North Macedonia · 5th century
The Strumica Fortress (Macedonian: Струмичко Кале, Strumičko Kale), better known as the Czar's Towers (Macedonian: Цареви Кули, Carevi Kuli), is a historical complex in eastern North Macedonia, overlooking the city of Strumica.
The initial layer of the continuous settlement of the Carevi Kuli site represents the time of the Chalcolithic, i.e. the Copper Age. During the first half of the 5th millennium BC, the first settlement specific to the early phases of the Chalcolithic was built on top of the hill. The prehistoric settlement is of the hillfort type and is located on a terrace on the southeastern slope, on the edges of the northwestern plateau and on the South Hill (Južen Rid) site. Research has shown that the settlement was single-layered, with a strongly pronounced central, acropolis part and lower terraces, radially distributed around the central space.
The living facilities were placed on the edges around the plateau and the southeastern slope, while the central part was probably where the livestock were enclosed in enclosures. During the research campaign, in the sector of the southeastern slope and the northwestern rampart, several structures partially dug into the terrace were investigated. The above-ground parts of the walls seem to have had a light construction, made of wattle and daub. The roof of these buildings was probably made of branches, reeds and straw.
Material culture is composed of artifacts that had a certain role in the daily activities of the prehistoric population. The objects found during the research testify to a fully established settlement within which lived a community that knew well the technological processes of processing ceramics, stone and possibly even metal. Judging by the findings, the people in the settlement, in addition to construction, animal husbandry and agriculture, were also engaged in spinning, weaving, pottery and making tools from stone, flint, bone and horn. The main characteristic of Chalcolithic pottery is decoration with graphite painting and carved lines.
The overall knowledge about the Chalcolithic culture of Carevi Kuli speaks in favor of clearly defined religious concepts that had a significant role in the life of the prehistoric population.
Text adapted from “Strumica Fortress” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Strumica Fortress ranks #4,306 of 9,035 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #4 of the 6 mapped in North Macedonia. Founded c. 450, it is older than 97% of the atlas's dated landmarks, one of 37 atlas entries founded in the 5th century. The nearest day-trip guide is Thessaloniki, 92 km away. See how North Macedonia compares in the castle statistics.
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