Hatelji is a village in the municipality of Berkovići, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is primarily known among archaeological circles for its cave site, Hateljska pećina, situated on a cliff high above the village. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1980s uncovered evidence of habitation dating back to the Neolithic and Eneolithic periods, the early Bronze Age, and the Middle Ages. The findings from the Neolithic and Eneolithic periods provide a glimpse into the early human settlements in this region.
The lowland area on the northern side of the central part of Dabarsko polje has a prehistoric burial ground consisting of five barrows from the Middle Bronze Age. Two of these barrows (Barrow I and Barrow II) have medieval stećci tombstones placed atop them. We began our investigation of Barrow I, located south next to the Hatelji-Berkovići regional road, adjacent to the village. The mound is situated in the plain of Dabarsko polje, an area typically used for grazing cattle and sheep. This location is popular among local shepherds, who often gather and socialize during their daily pastoral breaks. Barrow I has a diameter of 20.5 meters and features 13 stećci monuments. The placement of these monuments has not significantly damaged the prehistoric mound, which has been preserved at a height of up to 3 meters.
