Dragon eggs

That nature is surprising is shown by the perfectly shaped stone spheres, discovered accidentally underneath the hill Grljevac in Velika Kladuša. For now three have been “discovered” – the largest one seven meters in girth and weighing 2500 kilograms, a smaller one weighing 1200 kilograms with a girth of three and a half meters, and the smallest one girth of 52 centimetres and 600 kilograms. Because of the shape and composition, as well as the unusual space where they were discovered they attract attention also the mystery of whether they’re natural or manmade pique our interest. For discovery of this oddities from Velika Kladuša the members of the Mountaineering Association of Velika Kladuša are responsible.



President of the Association Šefik Sadiković says: “Though the first spheres were located two years ago, no one knew about them nor spoke about them. Only now, when we located these three did we speak publicly about it. Spheres were located in a creek which created a large canyon due to plentiful rain. Locals of Zborište found the spheres and they drove one into the village using a tractor.” That’s how the story about this phenomenon started.

We are sure that there are more of them in this area, the mountaineers made sure that geologists get the spheres. Geologists Ševket Goletić and Senad Karajić determined that “underneath the spheres a “floor” of the same structure as the spheres was found which means that they haven’t been moved since they were created, and that floor gives greater certainty when determining the way they were created.”


From the Jurassic period

“First estimation direct”, Ševket Goletić believes, “that the spheres come from the Jurassic period and that they were created underneath the surface of the sea. That’s why man has nothing to do with the creation of this phenomenon. That period of creation is called Initial Geosynclinal volcanism, which means that they were created around 30 million years ago.”

“It is known that in this region the Panonian sea was present and that it receded seven million years ago, which means that the spheres were created deep underneath the sea due to volcanic action. During eruptions of the volcano rocks in form of lava were expelled in the sea depths, which created additional blasts and chunking, and with the influence of water and sudden cooling this spherical shape was created covered in a manganese veil which gave the spheres additional firmness”, he adds.



According to the first estimations, the content of these rocks is made out of more elements: titan, zircon, vanadium, barium and nickel, which points to the sediment origin from the basic rocks. The surface is smooth and perfectly polished, and it is hard to assume that they could be a work of man which at the time possessed primitive tools. Otherwise, Goletić and Karajić recall, similar spheres were found in other areas as well.

“So”, they say, “they’re numerous in western Mexico, but they’re also located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mostly around Zavidovići. And they’re most similar to the ones located in Zavidovići. They’re also located near Stari Majdan in municipality of Sanski Most in the north-western part of BiH.”


Mysterious spheres

Mountaineers say that the spheres were most likely “discovered” earlier, but no one spoke of them. It is assumed that the legends and stories imposed a type of silence. One that, for the people living in these areas – spurred the imagination of the inhabitants about the mysterious spheres.


One of the legends says that the spheres are actually eggs of an ancient dragon and according to folk belief we shouldn’t disturb them. That’s where the answer to the question of why no one spoke about them lies. However, out of curiosity the inhabitants broke them, and determined that the interior is made out of stone. Certain findings say that they were brought home, namely the parts of the sphere. Even built in the foundation of the houses. Later they would be unearthed and placed back to their original location.


In these numerous legends, stories and speculations, there is a theory which claims that they’re meteors which fell a long time ago in this area or that they’re the work of some ancient and unknown civilization. However, mountaineers from Velika Kladuša sought help and analysis of the Mining-geological faculty from Tuzla. While they’re waiting for an answer and debunking of the mystery about the creation of this phenomenon – they went into action.

Old legend about the grave of the Turkish soldier

 

On the territory of Sanski Most there is no place that so many myths, legends and folk tales are related to it like the place Kamengrad, a tame Bosnian village located next to the motorway which connects Sanski Most with Bosanska Krupa. On a steep ridge which rises above the village are the remnants of a medieval fort. At first sight one can see that the builders took care where to build the fort. The place where the fort is located is accessible only from one side, which states that Kamengrad was difficult to occupy. It was built by the Hungarian princes Babonić which lived on the mouth of rivers Sana into Una, on the place which is today called Bosanski Novi.

540 years ago, this area was a scene of bloody battles. In the valley underneath the fort in Kamengrad was a large army camp of the Turkish sultan Mehmed Fatih. Some time before that, Ključ was occupied, the last city of medieval Bosnia. That's when the last Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević was executed. An old legend claims that the battle lasted shortly, but it was bloody. Hungarian crew which defended the fort was cut down until the last person. The Turkish army also suffered losses. The old Shahid (martyr) cemetery bellow the fort. Grave stones are still standing which were built more than five centuries ago.

The attention of visitors is drawn by the stone sarcophagus. Folk tales say that this is the resting place of a Turkish soldier - carrier of the flag (bajraktar - flag carrier) which showed great courage. He obtained over fifty wounds during the battle, but he still boldly charged the Hungarian fort. In the heat of the battle the soldier's head was cut off. Legend says that he descended the hill carrying his severed head under his arm. Only when a woman saw him and screamed in terror did the soldier fall to the ground. That's where he was buried.

Bad luck for evil doers

Inhabitants of Kamengrad always paid special attention to this grave. Close to this sarcophagus a Bajraktar's (flag carrier's) mosque was built which was destroyed by the Serbian army during the aggression onto BiH. It is considered that this place was blessed by special mercy by God, since the man in the sarcophagus died on the road of Allah's faith. That's why since the old days Bajraktar's graveyard is a place of pilgrimage. From this place in the last hundred years countless prayers were sent. The diseased prayed to be cured, soldiers to return alive from the war, parents for their children to be happy in life, agricultural workers for a fruitful year...

Legend claims that everyone who tried to destroy the soldier's grave was struck by god's wrath. In WWII the grave was desecrated two times. Both men which committed this died soon. And at the time of aggression on Bosnia (1992-1995) the Serbian army placed explosives into the stone sarcophagus which failed to explode. The man who was placing it, was struck by a stroke the next day. The grave of the Turkish soldier remained untouched.

The older inhabitants claim that the ghost of the soldier appeared a couple of times. It always happened during the night. The apparition, holding its head under its arm, radiated with a weird glow climbing the hill towards the old fort - it happened the inhabitants claimed, always before large wars. That's what happened prior to the aggression onto Bosnia in 1992.