FONDACIJA VARDARSKI RID - SKOPJE

INSTITUT ZA ISTORIJA NA UMETNOST SO ARHEOLOGIJA-

FILOZOFSKI FAKULTET - SKOPJE

VARDARSKI RID

TOM I

Urednik
Dragi Mitrevski

SKOPJE
2005
 Izdava~
Fondacija Vardarski Rid - Skopje
Institut za Istorija na umetnost i arheologija -
Filosofski Fakultet - Skopje

Izdava~ki odbor
D-r Vera Bitrakova Grozdanova - pretsedatel
profesor na Filozofskiot Fakultet
D-r Trajan Gocevski
profesor na Filozofskiot Fakultet
D-r Dragi Mitrevski
profesor na Filozofskiot Fakultet
Jovan Petrovski
izvr{en direktor na Mobimak

Glaven urednik Lektura na makedonski jazik

D-r Dragi Mitrevski Aleksandar Jordanoski

Recenzenti Prevod na angliski jazik

D-r Vera Bitrakova Grozdanova Violeta Svonson
D-r Dragi Mitrevski Gordana Mojsovska
Blagoja Bo{kovski
Pomo{nik urednik Simon Kara{ov
Silvana Bla`evska Igor Jankovski

Kompjuterska podgotovka Lektura na angliski jazik

Branko Ga{teovski Dr Vilijam Najdinger - TFAHR
Jula Matjus - TFAHR

www.vardarskirid.org.mk

Ilustrativen materijal
Od dokumentacijata na Vardarski Rid

Pe~at
Evropa '92 - Ko~ani
 FOUNDATION VARDARSKI RID - SKOPJE
INSTITUTE FOR HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY -
FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY - SKOPJE

VARDARSKI RID

VOL. I

Edited by
Dragi Mitrevski

SKOPJE
2005
 Publisher
Foundation Vardarski Rid - Skopje
Institute for History of Art and Archaeology - Faculty of Philosophy - Skopje

Editorial Board
Dr Vera Bitrakova Grozdanova - Pesident
Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy
Dr Trajan Gocevski
Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy
Dr Dragi Mitrevski
Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy
Jovan Petrovski
General Manager of Mobimak

General Editor Macedonian Proofreader

Dr Dragi Mitrevski Aleksandar Jordanoski

Reviewers English Translation

Dr Vera Bitrakova Grozdanova Violeta Svonson
Dr Dragi Mitrevski Gordana Mojsovska
Blagoja Bo{kovski
Editorial Assistant Simon Kara{ov
Silvana Bla`evska Igor Jankovski

Computer layout English Proofreaders

Branko Ga{teovski Dr William Neidinger - TFAHR
Eulah Matthews - TFAHR

www.vardarskirid.org.mk

Illustrations
From documentation of Vardarski Rid

Printed by
Evropa '92 - Ko~ani
 Sodr`ina
Contents

Predgovor Preface
9 12

Dragi Mitrevski Dragi Mitrevski

Vardarski Rid Vardarski Rid
Istra`uvawa 1995-2004 Research 1995-2004
15 15

Zlatko Videski Zlatko Videski

Bronzenoto vreme na Vardarski Rid The Bronze Age at Vardarski Rid
91 91

Aleksandra Papazovska Aleksandra Papazovska

Sloevi od `eleznoto vreme na The Iron Age Layers at
Vardarski Rid Vardarski Rid
115 115

Emil Slamkov Emil Slamkov

Stoa Stoa
Del od klasi~nata agora Part of the Classical Agora
na Vardarski Rid at Vardarski Rid
159 159

Sarita Karpuzova Sarita Karpuzova

Ku}a so kolci The House with Poles
179 179

William Neidinger, Vilijam Najdinger,

Eulah Matthews Jula Matjuz
The Acropolis: Sratigraphic, Architectural Akropola: Izve{taj za stratigrafi-
and Historical Report jata, arhitekturata i istorijata
201 201

Silvana Bla`evska Silvana Bla`evska

Sektor Akropola Acropolis Sector
Istra`uvawa 1999-2000 Research 1999-2000
209 209

Dragi Mitrevski Dragi Mitrevski

Ku}ata na kolekcionerot The House of the Collector
229 229

Silvana Bla`evska Silvana Bla`evska

Pe~ki za keramika Pottery Kilns
261 261
 Marjan Jovanov Marjan Jovanov
Bronzeni sadovi od Vardarski Rid The Bronze Vessels from Vardarski Rid
281 281

Vera Bitrakova Grozdanova Vera Bitakova Grozdanova

Skulpturata od Vardarski Rid The Sculpture from Vardarski Rid
289 289

Silvana Bla`evska Silvana Bla`evska

Minijaturni medicinski sadovi Miniature Medicine Vessels
305 305

Marjan Jovanov Marjan Jovanov

Krajot na `ivotot The End of Settlement Life
na Vardarski Rid at Vardarski Rid
315 315

Boban Husenovski Boban Husenovski

Depo na srebreni tetradrahmi A Hoard of Silver Tetradrachmas from the
od III vek pr. n.e. third century BC
323 323

Biljana Pa~kova Kufojanakis Biljana Pa~kova Kufojanakis

Arhitektonsko-grade`ni materi- Arhitectural and Consruction Material
jali i elementi na anti~kata from the Ancient Settlement
naselba na Vardarski Rid at Vardarski Rid
347 347

Milan Ivanovski Milan Ivanovski

Sawa Ivanovska Sanja Ivanovska
Konzervatorski raboti na Conservation Procedures
Vardarski Rid at Vardarski Rid
373 373

Aleksandra Papazovska Aleksandra Papazovska

Pogrebuvawata na Varadarski Rid The Vardarski Rid Burials
341 341

Fanica Veljanovska Fanica Veljanovska

Praistoriskoto naselenie Prehistoric population
na Vardarski Rid on Vardarski Rid
385 385

