About
The necropolis is located in the hamlet of Vrbica near the village of Čelebići, about 20 km to the south-east of Foča at an altitude of 948 meters. According to the data available to the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, 211 monuments were found at the locality: 3 late antique slabs, 1 Roman altar, 2 medieval slabs, 129 chests, 2 gabled roof tombstones and 74 tombstones of undetermined shape. According to the data obtained following research carried out by the Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Republika Srpska /Republički zavod za zaštitu kulturno istorijskog i prirodnog naslijeđa RS/ in 2012, a total of 238 tombstones were recorded, of which 47 chests, 1 slab with base, 116 slabs and 74 fragments. Ornaments were recorded on 22 tombstones: 3 late antique slabs, 1 slab and 18 chests.
The following motifs are represented on the site: frieze, small crosses, stylised cross, anthropomorphic cross, crescent moons, staff, swords, dagger, circles, watermill, hand, rosette, animal motifs, relief motifs of human figures. No inscriptions have been recorded.
This area (narrow geographic area of Borje, Kunovo, Potpeć, Velenići) had been inhabited even in prehistoric times as evidenced by several prehistoric tumuli that were discovered in 1889, including the bronze objects that were completely analogue to the findings from the same period in Glasinac.
A chest was discovered in one tumulus, made up of fine river slate. Pieces of scattered and half-burnt skeletons were found in the chest on a bed of smaller river pebbles and fine slate, along with, a fragment of a triple edged stone knife next to those remains. In the course of archaeological excavations in this area carried out in mid-20th century, the presence of several sites with remnants of ancient and medieval religious buildings and adjacent cemeteries were noted. On that occasion, five late antique tombstones were found.
The name of the site – Crkvina (church) – indicates the possible existence of a religious building, but its remains were not found. Burials in this region continued in the Middle Ages and lasted until the 1930-ies.
Location
The site is located in Vrbica hamlet near the village of Čelebići. Tombstones are located on a hill covered with hornbeam trees. The boundary is at the base of the hill where tombstones are situated.
State of the location
The necropolis is in good state. Some of the tombstones are chipped, damaged, tumbled, partially or entirely sunken. The tombstones are more or less covered by plant organisms (lichen and moss). The area of the necropolis is entirely covered by forest, and some of the tombstones are covered by low vegetation, which makes their technical processing more difficult. Following a second visit to the site, the area around the tombstones was cleaned, i.e. humus was removed from some of the tombstones, but not from all of them, and therefore the number of tombstones covered by this decision is not final. In 2011 the entire site underwent geodetic survey supported with photographs of individual tombstones thus enabling for implementation of a monitoring process.
The current tourist offer for visitors does not meet the standard requirements, i.e. apart from sightseeing there is nothing else available. There are no data on visits to the site. There is no basic road signalization. The Municipality has the potential to develop rural, adventure and religious tourism. There is a Tourist Board operating in the Municipality.