Marian Wenzel 
Bosnia-Herzegovina Heritage Rescue in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
THE BOSNIAN STYLE RITUAL CAVE OF THE DRAGON ORDER (DATING BACK 
TO THE 15TH CENTURY AND LOCATED ON THE ISLAND OF BRAČ)  

Takem foom BOSNIAN PARADIGM Conference
BOOK OF SUMMARY

The Dragon Cave on the Island of Brač – so called for its carvings featuring a large dragon – is designed to simulate the architecture of a church. The structure is formed into the natural opening of a cave, towards the top of a cliff high above the sea between the town of Bol and the village Murvice, facing south. Scholars in the Croatian sphere, lacking parallels for this Cave, have dated it to the Early Christian period, or to the 17th century. However, the research of Marian Wenzel into Bosnian stone-carving and metalworking style, indicate that the art of this cave is in Bosnian style dating to the early years of the 15th century when Brac was part of Bosnia, under Bosnian Vojvode or Duke Hrvoje Vukcic Hrvatinic (+1415). Stylistically and historically, the cave dates to around 1409, soon after the initiation of Duke Hrvoje into the Order of the Dragon of Sigismund, King of Hungary. Hrvoje’s vassals, the Kacici family of Omis, appear to have been members as well, and may have organized the building of the Brac Dragon Cave to Bosnian design.
The Dragon Cave combines bedrock with built structure. The architectural concept of the cave, involving porch, narthex and sanctuary is suggested by enclosures inside the natural cave, where figurative carvings in the bedrock occur in the porch area, and narthex. As with the catacombs at Jajce, an underground ritual area featuring a dragon in relief and certainly built by Duke Hrvoje Vukcic Hrvatinic at the same time as this cave, the sculpted iconography here includes popular 14th–15th century crucifixion symbols, in combination with lay motifs relevant to courtly ritual. There is an indication that those entering this space took upon themselves the role of Christ at Golgotha, for the exterior stone structure fronting the open cave is designed like a giant Golgotha cross, of which only the steps and stem remain. Those initiated would have walked up the steps and through the stem itself, to be welcomed by trials indicated by a dragon and lion holding a severed demon head to the left, opposed by the relief of an angel holding Veronica’s veil with the head of Christ, to the right. Two royal ladies behind a table observe the scene, possibly the wife and daughter of Sigismund, for whose protection the Dragon Order was formed.