Kratenki Abbreviations
413 413
 PREDGOVOR

V rednuvaweto ili opredelbata na eden arheolo{ki lokalitet

mo`e da se gradira vo pove}e stepeni. Mo`e da bide svedeno na
elementarno nivo, koga se opredeluva samo osnovniot karakter i gru-
bite hronolo{ki ramki, a mo`e da pretstavuva i najvisok stepen na
opredelba, koga se stignuva do celosna rekonstrukcija na kulturno-
istoriskite, arheolo{ki, antropolo{ki, biolo{ki, klimatolo{ki
i drugi vrednosti.
Na toj pat, do {to e mo`no pocelosno vrednuvawe na Vardarski
Rid, stignati sme dotamu {to ve}e mo`eme da zboruvame za eden nov i
mo{ne zna~aen arheolo{ki punkt po dolinata na Vardar, poto~no, vo
Dolno Povardarie. Ovoj region, so svojata geografska pozicija, imal
krucijalno mesto i uloga vo kulturniot i istoriski razvitok na
Balkanot, vo periodot od krajot na bronzenoto vreme do vosposta-
vuvaweto na rimskata dominacija. Vo nego, lokalitetot Vardarski
Rid ve}e se afirmira kako edna od centralnite i najgolemi naselbi, so
intenziven i kontinuiran `ivot tokmu niz navedeniot period.
Celiot dvaesetti vek arheologijata vo Dolno Povardarie (anti~-
ka Amfaksitida) be{e vo znakot, na rezultatite od istra`uvawata
na pove}eslojnite praistoriski naselbi vo gr~kiot del na regionot
(Kilindir, ^au{ica, Vardino, Amatovo, Vardarovca, Kastanas).
Pritoa, osven Tumba-Kastanas, istra`uvawata na ostanatite na-
selbi se vr{eni u{te vo prvite decenii na dvaesettiot vek, i toa
sonda`no - na strogo limitirani povr{ini. Vo me|uvreme, vr{eni se
istra`uvawa u{te na nekolku punktovi vo okolinata na Kuku{. Od
druga strana, vo severniot del na regionot, na teritorijata na
Republika Makedonija, poznati se samo istra`uvawata na nekolku
nekropoli od `eleznoto vreme vo valandovsko-gevgeliskiot region,
kako i sonda`nite iskopuvawa na Isar-Marvinci kaj Valandovo.
Lokalitetot Vardarski Rid-Gevgelija se nao|a tokmu vo centa-
rot na Dolno Povardarie, smetaj}i go ovoj region, od Demirkapiskata
Klisura do moreto, za edinstvena geomorfolo{ka i kulturna celina.
Nejzinata topografija, stratigrafija, hronologija i kul-
turni vrednosti, ja pozicioniraat ovaa naselba kako me|u poznatite
pove}eslojni, vo osnova, praistoriski naselbi - telovi dol` dolen
Vardar, taka i me|u ranoanti~kite makedonski gradovi na sever od
Pela. Prvite, praistoriskite naselbi kako Vardino, Vardarovca,
Kastanas ili Kilindir, zaedno so `eleznodopskite nekropoli vo
valandovsko-gevgeliskiot i kuku{kiot region, obezbeduvaat ubav
pregled na sevkupniot kulturen razvitok na regionot niz celoto
bronzeno i `elezno vreme. Sepak, na ovie lokaliteti im nedostasu-
vaat posodr`ajni sloevi i podatoci za vekovite od ranata antika.
9
 Od druga strana, pak, istra`uvawata na istoriskite gradovi,
trgnuvaj}i od Pela preku Europ do Isar-Marvinci, nudat podatoci,
glavno, za `iveeweto vo ranoanti~ko ili predrimsko vreme, bez
mo`nosti za sogleduvawe na prethodniot kulturen razvitok.
Vo vakov kontekst lokalitetot Vardarski Rid ja pretstavuva
onaa spojka {to gi povrzuva praistoriskite so ranoistoriskite
naselbi po dolinata na Vardar. Vo sega{niot stepen na istra`enost
toj se pojavuva kako sto`erno nao|ali{te za re{avaweto na nekoi od
krupnite problemi na kulturno-istoriskiot razvitok na
Povardarieto vo prviot milenium pred Hrista. Taka, zasega edin-
stveno na Vardarski Rid e vozmo`no da se sogledaat na edno mesto
site etapi od kulturniot razvitok, od docnoto bronzeno vreme do
vostanovuvaweto na rimskata dominacija vo Makedonija. So drugi
zborovi, edinstveno Vardarski Rid ovozmo`uva na edno mesto da se
dokumentiraat takvi slo`eni procesi, kako onie od vremeto na pre-
odot od bronzeno vo `elezno vreme ili onie od krajot na `eleznoto
vreme i po~etokot na ranata antika. Vo isto vreme, na Vardarski
Rid mo`at da se sledat i procesite na vostanovuvaweto na prvata
urbanizacija i gradski `ivot, kako i site razvojni fazi i karakter-
istiki vo naselbinskoto `iveewe na eden istoriski posvedo~en
staromakedonski grad.Vo literaturata ve}e e iznesena mo`nosta za
identifikacija na Vardarski Rid so predrimskata Gortinija.
Vakvata posebnost Vardarski Rid ja dol`i najmnogu na svojata
geostrate{ka polo`ba, kako edinstvena mo`na pozicija za nasel-
binsko `iveewe vo tie vremiwa vo Gevgelisko. Taka, negovata pozici-
ja morala da odgovori i na kriteriumite na edna praistoriska nasel-
ba, no i na potrebite na eden istoriski grad.
Od 1995 godina na Vardarski Rid se vr{at sistematski arheolo{-
ki istra`uvawa. Vo prvite dve godini tie se izveduvaa vo ramkite na
zaedni~kiot me|unaroden proekt na Muzejot na Makedonija - Skopje i
Teksa{kata fondacija za arheolo{ki i istoriski istra`uvawa,
dodeka vo slednite godini kako proekt na Muzejot na Makedonija i
Filozofskiot fakultet - Skopje.
Po deset godini sistematski istra`uvawa utvrdena e strati-
grafijata na lokalitetot, otkrieni se brojni arheolo{ki i arhi-
tektonski celini i bogat arheolo{ki materijal koj se ~uva i delum-
no e izlo`en vo Muzejot na Gevgelija.
Rezultatite od istra`uvawata na Vardarski Rid ne se publikuvani
vo celost, iako se prezentirani niza momenti i naodi vo forma na
izve{tai od poedini istra`uva~ki kampawi, na javni predavawa i
soop{tenija na razni nau~ni sobiri. Pokraj toa, dosega se publikuvani i
tri zasebni truda koi direktno proizleguvaat od rezultatite na sis-
tematskite istra`uvawa, i toa: D. Mitrevski, "Staromakedonskiot
grad na Vardarski Rid# , Skopje 2001 (publikacija za op{tite karakter-
istiki i vrednosti na lokalitetot, bazirana na otkritijata do 2001
g.);B. Husenovski, "Anti~kite moneti od Vardarski Rid#, Gevgelija 2004
(publikacija so katalog na numizmati~kiot materijal otkrien na
Vardarski Rid do 2001 g.); E. Slamkov "Umetnosta na Vardarski Rid#,
Gevgelija 2004 (publikacija - katalog od istoimenata izlo`ba na
naodite so najvisoki estetski vrednosti otkrieni na Vardarski Rid).
Ovaa kniga pretstavuva prv tom, po~etok na celosnata nau~na
obrabotka i prezentacija na rezultatite od dosega{nite sistem-
atski istra`uvawa na Vardarski Rid. Delo e na ~lenovite na
istra`uva~kata ekipa, zadol`eni za poedine~ni segmenti vo proce-
sot na istra`uvawe.
10
 Objavuvaweto na publikacijata e poddr`ano od Filozofskiot
fakulet, odnosno Oddelot za arheologija - Skopje, koj e nositel na
proektot za istra`uvawe na Vardarski Rid i glaven realizator na
terenskite raboti, sekako, vo sorabotka so Muzejot na Makedonija
vo Skopje i Muzejot vo Gevgelija. Od druga strana, ve}e e vo podgotov-
ka i vtoriot tom koj }e bide posveten na problemot na naselbinska-
ta keramika od anti~kata naselba na Vardarski Rid, a koj direktno
proizleguva od istoimenata magisterska rabota na S. Bla`evska.
Na krajot, no ne pomalku zna~ajno e odbele`uvaweto na finansiska-
ta potkrepa vo realizacijata na poedine~nite istra`uva~ki kam-
pawi i konzervatorski aktivnosti, bez {to nema{e da bide dostig-
nat sega{niot stepen na istra`enost, a so toa i vozmo`na ovaa pub-
likacija. Vo ovaa smisla, golema blagodarnost dol`ime na: Minister-
stvoto za kultura i Ministerstvoto za nauka na R. Makedonija, Fo-
ndacijata otvoreno op{testvo - Skopje i Amerikanskata ambasada
vo Skopje, koi bea finansieri na terenskite aktivnosti na Vardar-
ski Rid vo prvite godini, koga i najmnogu be{e potrebna nivnata
pomo{ i razbirawe.
Vo poslednite tri godini, koga e postignata i najgolemata dina-
mika vo terenskite aktivnosti, kako patron na istra`uvawata na
Vardarski Rid se pojavi Mobimak. Blagodarenie na toa, ovoj lokali-
tet zasega e edinstveniot arheolo{ki punkt vo R. Makedonija, kade
celosno se pokrieni finansiskite potrebi za istra`uva~ka rabota,
so {to e obezbeden neophodniot kontinuitet na plansko istra`uva-
we i permanentno prou~uvawe i prezentirawe na otkritijata.
Rezultat na finansiskata poddr{ka na Mobimak e i ovaa publika-
cija, poradi {to, na Upravniot bord na Mobimak i posebno na direk-
torot Jovan Petrovski mu izrazuvame javna blagodarnost.

