Vinica Fortress

According to the archeological findings, this settlement used to spread out over a much wider area of the slopes of the hill and surrounding hills as well. With its elevation and location, this locality dominates over the area of Vinica, providing for a very special feature of the city.

Although rather small by size, Vinica Fortress contains great richness of artifacts and samples that can be used to reconstruct the life in this antique settlement. Hence, a conclusion has been drawn that life in this area has existed during an undoubtedly long period of time – since the early Stone Age (Neolithic period), all the way to the mature medieval period. The majority of the testimonies found at the location of Vinica Fortress belong to the late-antique period.

Most interest and initiatives for its detailed research and scientific work has been caused by the numerous terra cotta reliefs, with iconographical representations, scenes from the Old and New Testament and illustrated psalms (36, 41, 65, 79). These icons made of terra cotta have Latin titles and writings. Their styling characteristics point towards the middle of the VI century and these are the only articles of such type that have been found here, otherwise not characteristic to Byzantine soil. They probably originate from the west. Complete or parts of such terra cotta relief have been found in-between waste materials between the walls of a small medieval church in the Vinica archeological locality. Since these types of icons are unique, they have priceless archeological, artistic and theological value, and they awake great interest and curiosity around the world.

These constructions have been built out of stone and limestone mortar. Three basilicas and one crypt from the VI century have been discovered, as well as a warehouse with buried pitosi (vessels) from the 4th century. Several early Christian basilicas have also been found in its vicinity.

A whole plenitude of examples of architectural plastics (columns, plinths, capitals, stylobates etc.) and mobile material (artifacts made from bronze, iron and bone, part of different ceramic pots and other articles) was found in the area of Vinica Fortress. Different types of jewelry made of gold plated bronze and one item made from bone, have been found in a women’s grave from the 12th century.

The fortified settlement of Vinica Fortress is located on the Stobi-Pautalija road and Serdika, which represented the main way of economic communication in this part of Macedonia. As a result, it was always under siege by hostile tribes, so that the city had its own rise and downfalls.

Vinica Fortress represents a not fully discovered archeological enigma that requires special attention in order to be resolved, and in return, it offers huge and diverse richness of specimens and artifacts that will stun anyone.

D. Kareva

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