METRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ZGOŠĆA MONUMENT AND THE OLOVO (BAKIĆI) PILLAR: ARCHAEOMETRIC RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SACRED CUBIT (SC)

Abstract

This study investigates the existence of standardized measurement systems in the stonemasonry practices of late medieval Bosnia through a rigorous metrical and statistical analysis of two morphologically distinct, yet culturally and chronologically homogeneous monuments from the collection of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Zgošća Gable-Top Stećak (Catalog No. 1) and the Pillar (Obelisk) from Bakići near Olovo (Monument No. 1). Drawing upon the hypothesis of an ancient geodetic standard, originally formulated in the history of metrology by Sir Isaac Newton, this paper tests a fixed module of (Sacred Cubit – SC) on an actual physical corpus of monuments. To satisfy the strict criteria of double-blind peer review, the analysis relies exclusively on verifiable, officially documented linear measurements in centimeters. The results demonstrate a zero percent deviation rate () on the key macro-dimensions of the primary artifacts, while a comparative analysis of a broader sample (the Radimlja, Gvozno, Jahorina, Majevica, and Dugo Polje necropolises) supported by a Monte Carlo simulation confirms a mean systemic deviation of merely . These findings eliminate the hypothesis of ad-hoc carving or the use of variable anthropomorphic units, pointing instead to a strictly controlled and unified metrological standard within high-class stonemasonry workshops.