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Preserving The Past For The Future: Bosnia's Skelani Archaeological Site

A conservation project will soon be launched aimed at protecting ancient Roman mosaics at one of the most important archaeological sites in the Balkans.

The archaeological site (pictured in 2019), located in Skelani, is one of the most significant ancient sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its extensive remains -- of the Roman settlement of Malvesiatium, dating back to the reign of Emperor Vespasian (around 70 A.D.) -- have been shielded from additional degradation by a thick layer of sand or via a plastic enclosure.  
1 The archaeological site (pictured in 2019), located in Skelani, is one of the most significant ancient sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its extensive remains -- of the Roman settlement of Malvesiatium, dating back to the reign of Emperor Vespasian (around 70 A.D.) -- have been shielded from additional degradation by a thick layer of sand or via a plastic enclosure.

 
Parts of the site will now be permanently shielded from the weather thanks to a cross-border cooperation program between Serbia and Bosnia with additional funding from the European Union.  
2 Parts of the site will now be permanently shielded from the weather thanks to a cross-border cooperation program between Serbia and Bosnia with additional funding from the European Union.





 
The project, titled The Way of the Roman Emperors, will allow visitors to see firsthand the unearthed mosaics and artifacts that date from the second to the fourth centuries in Seklani, a village some 40 kilometers from Srebrenica.  
3 The project, titled The Way of the Roman Emperors, will allow visitors to see firsthand the unearthed mosaics and artifacts that date from the second to the fourth centuries in Seklani, a village some 40 kilometers from Srebrenica.






 
Malvesiatium was once a bustling Roman city, complete with an imperial palace, thermal baths, two early Christian basilicas, a brickyard, and numerous monuments.
4 Malvesiatium was once a bustling Roman city, complete with an imperial palace, thermal baths, two early Christian basilicas, a brickyard, and numerous monuments.
More than a century ago, the site -- with its remarkable mosaics  -- was discovered by the Austro-Hungarian historian Carl Patsch.
5 More than a century ago, the site -- with its remarkable mosaics  -- was discovered by the Austro-Hungarian historian Carl Patsch.
However, the same year that Patsch made his discovery, a flood submerged the area, leaving behind a 2-meter-thick layer of gravel and silt.
6 However, the same year that Patsch made his discovery, a flood submerged the area, leaving behind a 2-meter-thick layer of gravel and silt.
In 2008, Bosnian archaeologists led by Mirko Babic rediscovered Malvesiatium with its impressive mosaics. "[The site] has a 40-square-meter mosaic, which is unique in terms of the variety of colors, images, and decoration, and has an amazing vibrancy," Babic said.
7
In 2008, Bosnian archaeologists led by Mirko Babic rediscovered Malvesiatium with its impressive mosaics.

"[The site] has a 40-square-meter mosaic, which is unique in terms of the variety of colors, images, and decoration, and has an amazing vibrancy," Babic said.
Excavations also unearthed 30 monuments with inscriptions dedicated to Jupiter, Triad, Mars, Silvanus, Mithras, and other ancient gods. Many of the finds are now housed in the National Museum in Sarajevo or at the Roman Municipium archaeologcal museum in Skelani (pictured).
8 Excavations also unearthed 30 monuments with inscriptions dedicated to Jupiter, Triad, Mars, Silvanus, Mithras, and other ancient gods. Many of the finds are now housed in the National Museum in Sarajevo or at the Roman Municipium archaeologcal museum in Skelani (pictured).
A tombstone with the surname Catta was also unearthed.  
9 A tombstone with the surname Catta was also unearthed.

 
Silver Roman coins from the first, second and third centuries were also discovered.
10 Silver Roman coins from the first, second and third centuries were also discovered.
Today, the site features more than 140 square meters of excavated mosaics, the largest found in the Western Balkans.
11 Today, the site features more than 140 square meters of excavated mosaics, the largest found in the Western Balkans.
With the completion of the project, future generations will be able to view the rich artistic legacy of the Roman era in the Balkans, such as this mosaic depicting the Medusa with her hair of snakes..  
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With the completion of the project, future generations will be able to view the rich artistic legacy of the Roman era in the Balkans, such as this mosaic depicting the Medusa with her hair of snakes..

 
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RFE/RL's Balkan Service

In 2019, RFE/RL's Balkan Service marked 25 years of reporting in one of the world’s most contested regions, championing professionalism and moderation in a media landscape that is sharply divided along ethnic and partisan lines.

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