The Crljivica site, declared by UNESCO as the largest and most important group of stećci in Croatia, represents a complex archaeological site with traces of life from prehistoric times to the late Middle Ages. It is located near the town of Cista Provo, not far from Split.

The site consists of three main units: Mala gomila (Mala Crljivica), Velika gomila (Velika Crljivica), and a sinkhole with wells. The most significant part is the medieval cemetery with stećci from the 14th and 15th centuries, located on Velika and Mala gomila.

To date, about ninety stećci of various types have been preserved, including slabs, chests, and ridge-shaped tombstones, among which 16 sarcophagi stand out. The stećci are decorated with typical ornaments, such as crosses, lilies, scenes of hunting and dancing, plant motifs, crescents, and stars. Two stećci have partially preserved inscriptions in Bosnian Cyrillic with the names Jerko and Vladna Kustražić, one of which is now kept in the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split.

The site is located along a modern main road that follows the route of the ancient Tilurium-Narona road. Velika Crljivica represents the largest group of stećci in Dalmatia, while Mala Crljivica has a smaller number of decorated ridge-shaped tombstones and chests. Although they are about 300 meters apart, these two mounds form a unique late medieval cemetery.

Throughout history, the site has suffered damage, especially during road widening, when stećci were moved from their original locations. However, the biggest problem is the exposure of stećci to atmospheric influences.

South of Velika Crljivica, there is a sinkhole with seven medieval wells, which were used as sources of drinking water until the second half of the 20th century. The entire Crljivica complex developed along water sources and an important road, the former Roman road Salona (Solin) – Tilurium (Trilj) – Narona (Vid).

The wells in the sinkhole were renovated in 1990, and stećci with decorations and an inscription from 1779 were built into their walls. It is assumed that the wells existed in Roman times, and the natural puddle probably served prehistoric inhabitants as well.

The Crljivica site, located in the Split-Dalmatia County, has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures exceed 30°C, and winter temperatures often drop below 0°C. Most precipitation occurs in winter, while summers are dry. The alternation of dry and wet periods, as well as winds, affect the condition of the stećci. Erosion and temperature changes can damage the stone, and exposure to atmospheric influences is the main problem.

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