Epitaphs of the scribe Semorad

Abstract

This paper focuses on Semorad, the most renowned scribe - dijak of medieval inscriptions on stećaks. It is known in the existing literature that Semorad signed six stećaks at the Boljuni site near Stolac. However, this paper reveals that his sphere of activity extends to Nevesinje and Kalinovik. In the stećak necropolis at the Pitomi Brijeg site in Morine, the municipality of Nevesinje, seven inscriptions on stećaks bear the signature of Semorad. Additionally, one inscription is found at the Bojičića Valley site, Crvanj Mountain, in the municipality of Kalinovik. The inscriptions are written in medieval epigraphic Cyrillic, featuring archaic orthographic conventions characteristic of the medieval Bosnian region in the 15th century. Their graphic inventory includes a blend of the constitutional script type with minuscule letter forms.