Archeologists discover water cistern and ancient weapons in Bosnian fortress

Archaeologists conducting a multi-year revitalization project discovered a water cistern and various historical artifacts at Stari grad Teočak, a medieval fortress in the Tuzla Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Merima Hajdarbegović Numanović, a specialist for archaeological heritage at the Institute for the Protection and Use of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of the Tuzla Canton, stated that the recent campaign revealed a circular cistern on the southern tower.

This structure allowed the fortress's inhabitants to store water during long sieges when they could not leave the walls. The team also found approximately 30 processed stone spheres of varying sizes. While smaller spheres were likely used in catapults or cannons, the larger ones were probably pushed off steep cliffs to block attackers from reaching the site. The researchers uncovered a wide range of items that suggest the fortress served multiple roles.

They found military equipment, including arrows, spears, and a bronze handheld cannon, which represents an early type of firearm in Europe. However, the discovery of expensive ceramics from the Ottoman period indicates that the site also functioned as a residence for wealthy inhabitants and as an administrative center. The team also identified the remains of a large structure measuring approximately 13 by 11 meters, which may have served as a grand hall for meetings and agreements.

The fortress has a long history, first appearing in written records in 1432. It changed hands between various rulers, including the Hungarian prince Nikola Iločki and the Ottoman Empire, before it was likely abandoned in the first half of the 19th century. Current excavations also revealed a Neolithic axe, suggesting that people lived on the site long before the medieval period.

The Institute for the Protection and Use of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of the Tuzla Canton describes this project as their most complex and largest undertaking to date.