ACCOMPLISHED ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH

From opening in 2003, archeological department of the Institute for Old Slavic Culture has realized lots of scientific projects, which constitute a very important part and continuation of archeological works led by National Museum in Prilep in period 1955-1979.

In the implementation of scientific research projects, and in addition to professional archaeologists,  from the Institute of Old Slavonic Culture – Prilep, were included archaeologists from many institutions, such as  Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje; Institute of Material Culture in Warsaw, the Institute for Art History and Archaeology Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, conservation Polish Institutes in Warsaw, the National Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Skopje and others.

Above we present the list of basic data of the most important projects undertaken by the Institute of Paleoslavic Culture in Prilep.

I. MEDIEVAL PRILEP (EARLY MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENTS, SETTING UP AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY AND FORTRESS MARKOVI KULI)

The investigations were led  from 1980 to 1992, and they constituted the direct prolongation of previous researches (1955-1979), connected with Prilep medieval history, the main investigators were:  dr Boško Bavik and  dr Tadeusz Polak

The main result of the field reaserches on the Markovi Kuli archeological complex was  discovering lots of material remainings from medieval Prilep, which present Prilep’s beginnings and show its cultural and historical roots.

In the same period, there were found many prehistoric and antique artifacts of a great significance for regional history.

II. FIRST SLAVS SETTLEMENTS ON BALKAN, ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE "GRADISHTE" IN THE VILLAGE "DEBRESHTE"

 

Scientific investigation project was realized in 1989-1990, and it was direct continuation od previous projects in this archeological side in the period 1966-1979. Dr Boško Bavik and academic Vitold Hensel were the main investigators.

During the systematic reseaches on the archeological side ‘Gradište’ in the village Debrešte, located 25 km from Prilep, scientists discovered many material remains from prehistoric, antique and medieval periods, including the eaerly-medieval fortress (fortifications, sacral buildings, residential and commercial buildings, etc.), and the settlements from the medieval period (consisted of churches, cementary, commercial and public buildings, etc.)

III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MACEDONIA SLAV`S CULTURE FROM SETTLEMENTS TO THE END OF XIV CENTURY IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTATION

Scientific investigation project was led from 1980 to 1990, and its supervisor was dr Bosko Babič.

This project was fundamental task for the department in the field of medieval archeological researches. The main goal for the scientists was to show development of Slavonic material culture on the today’s Macedonian territory from VI/VII century to XIV century. In order to fulfill the researches and to show the most reliable information, results from the Macedonian investigations were compared to similar effects from territory in Balkan and Europe.

IV. EARLY MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENTS AND NECROPOLS IN MACEDONIA FROM VI/VII TO VIII CENTURY

This project was held in cooperation with public Institute for protection monuments of culture in Skopje, from 1986 to 1990. The main investigators were Dr. Boshko Babic and Dr. Zivojin Vinchikj

The main purpose of this researches was finding some relevant remains from settlements or cementaries from the period VI –VIII century, on the whole  Macedonian territory (Burlatica in the village Vinichani, Zajchev Rid in the village Zlokukani, Gradište in the village Dobrešte, etc.). reasearches showed more precisely cultural and chronogical development of the region and results served  as an assistance for the further investigations of balkan culture in the middle-ages. 

V. ART CULTURE PAST OF MARIOVO

This project was realized in a period from 1989 to 1991 by Institute for old-slavonic culture in Prilep and Muzeum of Macedonia in Skopje. The main investigators were  Dr. Petar Milkovski, Dr. Branislav Risteski.

The investigation project was established in order to discover traces of development of material culture in the Mariovo region from iv to XIV century. The most important archeologiacal sides were ‘Fortress – Markovi Kuli’, village Monastry, “St. Nikola’ village Monastry, “St. Andonia”, “St. Georgija”, ”St. Spasa”, “St. Dimitrija”, village Gradešnica, “Pešta’ village Staravina.

VI. maTERIAL CULTURE OF PEOPLE IN MACEDONIA - FIRST OLD CHRISTIAN AND SLAVIC CENTRES IN MACEDONIA
 

The research of project was realized from 1997 to 1999, conducted by academic Blaga Aleksova.

The main goal of the project was examination the byzantine and medieval monuments and identification to the oldest christian temples and Slavonic centres in the Macedonian terriotiry as complement to the history of the Christian church on the territory of Balkan Penisula.

VII. PRESENCE OF MEDIEVAL BITOLA (VII - XIV CENTURY)

The research in  project was run in 2000 till 2003 in cooperation with public Institute for protection monuments of culture in Skopje and with Bitola Museum. Supervisor Dr. Tome Jankievski.

Field researches made in central sPelagonia and thoroughly analyze of discovered findings enabled identification of the remains in the old-medieval town Bitola, widespread in central and southern part of today's urban settlement.

VIII. LATE ANTIENT AND EARLY MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENTS IN NORTH PELAGONY

Research project was realized from 2003 to 2005 in a cooperation with the archeological section at the Stokcholm University, supervisor was Bronislav Risteski.

Archeological researches were based on comprehensive analysis in the results of previous studies on medieval settlements in Macedonia, enabled to state the basic stages in the development of Late Antique and medieval settlements in northern Pelagonia.

IX. SYSTEMATIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AT THE CULTURAL COMPLEX St. PREOBRAZENIE, v. ZRZE

Research projects were conducted in 2008 and 2009 in cooperation with the National Institution for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and Museum, Prilep, funded by the Office for Protection of Culture Heritage-organ of the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Macedonia. Principal investigator Dr. Branislav Risteski.

Archeological field surveys of the cultural complex of St. Transfiguration, in the village Zrze allowed to disclose material remains of the old Christian church complex (IV last decades of the end of VI century), partly used in the Middle Ages, and to fully explore the wreckage of a medieval monastic settlement dating from the time of the late IX by the end of XV century.