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Semi-cave Badanj is located in canyon of river Bregava, about seven kilometers downstream from the town of Stolac. At the entrance of the cave, on the stone plate fallen from the ceiling, was discovered the engrave. In spite of the fact that rains washed out more than half of the engrave, one can recognize back-side of an animal, most probably the horse according Mr. R. Whallon, researched of this place. Most probably his conclusion was based on the number of horse motifs in the Paleolithic art - 24% out of all animal motifs, according to Leroi-Gourhan, than visibility of the en grave itself.
 

Semi-cave Badanj in the canyon of river Bregava

Besides that, one another researcher, the Bosnian archeologist Mr. Basler also concluded, according to the enormous number of flint stones (over 300.000) and particular types of tools discovered at the part of the site he explored in three year research period, that Badanj was permanent resistance of Paleolithic hunters, because the horse was very important for the hunt.
 

Stamp with the rock engravings of Badanj

However, research of the animal bones related to possible number of inhabitants that used meat for alimentation, have shown that Badanj was used only as whereabouts from March to May, probably just during the ceremony period.

Engrave belongs to the early Paleolithic art. It was engraved by the hand of some gifted hunter from the epigravetiano's domicile group that lived about 15.000 to 11.000 years BC. The horse motif can be explained as the manhood symbol. Female symbols are the arrows or wounds on the animal body. Few of those arrows were found on the engrave from Badanj.

It is generally accepted that in Paleolithic art, cave drawings were strictly iconography compositions of the ceremonies where "male" and "female" symbols are definite. Obviously cave Badanj had ceremonial character. This was confirmed by the fact that necklaces were most numerous among all other pieces of art. In Paleolithic art necklaces were usually made of deer' s fangs.

Almost all Badanj' s necklaces were made of shells and deer' s teeth. Those necklaces are very similar to the ones from the cave near Grimaldi (south Italy). One that was preserved in original form under the clay layer, showed tidy alternation of shell and teeth rows.

It is difficult to say whether those necklaces can be treated as a kind of bead, specially considering ones from Badanj. It is also significant that in case of Badanj, some deer's teeth, used as overhangs, were additionally adornment. Presence of the deer on the necklaces, refers that is reasonable to leave the question, whether deer or horse is depicted, open.

For as much, Whallon' s researches in Badanj have shown that deer's bones were most usual ones among other animal bones- more than a half in almost all layers. Ceremonial meaning of the deer is wider spread and more significant. Deer and its horns that can be regenerated symbolized continuous creation and regeneration, just as nature itself regenerates every year.

In protohistorical periods symbolism of deer in this form is present from China to the Western Europe. One must notice that regular repetitions of some phenomenon, as moon phases are, had enormous meaning for the humans from the very beginnings.

In the cave Three brothers (Les Trois Ferres) near Arige, and in Lurd' cave (both in France), were found drawings of the human with deer's horns and other animal characteristics. Continuation of those evidences in later period (magdalenijen in France from 13.000 to 6.000 BC, in Norway from 6.000 to 2.000 BC, Siberia and in Eskimos), caused Elijade to presume existence of kind of shamanism already in Paleolithic.

One can hardly make definite conclusions about the ceremony form in Badanj, but above mentioned facts are stated in order to emphasize complexity of this symbolism.

References

Basler, Đ., Paleolitsko prebivaliste Badanj kod Stoca. Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja
Arheologija, Nova serija, XXIX, Sarajevo, 1974, str. 5-13.

Elijade, M., Istorija vjerovanja i religijskih ideja
 I. Beograd, 1991., str. 22.

Whallon, R., The Paleolithic Site of Badanj: recent Excavations and Results of Analysis
Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja, Arheologija, Nova serija, 44
Sarajevo, 1989., str. 7-20.