The Baljci site is located near the Grebnica-Bunčići necropolis, which is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. In this necropolis, 291 diverse and richly decorated stećci have been recorded, including at least one earthen mound containing stećci. To the northwest of the Grebnica-Bunčići necropolis and outside the UNESCO buffer zone, there are two partially preserved stone mounds that do not contain stećci. Both mounds have suffered from extensive stone sourcing, resulting in a significant loss of height; they are now very flat. Modern stone constructions have been built using the dry-wall technique in their central areas.
For our field research, we selected the southern, smaller mound, which we named Baljci, Mound I. This mound, with a diameter of 20 meters, is only 1.20 meters high, excluding the top modern structure. Its edge is overgrown with low shrubby vegetation and individual smaller oak trees. Damage to the mound’s structure is visible on the surface, particularly in the eastern part, where residents have indicated that stones were removed for various purposes. We observed the outlines of grave structures on the surface during our initial visit to the prehistoric stone mounds. Given the proximity of the large stećci necropolis, we hypothesized that these outlines represent medieval burials that reused a prehistoric burial site. The need to verify this theory through field research was crucial to our study. We also had two other research objectives: to establish a chronological definition for the mound formation and examine its structural elements and construction methods.