Noemvri, 2004 g.
d-r Dragi Mitrevski,
rakovoditel na istra`uvawata
na Vardarski Rid

11
 PREFACE

T he evaluation or determination of an archaeological site can be made at sev-

eral levels. At a basic level its main character and the approximate chrono-
logical framework can be determined; or, at a higher level, the complete recon-
struction of the cultural, historical, archaeological, anthropological, biological,
and climatic aspects can be re-created.
On the way towards as complete an evaluation of Vardarski Rid as possible, we
have reached that point where we can publicize a new and very important archae-
ological site in the lower valley of the Vardar River. Due to its geographic position,
this region had crucial place and role in the cultural and historical development of
the Balkans in the period from the end of the Bronze Age until the establishment of
Roman domination. Vardarski Rid is one of the central and largest settlements with
an intensive and continuous life through these periods.
During the whole of the twentieth century, the archaeological knowledge of the
lower Vardar Valley (ancient Amaphaxitis) was based on the results from explo-
rations of the prehistoric settlements with complex stratigraphy in the Greek part of
this region (Kilindir, Chaouchitza, Vardino, Amatovo, Vardarophtsa, and Kastanas).
With the exception of Toumba – Kastanas, the explorations of the other settlements
carried out in the early twentieth century were only trial excavations, in strictly lim-
ited areas. At the same time, excavations in the Kilkis district were carried out. In
the northern part of the region, in the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, only
explorations of some Iron Age necropolises from the region of Valandovo and
Gevgelija are known, as well as some trial excavations at the site of Isar-Marvinci
near Valandovo.
The archaeological site of Vardarski Rid, Gevgelija is exactly in the center of the
Lower Vardar Valley, comprising the region between the Demir Kapija Ravine and
the sea, as one geomorphologic and cultural whole.
The topography, stratigraphy, chronology, and the cultural values of the site
place it among the most famous, mainly prehistoric settlements, the tells along the
Lower Vardar Valley and the classical Macedonian towns to the north of Pella. The
prehistoric settlements at Vardino, Vardarophtsa, Kastanas, and Kilindir, as well as
the Iron Age necropolises in the region of Valandovo, Gevgelija and in the Kilkis
area, provide a clear overview of the region’s complete cultural development
throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages. However, all of these sites are lacking strata
and data about the centuries of the later, Classical and Hellenistic periods. And, on
the other hand, the excavations of the historical towns, Pella, Europos, or Isar-
Marvinci offer information mainly of the Classical or pre-Roman periods without
any information regarding previous cultural development.
In this context, the site of Vardarski Rid offers the connection between the pre-
historic and the early-historical settlements in the Vardar Valley. At the present
stage of exploration, Vardarski Rid appears to be the basic archaeological site for
solving some of the crucial problems of the cultural development in the Vardar
12
Valley in the first millennium BC. So, at this moment Vardarski Rid is the only
archaeological site that gives us the opportunity to examine all stages of the cultur-
al development from the Late Bronze Age until the establishment of Roman domina-
tion in Macedonia. Only Vardarski Rid supplies records of such complicated
processes as the transitional periods from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, or the one
from the end of the Iron Age to the beginning of the Classical period. At Vardarski
Rid it is possible both to observe the process of establishing the first rudiments of
urbanization and town life, as well as to ascertain the developmental phases and
characteristics of settlement patterns in one of the confirmed ancient Macedonian
town. The possibility this town to be identified as pre-Roman town of Gortinia
already has been published.
This peculiarity of Vardarski Rid is due to its geo-strategic position as the only
possible position for settlement in the region of Gevgelija. So its position was suit-
able to the criteria of prehistoric settlement as well as to an historic town.
Vardarski Rid has been systematically explored since 1995. In the first two
years these explorations were carried out in the framework of a joint internation-
al project between the Museum of Macedonia - Skopje and The Texas Foundation
For Archaeological and Historical Research, while in the following years it was a
project of the Museum of Macedonia and the Faculty of Philosophy of the
University of Skopje.
After ten years of systematic excavations the stratigraphy of the site has been
established, numerous archaeological and architectonic wholes have been discov-
ered, and rich archeological material has been unearthed, which is kept and partly
exhibited in the Museum of Gevgelija.
The results of the explorations at Vardarski Rid are not completely published, but
a lot of moments and findings from some of the excavation campaigns have been
presented as reports at public lectures at different scientific symposia. Also, three
separate publications which resulted from the systematic excavations were pub-
lished so far. Those are: D. Mitrevski, “The Ancient Macedonian Town at Vardarski
Rid”, Skopje 2001 (popular publication for the general characteristics of the site
based on the discoveries up to 2001); B. Husenovski, “Ancient Coins of Vardarski
Rid”, Gevgelija 2004, (catalogue of coins discovered at Vardarski Rid up to 2001);
E. Slamkov, “ The Art of Vardarski Rid”, Gevgelija 2004 (catalogue from the exibi-
tion of the finds with high aesthetic values, discovered on Vardarski Rid).
This book, as a first volume represents the beginning of the complete scientific
publication and a presentation of the results from the systematic excavations at
Vardarski Rid so far. It is a work of the members of the research team responsible
for specific segments in the exploration process.
Publication of results from the explorations is supported by the Faculty of
Philosophy and the Department of Archaeology at the University of Skopje, which
is the main carrier and conductor of the research project for Vardarski Rid, in coop-
eration with The Museum of Macedonia in Skopje and the Museum of Gevgelija.On
the other hand, forthcoming is the second volume - the master thesis of S. Bla`evska
which considers the pottery of the Late Classical and Hellenistic period at
Vardarski Rid.
However, we must mention that without the financial support for realization of
the certain explorations and conservation activities, the present level of excava-
tion could not have been reached. We are indebted to: the Ministry of Culture and
the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Macedonia, to the Open Society
Foundation, Skopje, and the American Embassy in Skopje, which were financiers
of the field work at Vardarski Rid for the first years when we needed their help
and understanding.
In the last three years the patronage at Vardarski Rid of Mobimak has been
appreciated, due to which Vardarski Rid has become one of the rare archaeological
sites in the Republic of Macedonia, where excavation have been completely
13
 financed, and the necessary continuity and permanent studying and presentation of
the discoveries are provided for.
This publication is a result of the financial support by A.D. Mobimak; we want
to express our gratitude to the Mobimak Managing Board and especially to its
General Manager Jovan Petrovski.

