Fragment of a panel from the tomb of king Stjepan Tomaš

During the excavations in Bobovac, the seat of Bosnian rulers, several fragments of panels from the graves of three Bosnian kings were discovered. The panels, showing the deceased in recumbent positions (gisant) are made out of hard red limestone marble which was quarried in the north of Hungary. As far as is known, Bobovac is the farthest locality from the quarry to which the marble was transported, probably via rivers. 

Among the fragments which, based on the heraldic motifs found on them, are believed to have come from the grave of Stjepan Tomaš (1443–1461), especially notable are those which show his face and beard. In addition to being the most accurate known depiction of the actual appearance of the penultimate king of Bosnia, these fragments – with their exquisite artistry, the choice of gisant as the depicted pose, and finally the choice of red stone (red porphyry was used from the time of classical antiquity for royal and imperial tombs) – represent firm proof of the desire of Bosnian rulers of old to spare no expense in order to be ranked among the highest pedigree of mediaeval central European dignitaries.