvings include depictions of animals and symbols, as is typical of Mediterranean prehistoric art. The site was dated to the late Upper Palaeolithic. The cave is part of The natural and architectural ensemble of Stolac, submitted by the Stolac municipality, and the Hercegovina-Neretva county to be recognized a UNESCO heritage site in 2007 and induced into UNESCO's tentative list. It is also designated as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2003.[2][3]

See also

• List of caves in Bosnia and Herzegovina

References

1. "Bosnia and Herzegovina - Tim Clancy - Google Books". Google Books. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
2. "Commission to preserve national monuments". Old.kons.gov.ba. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
3. "The natural and architectural ensemble of Stolac - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved January 24, 2017.

Further reading

• Ivan Lovrenović 2001. Bosnia: a cultural history. New York. New York University Press. p. 13