November, 2004
Dr. Dragi Mitrevski,
Conductor of the Excavation Project
at Vardarski Rid

14

Silvana Bla`evska
Silvana Bla`evska
Pe~ki za keramika
Pottery Kilns
o ramkite na poslednata, {esta nasel-
V ba na Vardarski Rid (III vek pr. n.e. - I
vek od n.e), vo trite istra`uvani sek-
tori se otkrieni pove}e gradbi - prete`no
ku}i za `iveewe, koi, sledej}i ja terasestata
konfiguracija na terenot se rasporedeni vo
mali insuli odvoeni me|u sebe so ulici. Vo
tekot na navedeniot vremenski period se
menuval nivniot izgled, so toa {to bile
dograduvani novi prostorii, pregraduvani
starite ili, pak, se gradeni novi ku}i vrz
postarite temeli, no izgledot na gradot
zna~itelno ne se izmenil.
Mestopolo`bata na ku}ite, organizacija-
ta na prostoriite, kako i otkrieniot inven-
tar zboruva za nivnata razli~na namena. Na
Isto~nata terasa se otkrieni nekolku gole-
mi ku}i za `iveewe so bogat inventar, a samo
vo dve e konstatirana "proizvodstvena# ak-
tivnost (Ku}a so atrium, Ku}a so svetili{-
te). Ju`nata terasa pretstavuva "trgovska
zona# zaradi otkrienite rabotilnici so pe~-
ki za keramika, kova~nici, prodavnici itn.,
funkcija koja verojatno ja nasleduva od pred-
hodniot, docnoklasi~en period, koga vo ovoj
del na gradot bila podignata Stoa. Na Akro-
polata delumno e istra`en eden golem objekt,
t.n. Centralen kompleks, ograden so bedem i
kula vo koj bi mo`el da prestojuva arhontot,
~ija funkcija bila upravuvawe so gradskata
administracija.
Lokalnata kerami~na produkcija vo gradot
e potvrdena so edinaesette pe~ki za proizvod-
stvo na predmeti od glina. Deset od niv se ot-
krieni vo ramki na ku}ite na Ju`nata terasa,1
1 Desetata pe~ka otkriena na Ju`nata terasa e pri-
li~no uni{tena. Za~uvan e samo isto~niot strani~en
yid na lo`i{teto, zatoa, osven {to }e bide zabele`ana
vo vkupnata brojka na pe~ki, nema da se prezentira.
Vardarski Rid
n the sixth and last settlement on
I
Vardarski Rid (third century BC to first
century AD) several buildings were
uncovered in the three excavated sectors;
they were mainly dwellings. Following the
terraced terrain, they were arranged into
small insulae separated from each other by
streets. During this period the arrangement of
the houses changed somewhat. Certain rooms
were re-built, new rooms were added, or
completely new houses were erected upon
the foundations of the earlier ones, but the
overall urban design of the town did not
change significantly.
The locations of the houses, their spatial organ-
ization, as well as the recovered finds give clues to
their various uses. On the Eastern Terrace several
large houses with rich inventories were uncovered,
and in two of them “manufacturing” activities are
indicated (House with an Atrium and House with a
Sanctuary). The Southern terrace was determined
to be a “trading zone” because of the discovery of
workshops with pottery kilns, blacksmith work-
shops, shops, etc., a function inherited from the
previous, Late Classical period when the Stoa was
built in this part of the town. On the Acropolis a
large building, named as The Central Complex,
was partially unearthed; it was surrounded by a
fortification wall and a tower, in which the town
archon might have stayed.
The local pottery production in the town is
confirmed with the eleven so far discovered
kilns for producing clay objects. Ten of them
were discovered in the frameworks of the hou-
ses on the Southern Terrace, 1 due to which
1 The tenth kiln, uncovered on the Southern Terra-
ce, is badly damaged. Only the eastern lateral wall of
the furnace chamber has been preserved, which is why
it will only be numbered but not discussed.
261
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
zaradi {to ovoj del od gradot so pravo mo`e da
se nare~e "kerami~arski kvart#, i edna vo
Ku}ata so svetili{te na Isto~nata terasa.
Nivnoto prezentirawe e izvedeno spored hro-
nolo{kiot raspored na sloevite na {estata
naselba, vo ~ii ramki se otkrieni.2
Vo kampawata esenta 2000 g., na Ju`nata
terasa be{e otkriena Pe~ka I. Smestena e vo
ramkite na gradba ~ija golemina, izgled, broj
i raspored na prostorii te{ko mo`at da se
odredat so ogled na celosnata obnova vo sled-
nata grade`na faza, so {to nejzinata osnova
e celosno izmeneta. Edinstveni sigurni ele-
menti se zapadniot i isto~niot yid na pros-
torijata vo koja e smestena pe~kata.
Pe~kata e potprena na zapadniot yid od
objektot, orientirana vo pravec i-z, so kanal
za lo`ewe na isto~nata strana. Ima trape-
zoidna forma so vkupna dol`ina od 1.60 m i
{irina od 1.40 m (sl. 1). Strani~nite yidovi
na lo`i{teto i kanalot za lo`ewe se
gradeni od vertikalno postaveni tuli so
dimenzii 40 h 40 h 10 sm, koi se izvonredno
za~uvani. Centralnoto stolp~e - dr`a~ za
re{etkata, e izvedeno od ~etiri horizontal-
no postaveni nepe~eni tuli (sl. 14). Vnatre{-
nosta na pe~kata be{e ispolneta so razru{en
plitar od gornata konstrukcija, a otkrienite
par~iwa pleter na dnoto mo`ebi se del od
re{etkata.
Od severnata strana, pokraj pe~kata, e ot-
krien pravoagolen prostor zagraden so eden
red kamewa. Ovoj prostor, zaedno so dvete
ovalni jami polni so pepel, ednata severno, a
drugata isto~no od pe~kata, verojatno se vo
funkcija na istata (sl. 15). Vo vnatre{nosta
2 Spored stratigrafskata podelba na Mitrevski
D., 2001, 16-18.
262
Sl. 1. Pe~ka I.
Fig. 1. Kiln I.
this part of the town can freely be called the
“Potters’ Quarter”. The eleventh kiln was
uncovered in the House with a Sanctuary on
the Eastern Terrace. In this article they are
presented ordered by a chronological deposits
schedule of the sixth settlement. 2
During the autumn 2000 exploration season
on the Southern Terrace Kiln 1 was uncovered.
It was located in a building whose size, appear-
ance, and room organization are difficult to
determine, due to its total reconstruction in the
following building phase, completely changing
the layout of the house. The only certain ele-
ments are the western and eastern walls of the
room in which the kiln was located.
The kiln rests against the western wall of the
building, oriented in an east – west direction,
with the stoking tunnel at the eastern side. It is
trapezoidal, measuring 1.60 meters in length
and 1.40 meters in width (Fig. 1). The lateral
walls of the furnace chamber and the stoking
tunnel were built of vertically placed unbaked
mud bricks, measuring 40 x 40 x 10 cm, which
are excellently preserved. The central free-
standing pedestal, made of four horizontally
placed unbaked mud bricks, serves as the sup-
port for the raised oven floor (Fig. 14). The
inner space of the kiln was filled with loose,
unbaked mud bricks from the upper structure.
On the bottom of the kiln small pieces of wattle
and daub were uncovered that might represent
parts of the perforated oven floor.
On the northern side, beside the kiln, a rec-
tangular space lined with one row of stones
was uncovered. The function of this space,
along with the two oval-shaped pits filled with
2 According the stratigraphic division by Mitrevski D.,
2001, 16-18.

