Archeological excavations of the medieval cemetery on Glavica in Han Bila near Travnik

Abstract

Two remarkably rare findings have been discovered in the area of Bila river valley from its central flow to its confluence to Lašva River. During the small interventional investigation in 1959 on the site of Glavica in Han Bila very richly decorated female hat type scuffia have been discovered in one of the graves. Also in 1959 in the destroyed grave a set for fastening of the rich silver belt dated in the end of 14 and beginning of 15th century was found in Stara Bila, about 8 km on south. On both sites the deceased were buried in stone coffins. Excavations  2011-2012 are continuation of the research of the site of Han Bila after 61 years. 10 graves were discovered with all deceased buried in stone coffins. Despite the wealth of the monuments and dense population in Middle Ages historical records for medieval district (župa) of Lašva are very poor and it is not possible to know to which families these graveyards belonged to. Knowledge about conditions of two exceptional tomb findings in the medieval
cemeteries in the valley of the river Bila have been initiated further investigations and analysis of known data about cemeteries and population in that area.