24/02/2026
Mali Mošunj - Kalvarija, archaeological site
The archaeological site Kalvarija in Mali Mošunj is a part of a series of the sites in Mali Mošunj by river Lašva in Vitez Municipality in Central Bosnian Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The name Kalvarija comes from the fact that by the hill and on the hill was built via crucis with a chapel in a year 1912. The research, at this occasion, was done by father Jesuit, Ivan Kujundžić who published the findings . His excavation confirmed the existing of the early-Christian church with a basin in a separated space, probably the baptistery. Necropolis is confirmed too. Materials found in that occasion are today in a Local Heritage Museum of Travnik. They were mainly the subject of iconograph studies.
One of most interesting findings is the pillar, often interpretated as part of liturgical fence, with very significant and symbolically strong motives: a fish, a snake and bird. It represents a unique example of early-Christian iconography in the hinterland of Roman Dalmatia, while motives as kantharos and the vine, typical for dalmatian hinterland in the early-Christian period, are generally attributed to the early-Byzantine influence and are interpreted as an Eucharistic allusion. This unique finding is held at Museum in Travnik.
In topographic research Mali Mošunj is often suggested to be a location of the antique city of Bistue Nova, the administrative centre of the Roman municipio of Bistue and the centre of the early Christian diocese Bestoe (Ecclesia Bestoensis). The Acts of Salonitan synods (530 and 533) held under Honorius II, Catholic bishop of Salona, are revealing the name of the only bishop of Bistue diocese known so far - Andreas.
The materials are indicating a sure Justinian, early-Byzantine , phase when, after the Renovatio Imperii, hundreds of similar sites all over the Balkans were used for the castrum/refugium type of settlements with a strong presence of churches and baptisteries - taking Caričingrad in Serbia (Iustiniana Prima) as a model.
Antun Kovčalija
Ilustration and photo: Mladen Topić
