cultural monuments

Significant artefacts from the Eneolithic Era, or 4 century B.C. were found in St. Atanasy archaeological site near the village of Spancevo, Kocani area in two campaigns last year. Ceramic, clay, seashell items and women's figures in various forms are unearthed. According to the Museum of Macedonia, the most significant item is a man’s head, a rare specimen, which has enriched the collection of rare artefacts from this site. Archaeologists say the artefacts found are identical with the artefacts unearthed at the Pilevo archaeological site near the village of Burilcevo, Kocani area, which only confirms the relation of the two sites on the left and right banks of the Bregalnica. A new round of archaeological excavations started in the Bargala site near Stip, which dates from the fourth to sixth centuries. “New excavations are directed to discovering the main street of Bargala and we are expecting additional structures around the street,” says Trajce Nacev, archaeologist at the Institute for Protection of Monuments and Museum in Stip. The new archaeological excavations of Bargala are financially supported by the Ministry of Culture. Three-month archaeological excavations of the mediaeval fortress, Isar, overlooking Stip have given initial results. Wall canvasses on the acropolis have been determined, and an internal tower in the central part of the fortress has been found. Furthermore, the south defensive tower in the fortress wall has been located. The findings also include ceramic material, a small one-nave church with graves around and some bones of former inhabitants of the fortress within. Archaeologist Zvonko Beldedovski of the Stip Institute for Protection of Culture and Museum Stip, the head of the project involving 10 archaeologists and sixty workers, says new findings will shed light on organization of life in the mediaeval fortress in different periods of its existence.