Culture

Ancient Cultural Heritage

The oldest Palaeolithic find in southeast Europe was discovered in Badanj Cave near city of Stolac. This engraving represents the death of a horse under rain of arrows. Rich Neolithic culture has also been found in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The most beautiful items were found in Butmir near Sarajevo (5000 BC).

During the Bronze Age, the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina was inhibited by Illyrian tribes such are Japods in Bihac and Daors in Daorson near Stolac. They were under direct influence of Greeks, especially seen in Daorson. The Illyrians were defeated by Romans who left roads, bridges, and beautiful villas with mosaics all over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The best preserved are Mogorjelo near Capljina, mosaics from Stolac. Christian basilicas are found across the country (Zenica, Visoko, Mostar, ?iroki Brijeg ), and their stone engraving influenced the first original medieval Bosnian art.

The Charter of Kulin Ban was a symbolic birth certificate of Bosnian statehood, as it is the first written document that talks of Bosnian borders (between the rivers of Drina, Sava and Una) and of the elements of the Bosnian state: its ruler, throne and political organisation. It is written in Bosnian Cyrillic and it also noted Bosnia's population - Bosnianins. The Charter was a trade agreement between Bosnia and Republic of Dubrovnik.

The most important item in National Museum in Sarajevo is Hagada, a Jewish illuminated codex that originates from 12th century medieval Spain. Also important are Hrvojev's mass (Hrvojev misal) and Hval's codex (Hvalov zbornik), both Bosnian liturgy books written in Croatia at the start of 15th century.

Literature

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich literature, including poets such as Antun Branko ?imic, Aleksa ?antic, Jovan Ducic and Mak Dizdar and writers such as Ivo Andric, Me?a Selimovic, Branko Copic, Miljenko Jergovic, Isak Samokovlija, Abdulah Sidran, Petar Kocic and Ned?ad Ibri?imovic. Ivo Andric (Born in Travnik in 1892) won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961 mainly for his novel 'The Bridge on the Drina'. He donated his prize money to improve libraries in across the country. The National Theatre was founded 1919 in Sarajevo and its first director was the famous -playwright Branislav Nu?ic.

Sport

Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced a number of sports stars; many of them famous in the Yugoslav national teams before Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence. The Yugoslav national basketball team, which won medals in every world championship from 1963 through 1990, has included Bosnian stars such as Dra?en Dalipagic and Mirza Deliba?ic. Other internationally famous players from Bosnia and Herzegovina include Zoran Savic, Vladimir Radmanovic, Zoran Planinic and Aleksandar Nikolic. Bosnia and Herzegovina regularly qualifies for the European Championship in Basketball.

Although the Yugoslav national football team qualified and reached the quarter and semi-finals of the World Cup a number of times, the Bosnia and Herzegovina team has yet to do so.