In front of the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments, there is a group of stećci (medieval tombstones) brought from various locations in inland Dalmatia. This group of stećci, located in front of the museum, was moved in the second half of the 20th century, under the order of the Institute for National History in Split, to the former Split cemetery, Sustipan. The relocation of the stećci from their original positions is now considered completely inappropriate, as it left centuries-old graves without their markers, and precious memories were lost and irrevocably destroyed.

The transported stećci were first placed in Sustipan, and then in the courtyard of the aforementioned institute. Among them, one stands out, originating from the Crljivica site near Cista Velika in the Imotski region. Today, as mentioned, it is located along with other stećci in front of the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments. The inscription on it testifies to whom the stećak belonged. It is the stećak of Jerko Kustražić, a medieval Vlah from these areas. Furthermore, according to the inscription, the master “kovač” (smith) Jurina, who made it, is also known, whose works can be found in a wide area of the Dalmatian hinterland and Herzegovina, all the way to Kupres.

The monument, in its original position, formed a whole with another stećak belonging to Jerko’s wife, Vladna, which remained in Crljivica. Jerko Kustražić’s stećak is decorated with a depiction of a kolo (circle dance), which is very well preserved because it lay on that side towards the ground for a long time in Crljivica. The mentioned kolo is clearly visible, consisting of five smaller figures within a space bordered by a kind of twisted rope, leading to a sixth person, who is larger compared to them. These five figures are dressed in long robes and have halos around their heads, holding flowers in their raised hands while holding each other. Only the object in the hands of the last and penultimate person differs, which is a cross held by the person separated from the bordered space. The separated person also differs in that they wear a short, knee-length robe and a pointed cap (šuba) on their head. In this depiction, the old folk saying “without a cross, there is no path to heaven” is clearly evident, reflecting the belief in eternal life, where the cross in heaven transforms into a flower.

The climate of Split is transitional between a moderately warm humid climate and a Mediterranean climate, according to the Köppen classification. This specificity arises from the fact that only one summer month has less than 40 mm of rainfall, which prevents strict classification as exclusively humid moderately warm or Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and moderately dry, with average high temperatures in July around 30 °C. Winters are mild and humid, with occasional significant temperature drops due to the bora wind, and January is the coldest month with average low temperatures around 5 °C. The annual rainfall exceeds 820 mm, with the most rain in November (average 113 mm) and the least in July (average 26 mm). Snow is a rare occurrence. Split records more than 2600 sunny hours annually, with the most sun during the summer months. The bora, a cold and strong northeast wind, can cause sudden temperature drops in winter. This combination of factors creates a unique climate in Split, with long, warm summers and mild winters.

The Monument and Its Original Location

This saddle-roofed stećak originates from the medieval necropolis of Crljivica near Cista Velika in the Imotski region. Carved from a single block of stone, it belongs to the Dalmatian type of stećci, characteristic of the 15th century in the hinterland of central Dalmatia. Like many such monuments, it once formed part of a larger funerary landscape, marking a burial within a structured cemetery used by a local community. Today, the stećak stands in front of the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split, far from its original setting. Removed in the second half of the 20th century, it no longer occupies the landscape for which it was created. Understanding its original placement is essential, as stećci were not isolated sculptures but integral elements of a spatial, social, and commemorative environment.

The monumental saddle-roof stećak set on a separate stone base represents one of the most developed sculptural forms of late medieval funerary art. Its elevated position and architectural silhouette emphasize the symbolic importance and social prestige of the burial. The decorative program combines geometric border motifs — twisted interlace bands and a wavy frieze — with a figural frieze carved in low relief, most likely depicting a ritual dance or communal procession associated with concepts of death, memory, and the afterlife. Such figural compositions are characteristic of the southern Dalmatian hinterland and the Imotski region, where stećak sculpture reached a high artistic level. The integration of narrative imagery within structured ornamental framing reflects the mature visual language of the 14th–15th century, marked by monumentality, rhythmic composition, and symbolic expression.

Iconography: Dance and Hunt

Jerko Kustražić’s stećak is richly decorated on both principal sides, combining two themes characteristic of late medieval funerary art. One side displays a kolo, a circular chain dance. Five figures in long garments, holding flowers and linked together, form a unified group within a framed field. A sixth, larger figure stands apart, holding a cross and wearing a short robe and pointed cap. The scene evokes community, faith, and the hope of salvation, expressing a vision of continuity beyond death.

The opposite side presents a dynamic hunting scene. A mounted or standing hunter, pursues a deer within a bordered composition. Hunting motifs on stećci often signal courage, social status, and vitality, but they may also carry symbolic meaning, representing the human journey or spiritual striving. Together, the two scenes balance earthly identity and transcendent aspiration, shaping a complex visual statement about life, belief, and remembrance.

Separation from Vladna and the Loss of Context

In its original position at Crljivica, this stećak formed a funerary pair with that of Jerko’s wife, Vladna. Her monument, which remains at the necropolis, indicates that she was buried beside her husband. Together, the two stones created a spatial and symbolic unity within the cemetery.

During the second half of the 20th century, Jerko’s stećak was removed from Crljivica. It was first placed at the former cemetery of Sustipan in Split and later transferred to its current location. This relocation separated the monument from its original burial ground and from Vladna’s stećak, disrupting a centuries-old relationship between stone, place, and memory. Today, the monument invites reflection not only on medieval life and belief, but also on the modern responsibility of preserving cultural heritage within its authentic context.

Museum of Croatian Archeological Monuments

Split, Croatia