Cooperation with Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Over the past week, cooperation with the Austrian Archaeological Institute in the fields of ancient archaeology and the study of Oriental cults in the territory of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina has intensified. The collaboration is being carried out as part of the project “Mithras in Roman Dalmatia,” led on behalf of the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI) by Dr. Nirvana Silnović, as well as in preparation for the thematic exhibition, provisionally titled “Deo Invicto Mithrae: The Cult of Mithras in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

As part of the project activities, photogrammetric 3D modeling of the famous Mithraic relief from Konjic was successfully completed by Moisés Hernández Cordero, Senior Geomatician at the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI). This valuable digital record represents a significant contribution to the documentation and interpretation of one of the most important monuments of Roman heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Konjic relief depicting the tauroctony will occupy a central place in the upcoming exhibition, which is being prepared on behalf of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Senior Curator Adisa Lepić. The collected digital materials will be used to create a virtual reconstruction of the mithraeum at the Repovica archaeological site near Konjic, allowing visitors to experience the appearance and significance of this ancient sanctuary in a contemporary and interactive way.

A special segment of the exhibition will feature panoramic photographs of the upper course of the Neretva River and the Konjic region, captured by photographer Boris Trogrančić. At the same time, cooperation has been renewed with the Konjic Regional Museum and the Municipality of Konjic, both of which are important partners in the realization of the project and the preparation of the exhibition.

We look forward to continuing our successful cooperation with all project partners and to the final stages of preparing the exhibition, which will offer the public a unique insight into the cult of Mithras and its heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We believe that the combination of contemporary digital technologies, valuable archaeological finds, and engaging museum interpretation will result in an exhibition that attracts the attention of both experts and the wider public, while offering a new way of experiencing and exploring the ancient past of our country.