A man who created epics without writing
Avdo Međedović (1875–1955)
“the last of the truly great epic poets of the Balkan tradition.” — Albert Lord, Harvard University
A life from which epic poetry emerged
From villages in Sandžak to global scholarship — the life of Avdo Međedović was shaped by tradition, the military, and oral heritage.
BRIDGE BETWEEN HOMER AND THE BALKANS
Illiterate, yet he created an “Odyssey”
When Milman Parry and Albert Lord recorded him in 1935, this butcher from the village of Obrov was unable to read or write. Yet he recited The Wedding of Smailagić Meho consisting of 12,311 verses—a work longer than Homer’s Iliad. Avdo Međedović thus became living proof that oral tradition can produce epics without the aid of writing.
Epics longer than memory
His repertoire includes large epic poems, among which The Wedding of Smailagić Meho stands out, one of the longest recorded oral poems.
The singer who changed literary theory
His work was studied by Milman Parry and Albert Lord, making him an important example in the study of oral literature.