Kale-Krševica is an archaeological site in Serbia, dating back mainly to the late classical and early Hellenistic periods.[1] It holds the remains of the northernmost Ancient Macedonian city so far discovered.[2][3]
Fortress of Krševica | |
|---|---|
  Fortress of Krševica Location in Serbia | |
| Coordinates: 42°26′36″N 21°51′37″E / 42.44333°N 21.86028°E | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (Central European) |
Location and size edit
The site is located in the hills of Krševica overlooking Bujanovac and Vranje, to the south of Ristovac in southern Serbia.[4][5]
The town had an exceptionally strategic position on a plateau that descends from the Rujan mountain towards the South Morava and Vranje valley.[6] At the slopes of the plateau is a village where houses often have stone blocks from the ancient settlement.[citation needed] Its acropolis and suburbium, which encompass 4 hectares,[4][5] extended to the valley of Krševička river.[citation needed]
Description and history edit
Of the over 4 hectares covered by the site, some 1,000 squares[clarification needed] had been excavated by 2004.[4][5]
The former fortified town has a history going back to the 13th century BC (Bronze Age)[4][5] as a settlement with elements of an acropolis, but the main preserved characteristics are of a Greek-Mediterranean-style urban town from the 5th[7] or 4th century BC,[4] with stone walls and a necropolis.[3]
Finds of coins of Philip II, Alexander III, Cassander, Demetrios Poliorketes and Pelagia correspond in general to the chronological span of the archaeological material discovered so far in the course of excavations,[8] which allows to considered the site as the northernmost[2] Ancient Macedonian city. The town had at least 3,000 inhabitants in the 4th and 3rd century BC.[2]
The Paeonian tribe of Agrianes dwelled in this region, and the Scordisci are believed to have razed the town to the ground in 279 BC.[9]
Identification edit
Dr. Petar Popović from the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade says that the site could be the ancient city of Damastion.[10]
Findings edit
The first findings were recorded in 1966.[11]
Identical finds of pottery[clarification needed] were made in Cernica,[clarification needed] Gadimlje,[clarification needed] and in the Skopje basin.[citation needed]
Early Iron Age city edit
The findings include the foundations of the 13th century BC city,[11] and Brnjica culture pottery of the early Iron Age (1200 BC).[12]
Ancient Macedonian city edit
The 4th-century BC findings comprise Greek vessels of the types known as hydriai, painted kantharoi and skyphoi, as well as 25 very rare golden coins from the time of Philip II (r. 359–336 BC) and Alexander the Great (r. 336–323 BC), valued at €50,000 each.[12] A large textile industry could be documented, based on over a thousand loom weights, spindle whorls and spools from the fourth and early third centuries BC found at the site.[1]
Excavation history edit
In 2001 the research around the site took a new turn with cooperation between the Belgrade Archaeological Institute, the National Museum of Serbia, Vranje National Museum, and the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade.[citation needed]
References edit
- ^ a b Popović, Petar; Vranić, Ivan (2006). "The textile industry at Krševica (Southeast Serbia) in the fourth-third centuries B.C." Starinar (56). doiSerbia: 309–326. doi:10.2298/STA0656309P. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b c "Najseverniji grad Aleksandrovog carstva – Lokalitet Kale, Bujanovac". Trablmejker.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b "(02/12/03)Arheoloska izlozba o grckom lokalitetu Kale-Krsevica | SEEcult.org Portal za kulturu jugoistočne Evrope". Seecult.org. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Microsoft Word – Media Report September 2004.doc" (PDF). Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d "IN novi broj". Kraljevo.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ http://av.zrc-sazu.si/pdf/58/AV_58_Popovic.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ A. Davinić (28 July 2008). "Kultura : Otkrili ledenicu iz antičkog doba : POLITIKA". Politika.rs. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ Popović, Petar (1 January 2007). "Numismatic finds of the 4th-3rd centuries BC from Kale at Krševica (southeastern Serbia)". Arheološki vestnik. 58.
- ^ "Microsoft Word – CRDA SUCCESS STORY – Kale Archeology VR.doc" (PDF). Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Kultura : Kale iznova iznenađuje naučnike : POLITIKA". Politika.rs. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b "Diana: Center for Preventive Conservation". Narodnimuzej.rs. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ a b "Recueil du Musée National Belgrade: archéologie". Narodnimuzej.rs. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.