The lessees of the gold and silver mines of Servia, as
well as the workmen of the state mint, were also Venetians; and on
looking through Professor Shafarik's collection, I found all the coins
closely resembling in die those of Venice. Saint Stephan is seen
giving to the king of the day the banner of Servia, in the same way as
Saint Mark gives the banner of the republic of Venice to the Doge, as
seen on the old coins of that state.
The process of embalming was carried to high perfection, for the mummy
of the canonized Knes Lasar is to be seen to this day. I made a
pilgrimage some years ago to Vrdnik, a retired monastery in the Frusca
Gora, where his mummy is preserved with the most religious care, in
the church, exposed to the atmosphere. It is, of course, shrunk,
shrivelled, and of a dark brown colour, bedecked with an antique
embroidered mantle, said to be the same worn at the battle of Kossovo.
The fingers were covered with the most costly rings, no doubt since
added.
It appears that the Roman practice of burning the dead, (probably
preserved by the Tsinsars, the descendants of the colonists in
Macedonia,) was not uncommon, for any village in which such an act
took place was subject to fine.
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