na pe~kata ne se otkrieni kerami~ni pred-
meti, no okolu nea, osobeno od severnata
strana, se sre}avaat fragmentirani sadovi,
od koi eden so neobi~na forma, koj bil upo-
trebuvan vo nekoja od fazite na podgotovka
na glinata. Numizmati~kiot materijal ot-
krien vo i okolu pe~kata, za `al, e ne~itliv,
osven edna bronzena moneta na Filip V, dati-
rana po 201 g. pr. n.e.3 Spored stratigrafija-
ta na Vardarski Rid pe~kata se smestuva vo
vtorata grade`na faza na {estata naselba
(V.R.VI, sloj 3).
Vo tekot na istra`uvaweto vo 1995 godina
e otkriena t.n. Kerami~arska rabotilnica.
Pette pe~ki, od koi ~etiri se otkrieni vo
ista prostorija, pripa|aat na dve razli~ni
fazi (sl. 2, 3). Pe~kite II i III se orientirani
vo pravec s/z-j/i, pri {to prvata e smestena
pokraj severniot yid, a vtorata se nao|a kon
sredinata na prostorijata.
Od Pe~kata II se za~uvani strani~nite
yidovi na lo`i{teto do visina na centralno
postavenoto stolp~e so ovalna forma (sl.
16). Gradena e od plitar, so nepravilna
kru`na forma i pomali dimenzii, koi te{ko
bi mo`ele da se odredat so ogled na lo{ata
za~uvanost na pe~kata. Strani~nite yidovi,
kako i kanalot za lo`ewe se prili~no uni{-
teni so gradeweto na pe~kite IV i V vo vtora-
ta faza.
Pe~kata III e so pogolemi dimenzii (dol-
`ina 2.70 m, {irina 1.70 m), kru`na po forma
i e ne{to podobro za~uvana, osven yidot od
severnata strana koj e uni{ten so gradeweto
na pe~kata V (sl. 17). Centralno postavenoto
stolp~e e kru`no i pokrieno so tenka kamena
plo~a. Osobeno e vpe~atliv dolgiot kanal za
II
III
IV
V
3 Husenovski B., 2004, T. XI, No. 101.
Vardarski Rid
ashes, one placed north and the other east of
the kiln, was probably associated with the kiln
(Fig. 15). There were no ceramic objects found
inside the kiln; but around it, especially on the
northern side, fragments of vessels were found,
among which was one with a very unusual
shape. Its use is difficult to determine, but it
was possibly used as a vessel in clay process-
ing. The numismatic material uncovered in and
around the kiln is unfortunately illegible,
except one bronze coin of Phillip V, dated after
201 BC.3 In the stratigraphy of Vardarski Rid,
the kiln can be placed in the second building
phase of the sixth settlement (V.R.VI, layer 3).
In the 1995 season, the so-called Pottery
Workshop was uncovered. Of five kilns, four were
discovered in the same room. They belong to two
different phases (Fig. 2, 3). Kilns II and III are ori-
ented northwest to southeast. The first kiln is
located alongside the northern wall, and the sec-
ond one is placed towards the center of the room.
Of Kiln II only the lateral walls of the fur-
nace chamber have been preserved to the height
of the central, oval-shaped, free-standing
pedestal (Fig. 16). It has an irregular circular
shape and is built of unbaked mud bricks; it is
very hard to determine its size, considering its
bad state of preservation. The lateral walls of
the furnace chamber as well as the stoking tun-
nel are considerably damaged with the building
of Kilns IV and V from the second phase.
Kiln III is larger (2.70 meters long and
1.70 meters wide), circular in shape and bet-
ter preserved than the previous kiln, except
that the northern wall has been destroyed with
the building of Kiln V (Fig. 17). The central-
ly placed free-standing pedestal is circular
Sl. 2. Kerami~arska
rabotilnica so pe~kite II-
IV vo Ku}ata so zanaeti.
Fig. 2. The Pottery Workshop
with kilns II-IV in the House of
Handicrafts.
3 Husenovski B., 2004, T. XI, No. 101.
263
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
V
II
IV
postara faza - pe~ki II i III
older phase - Kilns II and III
pomlada faza - pe~ki IV i V
later phase - Kilns IV and V
lo`ewe (1.20 m) vo predniot del na pe~kata
koj e odli~no za~uvan. Kanalot za lo`ewe i
lo`i{teto se delumno vkopani pod podnoto
nivo na prostorijata.
Otkako ovie dve pe~ki ve}e ne bile vo
upotreba, vrz nivnite ostatoci se izgradeni
dve novi (sl. 2, 3). Pe~kata IV e orientirana
vo pravec s-j, so pravoagolna forma, so
pogolemi dimenzii (dol`ina 2.90 m, {irina
2.30 m). Kanalot za lo`ewe se nao|a na ju`na-
ta strana, a vo vnatre{nosta na lo`i{teto e
postaveno izdol`eno ovalno stolp~e (dol-
`ina 1 m, {irina 0.40 m). Nepe~enite tuli od
koi e gradena osobeno dobro se za~uvani na
severniot yid od lo`i{teto (sl. 18). Intere-
sen e podatokot deka vo vnatre{nosta na pe~-
kata IV e otkriena golema koncentracija na
{kolki, koi verojatno imaat uloga vo proce-
sot na pe~eweto.
Poslednata, Pe~ka V, po forma e mnogu
sli~na na pe~kata III, vrz ~ii ostatoci e de-
lumno izgradena. Orientirana e vo pravec
s/z-j/i, postavena vo severoisto~niot agol
na prostorijata, so kru`na forma na lo-
`i{teto i mnogu pokus kanal za lo`ewe,
koi isto taka se delumno vkopani pod podot
na prostorijata (sl. 19). Za~uvana e vo dol-
`ina od 2.20 m, a {irinata na lo`i{teto
iznesuva 1.70 m.
Istovremeno so pe~kite IV i V od pomla-
data faza na Kerami~arskata rabotilnica,
no vo sosednata prostorija, bila napravena
Pe~kata VI. Orientirana e vo pravec i-z, a
kanalot za lo`ewe koj celosno nedostasuva se
nao|al na zapadnata strana. Kvadratnoto
lo`i{te e izvedeno od nepe~eni tuli, ver-
264
III
Sl. 3. [ematski prikaz na
dvete fazi na Kerami~ar-
skata rabotilnica, spored
Neidinger W. - Matthews E.
Fig. 3. Shematic presentation of
the both phases of the Pottery
workshop, according to
Neidinger W. - Matthews E.
and covered with a thin stone slab. Especially
impressive is the long stoking tunnel (1.20
meters), which is well preserved. The furnace
chamber and the stoking tunnel are partially
dug into the floor of the room.
After these kilns fell out of use, two new
kilns were built upon their remains. (Figs. 2,
3). Kiln IV is rectangular, oriented to the
northwest, measuring 2.90 meters in length
and 2.30 meters in width. The stoking tunnel
is on its southern side, and inside the furnace
chamber a long, oval, free-standing pedestal,
1 meter long and 0.40 meter wide, supported
the oven floor. The unbaked mud bricks of
which it is made are well preserved, espe-
cially on the northern wall of the furnace
chamber (Fig. 18). Very interesting is the
fact that inside Kiln IV a large number of
river shells were discovered, which probably
had some role in the combustion process.
The last kiln in this room, Kiln V, is very
similar in shape to Kiln III, upon whose
remains it was built. It is oriented northwest to
southeast and located in the northeastern cor-
ner of the room. The furnace chamber is circu-
lar and the stoking tunnel is much shorter. They
are partially dug into the floor of the room
(Fig. 19). The kiln is 2.20 meters long and 1.70
meters wide.
At the same time that Kilns V and VI from
the later phase of the Pottery Workshop were
in use, Kiln VI was built in the adjacent
room. It is oriented in an east-west direction,
and the stoking tunnel, which is missing, was
placed on its western side. The square fur-
nace chamber, as well as the free-standing

