VULNERABILITY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE TOANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS: A CASE STUDY OF THESTEĆCI NECROPOLIS IN THE CITY OF EAST SARAJEVO

VULNERABILITY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE TO ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS: A CASE STUDY OF THE STEĆCI NECROPOLIS IN THE CITY OF EAST SARAJEVO

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Published: August 2026

ORCID: 
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9385-1274 
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6202-1891 
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6967-1599 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5881-6358 
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3674-4253 

Keywords: stećci, urbanization, cultural heritage vulnerability, East Sarajevo 

Abstract:

Stećci are medieval stone tombstones that represent a unique cultural phenomenon in both Europe and the wider world. Dating back to the late Middle Ages, they are distributed across almost the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout history, stećci have been exposed to various natural and anthropogenic influences, which have resulted in a gradual decline in their number. Human activities have frequently caused their destruction, most notably during wars, treasure hunting beneath the tombstones, construction activities, and agricultural practices on arable land. Today, stećci are exposed to anthropogenic impacts such as urbanization and unplanned construction, pollution and waste disposal, the construction of road infrastructure, as well as various economic activities. Such treatment of stećci, combined with the negative effects of natural processes, has highlighted the need for serious consideration of their protection and the development of effective preservation models. The most vulnerable necropolises are those located near cities experiencing rapid urbanization. Examples can be found in the area of the city of East Sarajevo. The aim of this paper is to analyze anthropogenic impacts on three stećak necropolises—Crnač, Pavlovac, and Krupac—located in the area of the City of East Sarajevo. The research methodology includes the application of geospatial technologies in the implementation of both direct and indirect research methods. The research results showed that the Pavlovac and Crnač necropolises belong to the category of highly vulnerable sites, while the Krupac necropolis belongs to the category of moderately vulnerable sites. 

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