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Morlach Stećci of Western Balkans
The signature of Vlachs (Aromanians) on petroglyphs may be seen on several tombstones.The most important material heritage of Vlachs in Western Balkans are the necropolises with petroglyphs. The Vlach tombstones with petroglyphs appeared in the 12th century, and the apparition ceased during the Ottoman occupation in the 16th century. Marian Wenzel wrote that the tombstones with petroglyphs „were initially erected by feudal aristocracy, and that the custom was later adopted and the decoration much elaborated by certain groups known as Vlachs who were organized on a “cătun”, (small village in Romanian and Albanian), on a tribal, non- feudal basis.”( Marian Wenzel, “Bosnian and Herzegovinian Tombstobes-Who Made Them and Why?” Sudost-Forschungen 21 (1962): 102-143)
Stećak (Cyrillic: Стећак, [stetɕak]; plural: Stećci, Стећци, [stetɕtsi]) is the name for monumental medieval tombstones that lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the borders of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rest of 10,000 are found in what are today Croatia (4,400), Montenegro (3,500), and Serbia (2,100), at more than 3,300 odd sites with over 90% in poor condition.
More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ste%C4%87ak
Approximate position of Stari vlah ,Romanija, and the space of Vlach necropolises (dashed line)
John Fine wrote that the Vlachs controlled the carrying trade and the protection of caravans from brigands and they became extremely rich and came to dominate Zeta (Montenegro) and Hum (Zachlumia, today in Herzegovina).(John V. A. Fine, The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century, (Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1994), p.19.))
Transhumance routes in Western Balkans. Source: Marcovic, 1971
Maximilian Hartmuth considers that there are connections between transportation activities of the Vlachs and the apparition and the decay of the Vlach necropolises(Maximilian Hartmuth, ”Mineral Exploitation and Artistic Production in the Balkans after 1250”, In: Ottoman Metalwork in the Balkans and in Hungary. Hrsg. Ibolya Gerelyes & Maximilian Hartmuth. (Budapest: Hungarian National Museum, 2015), 97-110.).
Research on skeletons from several gravestones has shown a Vlachian origin(Mužić, Ivan (2009). "Vlasi i starobalkanska pretkršćanska simbolika jelena na stećcima". Starohrvatska prosvjeta (in Croatian). Split: Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments. III (36): 323).
Tony Fabjancic wrote that Radimlja necropolis in Herzegovina belonged to a Vlach family called Miloradovic.(Tony Fabjancic, Bosnia: in the Footsteps of Gavrilo Princip, Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta Press, 2010, p.125)
Fig shows petroglyphs of medieval Vlachs (Aromanians) wearing their traditional apparel in Radimlja, Herzegovina. Similarly to the medieval petroglyphs, Aromanians wear kilts.
Marian Wenzel wrote that the Romanians/Vlachs of North East of Serbia “still perform “hora” funerary dance (kolo in Serbian) in which three female dancers carry bunches of flowers, while the leader carries a sword, which corresponds to some petroglyphs with hora depicted on some funerary monuments. This particular dance is believed to serve as a soul’s guide to the other world.”Elizabeth Wayland Barber approached the petroglyphs with dancers with flowers and wrote: "The parallels between (Romanian/Vlach) dancers from Duboka in Timok and the depictions on medieval funerary stecci are far too close for accident.” She also made a comparison between male dancers wielding swords from petroglyphs and the Romanian dance“Căluşari”.
Fig Funerary “hora” on petroglyph(left) and the skectch made by Wenzel (right)
Herzegovina. Map of medieval Vlach petroglyphs with „hora” dance (source: Marian Wenzel)
Red- assimilated
The intangible heritage of Vlachs from Western balkans refers mainly to folklore. It is the case of the Vlach/Morlach folklore in Bosnia and Croatia. A ballad of Vlachs/Morlachs called “Hasanaginica” was hijacked by Croatian and Bosnian nationalist writers who deny the Vlach origin of the ballad. Alberto Fortis, an italian naturalist and cartographer travelled in Dalmatia and wrote Viaggio in Dalmazia (Travels into Dalmatia), published in 1774. The book depicted "Morlachia", the rural Dalmatia and the Morlachs and translated in Italian a Morlach ballad called "Hasanaginica". Fortis wrote that the Morlachs preserved their old customs and clothes and call themselves Vlachs. He also published several specimens of Morlach songs. Viaggio in Dalmazia played an important role in bringing the Morlachian folklore to the attention of Europe during the rise of Romantic notions about folklore.Prosper Mérimée wrote“La Guzla” (single- INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE CULTURAL HERITAGE: RESEARCH, VALORIZATION, PROMOTION (10TH Edition) a collection of alleged Morlachian poems, being strongly influenced by Fortis. However he never visited Dalmatia.
The Vlach Church of Cetinje
According to a historical tradition in Montenegro, the Vlachs are considered to be the builders of the church of Vlaška Crkva (“The VlachChurch”) in Cetinje
The church was built around 1450 on the site of Bogumils' necropolis, which had around 150 stećci (monumental, ornate tombstones).This church received its name for the Vlahs who guarded the cattle of Ivan Crnojević and built the church around 1450.
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Originally Posted by Pribislav
Bosna i Hercegovina
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