tikalno postaveni, kako i stolp~eto, koe e
lo{o za~uvano (sl. 4). Osven pepel, vo vna-
tre{nosta na lo`i{teto nema naodi.
Vo op{tata stratigrafska slika Kerami-
~arskata rabotilnica se smestuva vo vtora-
ta i tretata grade`na faza na {estata nasel-
ba (V.R.VI, sloj 3, 2), so mal vremenski inter-
val me|u dvete fazi na upotreba na pe~kite.
Ne se otkrieni moneti koi poto~no bi ja
datirale rabotilnicata, no najverojatno
pripa|a na krajot na III i II vek pr. n.e. Vo pom-
ladata faza objektot pretrpel prepravki i
dogradbi, osobeno kon sever i istok, no go
zadr`al karakterot na rabotilnica.
Pe~kata VII e otkriena vo ramkite na se-
vernata prostorija na t.n. Rabotilnica na
Menek. So zapadnata strana e potprena na
kamen blok od Stoata, sekundarno iskoristen
za pomladata, helenisti~ka ku}a (sl. 5).
Gradena e od plitar, so ovalna forma, so
vkupna dol`ina od 1.50 m i {irina od 1.30 m.
Sl. 5. Pe~ka VII -
Rabotilnica na Menek.
FIg. 5. Kiln VII - The Workshop
of Menek.
Vardarski Rid
Sl. 4. Pe~ka VI -
Kerami~arska
rabotilnica.
Fig. 4. Kiln VI - The
Pottery Workshop.
pedestal which is poorly preserved, are made
of vertically placed unbaked mud bricks (Fig.
4). In the inner space of the kiln, except for
the ashes, there were no findings.
In the general stratigraphical picture, the
Pottery Workshop belongs to the second and
third building phase of the sixth settlement
(V.R.VI, layers 3 and 2), with a small time
delay between the two building phases of the
kilns. No coins that could have helped us
date the workshop have been uncovered, but
it probably belongs to the end of the third
and second century BC. In the later building
phase, the workshop was rebuilt, especially
the northern and eastern rooms, but still kept
the character of a workshop.
Kiln VII was uncovered in the northern
room of the building called The Workshop of
Menek. Its western side leaned against a
stone block from the Stoa, which was in sec-
ondary use in a later Hellenistic building
265
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
Osven na zapadnata strana, kade strani~niot
yid e visok 0.50 m, lo`i{teto na pe~kata koe
delumno e vkopano pod podot vo prostorijata
e edvaj za~uvano. Orientirana e vo pravec i-
z, a kanalot za lo`ewe koj e prili~no uni{-
ten e postaven na isto~nata strana. Vo vnat-
re{nosta na pe~kata centralno e postaveno
stolp~e izvedeno od dve vertikalno posta-
veni tuli (sl. 20). Re{etkata ne e za~uvana.
Osven par~iwa izgoren plitar od strani~ni-
te yidovi i gornata konstrukcija, i debeliot
sloj pepel, osobeno vo lo`i{teto, vo pe~kata
e otkriena samo edna ehinus pani~ka.
Na podot od prostorijata, vedna{ do pe~-
kata, e otkriena ihtija koja na dnoto odnatre
ima vtisnat pravoagolen pe~at so imeto
ΜΕΝΕΚ, verojatno imeto na majstorot-kera-
mi~ar (sl. 6). Istoto ime se sre}ava na u{te
dve ihtii. Od prvata, otkriena vo otpadna
jama na Ju`nata terasa e za~uvano samo dnoto
so pe~atot, za koja so ogled na mestoto na
nao|awe te{ko e da se izvede datirawe spored
stratigrafski kontekst. Vtoriot primerok,
koj e celosno za~uvan, otkrien e na Isto~nata
terasa vo ramkite na vtorata grade`na faza
na Ku}ata so svetili{te, vremenski opre-
delena vo vtorata polovina na II vek pr. n.e.
Spored numizmati~kiot materijal i pe~-
kata VII e datirana vo tekot na II vek pr. n.e.,
vo prvata grade`na faza na Rabotilnicata
na Menek.
Rabotilnicata na Menek bila obnovena i
dogradena. Vo edna od ju`nite prostorii e
otkriena u{te edna pe~ka, istra`uvana vo
sezonata prolet 2000 g. (sl. 7). Pe~kata VIII e
potprena na isto~niot yid na prostorijata,
orientirana vo pravec i-z, a kanalot za lo-
`ewe koj potpolno nedostasuva bil postaven
na zapadnata strana. [iroka e 0.75 m, a vo
dol`ina e za~uvana 0.60 m. Pe~kata e so
266
(Fig. 5). Kiln VII is oval shaped, built of
unbaked mud bricks, measuring 1.50 meters
in length and 1.30 meters in width. Except
for the western lateral wall, which is pre-
served to 0.50 meter, the furnace chamber is
considerably destroyed. It is oriented east to
west and the poorly preserved stoking tunnel
is on the eastern side of the kiln. Two verti-
cally placed unbaked mud bricks inside the
kiln are all that remain of the central free-
standing pedestal (Fig. 20). The perforated
oven floor has not been preserved. Aside
from the pieces of burnt mud bricks (from
the lateral walls and upper construction) and
a thick layer of ashes, especially in the fur-
nace chamber, an echinus bowl was uncov-
ered.
On the floor next to the kiln an ichthya
was uncovered with an impressed rectangle
stamp with the name ΜΕΝΕΚ, probably the
name of the potter (Fig. 6). The same name
occurs on two other ihthyas. Only a base with
the stamp was preserved from the first one,
uncovered on the Southern Terrace in a dump
pit. Considering its deposit, it is hard to
arrive at an exact date in the stratigraphic
context. The second ichthya, which is com-
pletely preserved, was uncovered on the
Eastern Terrace, in the second building phase
of the House with a Sanctuary, dated to the
second half of the second century BC.
The numismatic material dates Kiln VII to
the second century BC, that is, in the first
building phase of The Workshop of Menek.
The Workshop of Menek was eventually
reconstructed and rebuilt. In one of its south-
ern rooms, another kiln was uncovered in the
spring 2000 season (Fig. 7). Kiln VIII leans
against the eastern wall of a room oriented
east to west, and the stoking tunnel, which is
Sl. 6. Ihtija so
pe~at Menek.
Fig. 6. Ichthya with
stamp Menek.

