Baština (Jan 2014)
On the importance of law with Serbs at the beginning of the 14th century
Abstract
The paper analyses and tries to explain why on a composition that originated in the early 14th century, below the fresco depicting Prophet Elias with a raven bringing him food, there is a text of the Charter of Gračanica. The scene shows a moment from the prophet's life when after his prayer; God cursed Israel with a drought, while He sent his devoted prophet to the brook Cherith, where a raven brought him food. In the said composition, in the place of the brook, which is missing, there is the text of the Charter. Hence a conclusion is drawn that as much as water was important for people, the laws carried the same significance to the state and society. Since the Charter was recorded on the wall by St Sava and St Stefan the First Crowned, and that the Charter carried the Old Serbian Code from the late 12th century, it was concluded that king Milutin had considered himself to be their successor. There is a parallel with Prophet Elisha, Elijah's disciple, who performed miracles, too, like his teacher, but also there are the ones which he did not even do (e.g. Elisha's remains raising a dead man).
