Monday, December 22, 2008

Cocev Kamen (Tsote’s Stone), the village of Sopsko Rudare, in the Municipality of Kratovo

Cocev Kamen (Tsote’s Stone) is a unique site, which joins the grounds for sacrificial rituals, a temple, painted rock art and a prehistoric observatory.

A few years ago the Rock Art Research team of the World Academy of Rock Art has discovered the most imposing and significant cultural monument from the prehistory, in the village of Sopsko Rudare, in the Municipality of Kratovo.



There were two rows of rock seats engraved under the cave, which joined by the platform formed a theater. This is the first theatre of that kind discovered in the World. Gea Mater, a bone, has been discovered near the cave which tells us that the cave was used by the people in the Paleolithic. There was a smaller natural cave, above this cave until the Bronze Age, when the spiritual leaders of the population who inhabited the surroundings of “Tsotsev Kamen”, organized cave’ s warming for spirituals needs.



The rock is a fascinating location, resembles a site as if from fantasy films, full of secret meanings that incite the imagination.

Trebenista - near Ohrid

The discovery of the treasures of Trebenista, a village located on the road from Ohrid to Kicevo, was like something out of a movie: ancient graves loaded with gold and silver, burial gifts fit for a king.

The site was discovered in 1918, and the treasures of seven of the graves were removed by Bulgarian soldiers to Sofia, where they can now be seen in the National Museum. Some of the more recent discoveries are in the National Museum of Ohrid and the National Museum in Belgrade.

When discovered, Trebenista’s graves contained hundreds of gold, silver, and bronze vessels and jewelry, many of which had been imported from Greece along with a number of terracotta vessels decorated in Attic black-figure style. It remains today one of the most important archaeological finds in Macedonia, and a vivid reminder of the style and sophistication of past cultures.

Heraclea -Bitola

Famous for its dazzling mosaics, ancient theater and Roman baths, Heraclea is the most vividly preserved city from the Ancient Macedonian empire surviving in the country.

Founded in the 4th century B.C.E. and conquered by the Romans two centuries later, it was built on the Via Egnatia and became one of the key stations on this trading route.

From the 4th-6th centuries C.E. Heraclea also had an Episcopal seat. The first excavations were done before the First World War, but only since then have the full glories of the ancient city been revealed. Beautiful Roman baths, the Episcopal church and baptistery, a Jewish temple, portico and a Roman theater now used for summer concerts and theater shows all survive in excellent condition.

Antique Theater – Ohrid

The builders of Ohrid’s ancient theater calculated carefully when they put the building in the very center of the elevated old town. The open theater has a perfect location, as the two hills (Gorni Saraj and Deboj) keep it protected from winds that could interfere with acoustics during performances.
Discovered by accident and later completely excavated, this four-thousand square meter monument to Antique Greco-Roman culture is today used during the Ohrid Summer Festival for performances of ancient tragedies and comedies. It offers a wonderful view of the lake and Mt. Galicica to the southeast.

The Aqueduct of Skopje

Located in the northern part of Skopje, the Roman aqueduct is an important cultural and historical monument attesting to urban life in antiquity. Built of stones and brick, the aqueduct has 55 arches supported on massive columns.

Stobi

The ancient city of Stobi, lying in a fertile valley just a few minutes off the central north-south highway that connects Macedonia with Greece, was a vital trade route in its day. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich legacy of antique theaters, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics for visitors today to enjoy.

As a city, Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C.E. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited from at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. It experienced its biggest period of growth from the 3rd-4th centuries C.E.

The archaeological site (located just 3 km or 1.8 miles from the Gradsko exit on Highway E-75) offers sweeping views of the central Macedonian plain and contains buildings such as the 2nd century amphitheatre, the Theodosia palace, and early Christian ruins with extensive and ornate mosaic floors.

Skupi


The archaeological site of the Antique Roman city of Skupi is located 3 km (1.8 m) north of Skopje, near the villages of Bardovci and Zlokukani. First mentioned in the year 3 B.C.E. and founded by the Dardanians, it quickly developed into an important regional center when the Romans made it the capital of their Dardanian Province.

With the creation of a Christian episcopacy a few centuries later, the city's economical and cultural importance grew yet again. A disastrous earthquake in 518 C.E. destroyed the city, but later a new town was built on top of the rubble, named Justiniana Prima after its founder, the famous Byzantine emperor Justinian.