kvadratna forma i voobi~aeno e gradena od
nepe~eni tuli, a odvnatre e prema~kana so
glina. Na isto~niot yid e za~uvan mal del od
gornata konstrukcija koja vidno kupolasto
zakrivuva, a za {to e upotreben fragment od
obod od pitos (sl. 21). Od stolp~eto vo vna-
tre{nosta na lo`i{teto e za~uvana samo
edna vertikalno postavena tula.
Potprena na zapadniot yid vo istata pros-
torija, otkriena e plitarna konstrukcija
orientirana vo pravec i-z. Taa e so pravoagol-
na forma, {iroka 1.10 m, a vo dol`ina
za~uvana 0.60 m (sl. 22). Iako vo prvo vreme e
tretirana kako pe~ka, nedostatokot na kana-
lot za lo`ewe i stolp~eto vo lo`i{teto go
zgolemi somne`ot deka se raboti za pe~ka.
Ju`no od nea e otkrien mal zagraden prostor
so imbreksi koj verojatno e vo funkcija na
podgotovka na glinata, sudej}i po golemiot
sad so izlivnik na dnoto. Ovaa plitarna kon-
strukcija treba da ja tretirame kako zaseben
pridru`en objekt, povrzan so pe~kata VIII, koj
e vo slu`ba na procesot na podgotovka na gli-
nata ili ve}e gotovite predmeti spremni za
pe~ewe. Vo nea e otkriena celosna `enska te-
rakotna figurina, pa bi mo`ele da zaklu~ime
deka pe~kata VIII bila nameneta i za pe~ewe na
lokalno izrabotenite terakotni figurini.
Vo funkcija na ovaa rabotilnica e i sosed-
nata prostorija, odnosno prodavnicata kade
se prodavale izrabotenite kerami~ni proiz-
vodi. Potvrda za ova se otkrienite pitosi
polni so sadovi - bokali, laginos, amfori itn
(sl. 23). Zaradi ova, dvete prostorii od pom-
ladata grade`na faza na Rabotilnicata na
Menek se opredeleni kako rabotilnica so
prodavnica.
Na podnoto nivo na prostorijata se ot-
krieni pove}e bronzeni moneti, od koi dve se
identifikuvani. Toa se moneti koi pripa-
|aat na avtonomnite kovawa na Pela i Amfi-
polis, otkrieni i vo ostanatite prostorii na
Vardarski Rid
Sl. 7. Pe~ka VIII
- Rabotilnica
na Menek.
Fig. 7. Kiln VIII -
Workshop of
Menek.
missing, was placed on its western side. The
kiln is 0.75 meter wide and preserved up to
0.60 meter in length. The kiln is square, built
of unbaked mud bricks, and coated with clay
on the inside. A small part of the upper struc-
ture has been preserved on the eastern wall.
For the vaulted upper structure, a fragment of
a pithos rim was used (Fig. 21). Only one un-
baked brick was preserved from the oven
floor support.
In the same room, next to the western
wall, an unbaked mud brick structure orient-
ed east to west was uncovered. It is rectan-
gular, 1.10 meters wide and 0.60 meter long
(Fig. 22). Although at first this structure was
thought to be a kiln, the lack of a stoking
tunnel and a free-standing pedestal in the
furnace chamber raises doubts. On its south-
ern side, a small space surrounded by
imbrexes was probably used for clay pro-
cessing, a theory which seems to be con-
firmed by the discovery of a large vessel
with a pouring spout on its base. This mud
brick structure should be treated as a sepa-
rate, adjacent construction (connected to
Kiln VIII), where the clay was prepared or
vessels ready for firing were kept. Inside
this structure an intact female terracotta fig-
urine was discovered, pointing towards the
conclusion that in Kiln VIII locally made
terracotta figurines were fired.
Also connected to this workshop is a
neighboring room, a store, where the ceram-
ic vessels were sold. This has been con-
firmed by the discovery of pithoi filled with
other vessels, jars, laginos, amphoras, etc.
(Fig. 23). This is why these two rooms from
the earlier constructional phase of The
Workshop of Menek have been named the
workshop with a store.
Several bronze coins were uncovered on
t h e fl o o r o f t h e ro o m , am o n g wh i ch t w o
267
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
objektot, zaradi {to istiot se datira kon
sredinata i vtorata polovina na II vek pr.
n.e., odnosno pripa|a na tretata grade`na
faza na {estata naselba na Vardarski Rid.
Vo 1995 g. e otkriena u{te edna Pe~ka IX,
istovremena so prethodnata. Taa e smestena vo
jugoisto~niot agol na edna od prostoriite na
t.n. Objekt so pe~ka, koj se nao|a zapadno pok-
raj uli~kata so drena`en kanal. Po dimenzii
e pomala ({iroka e 1.40 m, a vo dol`ina e
za~uvana 1 m), so kvadratna forma i central-
no stolp~e od koe e za~uvana edna horizontal-
no postavena tula (sl. 8). Orientirana e vo
pravec s/z-j/i, a kanalot za lo`ewe koj se
nao|al na severnata strana e uni{ten so yid,
koj pretstavuva del od podocne`ni prepravki,
vo vreme koga pe~kata ne bila vo upotreba.
Poslednata, edinaesetta Pe~ka XI na Var-
darski Rid e otkriena na Isto~nata terasa,
vo ramkite na Ku}ata so svetili{te, poto-
~no, vo pomladata faza koja e datirana vo vto-
rata polovina na II vek pr. n.e (sl. 9). Orien-
tirana e vo pravec i-z, potprena na zapadniot
yid na prostorijata. Ima pravoagolna osnova
na lo`i{teto so {irina 1.10 m, i dol`ina
0.90 m, a kanalot za lo`ewe e postaven na is-
to~nata strana (sl. 24). Gradena e od plitar,
no na~inot se razlikuva od site ponapred
navedeni pe~ki. Imeno, strani~nite yidovi
na lo`i{teto se izvedeni od tri rebra para-
lelni edni na drugi. Sekoe rebro e napraveno
od po dve horizontalno postaveni tuli, edna
vrz druga, a od nadvore{nata strana se povrza-
ni so vertikalno postavena tula. Vo vnatre{-
nosta na lo`i{teto nema centralno postave-
no stolp~e koe ja dr`i re{etkata, tuku taa
funkcija vo ovoj slu~aj ja imaat rebrata. Na
268
0 50 100 cm
Sl. 8. Pe~ka IX -
Objekt so pe~ka.
Fig. 8. Kiln IX -
Building with kiln.
have been identified. They are coins that
belong to the autonomous mints of Pella and
Amphipolis, which helped date the building
to the middle and second half of the second
century BC, that is, to the third building
phase of the sixth settlement on Vardarski
Rid.
In the 1995 season, Kiln IX, contempo-
rary with Kiln VIII, was uncovered. It is in
the southeast corner of one of the rooms of
the Building with a Kiln, a structure located
on the west, beside a street with a drainage
canal. It is quite small (1.40 meters wide
and 1meter long) and square. Only one hor-
izontally placed mud brick of the free-
standing pedestal is preserved (Fig.8). Kiln
IX is oriented in a northwest to southeast
direction, and the stoking tunnel, which
was placed on its northern side, was
destroyed by a later wall that was part of
some rebuilding, at a time when the kiln
was not in use.
The last Kiln XI on Vardarski Rid was
uncovered on the Eastern Terrace, in the
frames of the House with a Sanctuary, in its
later building phase dated to the second half
of the second century BC (Fig. 9). It is ori-
ented east-west. It has a rectangular furnace
chamber, 1.10 meters wide and 0.90 meter
long, with the stoking tunnel on the eastern
side (Fig. 24). The kiln was built of unbaked
mud bricks, in a manner that differs from
the other kilns. The oven floor was not sup-
ported by a centrally placed, free-standing
pedestal, but with lateral pilasters that pro-
trude from the interior of the kiln wall.
Inside the furnace chamber there is suffi-

