VARDA

SI KAMI VARDA

In the small village of Kosor, near the town of Blagaj and in the broader area of Mostar, a movable chair with a backrest and armrests was found. It is now located in the garden of the National Museum in Sarajevo. On one side of this chair, a Cyrillic inscription is carved in six uneven rows, stating:

SI KAMI VARDA 
ČI LI JE BIO 
ČI LI JE SADE 
ČI LI NEĆE BITI

This stone
Of Varda
Whose was it?
Whose is it now?
Whose will it be?

Some researchers consider this to be a funerary monument, although there is insufficient evidence for this claim. It is not known to whom this chair belongs. According to local tradition, it is associated with the nearby fortified town of Blagaj and Herzeg Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, which is why it is also known as the Herzegovina Chair among the people.

The inscription on this chair is particularly valuable. It is an interesting example of folk wisdom, as it speaks about the inevitability of change in people’s lives.

It is presumed that this chair dates back to the early 15th century.