The image of the srebrenica flower as a tool of expression in collective memory

This thesis explores how mass graves—deliberately concealed by perpetrators after the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica—were brought to light through ecological indicators observed in forensic and natural environments. It also examines, from multiple dimensions, the cultural and symbolic meanings of the Srebrenica flower. Despite systematic cover-up methods employed by the perpetrators, such as dismembering bodies, burying them at different locations, inserting metal fragments to evade electromagnetic scans, and camouflaging the graves with natural vegetation, unusual developments in the natural environment contributed to the uncovering of these crimes. The dense emergence of the plant Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort), later referred to as the "Srebrenica Flower," and the proliferation of Polyommatus icarus (common blue butterfly)—a species that feeds exclusively on this plant—in certain areas became biological indicators for researchers. These indicators enabled the identification of approximately 300 mass graves, thus introducing a novel approach to forensic archaeology. This discovery process, shaped by natural data, not only contributed to science but also served as an ethical, symbolic, and cultural testimony. A central focus of this thesis is how such forms of natural testimony have become symbolized within collective memory. Artemisia vulgaris, which began to be referred to as the "Srebrenica Flower," is commonly known among locals as the "flower of death" or the "memory flower." The blue butterflies, believed to exist in symbiotic relation with this plant, have come to embody emotions such as mourning, hope, and resilience for the Bosnian people. These images play a significant role in transmitting trauma and preserving collective memory through various mediums, including memorial ceremonies, artworks, documentaries, and literary texts. The study analyzes the memory production that arises from the intersection of forensic scientific data and environmental biological indicators, through the lenses of cultural studies, memory theories, and ecological witnessing. It aims to reveal the symbolic world that the image of the Srebrenica flower constructs within social memory. In doing so, it seeks to demonstrate—both scientifically and humanistically—how a genocide, concealed by human hands, was ultimately exposed through nature's testimony, embodied in a single flower.