THE ORIGIN OF TREBINJE GONGSHI

The rocks of the Trebinje area are fossilized marine sediments formed over a long period of geological history. Predominantly composed of carbonate limestones, with smaller amounts of dolomites and very minor other rock types, these rocks are part of the Dinaric karst region.

PHOTO: Trebinjelive.info

Karst topography is created by the dissolution of carbonate rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum, characterized by geomorphological features like karst fields above ground and drainage systems with sinkholes, pits, and caves below ground.

On a larger scale, this process leads to speleogenesis, where caves dissolve in limestone rock. Over even longer periods, these dissolved caves collapse, gradually forming the karst topography distinctive to this area.

Nature enthusiasts and hikers exploring the hills of Trebinje can often spot unusual stone shapes resembling figures, naturally sculpted by the karst environment.

These grey and white-grey limestone formations vary in size, while rarer fragments include brown cave speleothems like stalagmites, stalactites, travertine, and concretions.

These speleothems formed in underground cavities that eroded over millions of years, with the surface layers wearing away and collapsing, bringing the subterranean formations to the surface.

Found on the local hills, these small limestone-calcite formations attached to stone bases are natural figurines. Here are four small figurines named based on their appearance from certain angles: "Mother Nursing Child," "Stump," "Bouquet," and "Hunting Dog" .

The figurines are unaltered (as found in nature), while the bases are leveled for stability by grinding against hard stone. The bases include brown fragments of cave travertine and a sample of white diatomite (a silicate sedimentary rock), though various types of leveled, unprocessed stones can be used in the Gongshi tradition.

Gongshi are naturally shaped rocks and stones that can vary in size, color, and weight. As figures, they resemble natural forms such as mountains, caves, animals, people, and mythical creatures.