"It's believed important shrine was there": Uzice archaeologists find prehistoric mound near Nova Varos

The house of the Mutavdzic family in the village of Seniste near Nova Varos has always been different from other rural households, because it was believed that there were remains of a large shrine from the 14th century in their yard.

It was assumed to have been built during the reign of Nikola Altomanovic Vojinovic, a Serbian nobleman, military leader and warrior from the second half of the 14th century who ruled from Rudnik to the Adriatic Sea.

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Foto: Privatna arhiva

Archaeologists came to this place several times to research it, and the head of the Mutavdzic family bequeathed it to his daughters to one day rebuild the shrine.

In early October, the National Museum from Uzice began archaeological excavations at this location, at the Crkvine site, on the property of the Mutavdzic family. The goal of this year's excavations is to check for the remains of the church, which, according to the locals, is located in this very place.

"After digging control trenches, it was concluded that there are no remains of a church here, but that this is a prehistoric mound with the remains of a stone mantle. Further research will be focused on the excavation of the southwest quarter of the mound," the National Museum confirmed for RINA.

Foto: Privatna arhiva

The archaeological team consists of excavation managers Radmila Jovic and Marina Kotarac, curators from the National Museum in Uzice, Mirko Vranic, research associate from the Faculty of Philosophy from Belgrade, and Milos Jankovic, archaeologist from Uzice.

Research will last until the end of October. The archeological project is financed by the Ministry of Culture, and led by the National Museum in Uzice.

(Telegraf.rs/RINA)