sredina na lo`i{teto od edno do drugo rebro
ima dovolno prostor za stavawe drva.4 Ne e
za~uvana gornata konstrukcija. Vo vnatre{-
nosta na pe~kata nema naodi.
Pe~kite za keramika se konstrukcii so
kus vek na upotreba, so ogled na postojanoto
izlo`uvawe na golemi temperaturni razli-
ki, zaradi {to baraat postojano popravawe i
obnovuvawe. Ne postojat precizni tehni~ki
pravila po koi se gradeni, no vo osnova site
gi sodr`at istite konstruktivni elementi.
Glavno, postojat dva tipa pe~ki: "otvoren
tip#, odnosno ednokomorni pe~ki prete`no
koristeni vo praistoriskite periodi i vis-
tinski pe~ki od "zatvoren tip#, odnosno dvo-
komorni vo koi predmetite se odvoeni od
gorivoto, vo {to se sostoi glavnata razlika
me|u ovie dva tipa.5
Pe~eweto kaj "otvoreniot tip# e prili~no
primitivno. Sadovite se postavuvaat vo plit-
ka jama i se pokrivaat so granki, slama, jagle-
nisano drvo, penu{ki, odnosno s¢ {to mo`e da
poslu`i kako gorivo. Otvorite se pokrivaat
so glina za da se ovozmo`i termalna izolaci-
ja, osven eden koj slu`i za dovod na kislorod.
Zaradi neednakviot protok na vozduh, niskata
temperatura i neednakvo rasporeduvawe na
toplinata, rezultatite od pe~eweto ne se se-
4 Malenko V., 1978, 342, kaj nas edinstvena pe~ka
od ovoj tip, ~ii nosa~i na re{etkata se paralelni
rebra, e otkriena vo Ohrid, vo kompleksot "Stara
~ar{ija#, no e so kru`na osnova na lo`i{teto i
pogolemi dimenzii. Datirana e vo II vek pr. n.e, za
koja avtorot iznesuva mislewe deka e za pe~ewe na
tuli i teguli. Fotografija na pe~kata e objavena vo
Arheolo{ka karta na R. Makedonija, Tom II, 271.
5 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 73-74.
Vardarski Rid
cient space between the pilasters for fuel. 4
There are no remains left either of the oven
floor or of the upper structure. There were
no findings from inside the kiln.
The pottery kilns represent constructions
with a short service life, considering their
frequent exposure to repeated heatings and
coolings. That is why they required continu-
al maintenance and repair. There are no pre-
cise technical rules for their building, but
basically the construction elements are the
same.
In general, there are two basic kiln types:
the “open fire” type, single chamber kilns,
mostly used in the prehistoric periods; and
closed kilns of the so-called “up-draft” type,
or double chambered kilns, in which the ves-
sels were burnt separately from the fuel, this
being the main difference between these two
types of kilns. 5
The firing in the open kiln is rather
primitive. The vessels were placed in a
shallow pit and covered with whatever fuel
was available, such as branches, twigs,
reeds, or charcoal. Afterwards, the open-
ings were covered with clay to provide
thermal isolation, except one small open-
ing for oxygen. Owing to irregular draught,
Sl. 9. Pe~ka XI - nad
Ku}a so svetili{te.
Fig. 9. Kiln XI - above
House with a Sanctuary.
4 Malenko V., 1978, 342, this type of kiln with a
circular shape, larger dimensions, and with lateral
pilasters supporting the oven floor was discovered in
Ohrid in the “Old City” complex. It is dated to the sec-
ond century BC. The author considers that it was used
for firing bricks and roof tiles. The photograph of the
same is published in the Archeological Map of the
Republic of Macedonia, Vol. II, 271.
5 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 73-74.
269
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
koga{ uspe{ni. Sadovite ~esto se kr{at,
pe~eni se nevoedna~eno, a bojata na kerami-
kata e razli~na. Ovie bile koristeni duri i
vo rimskiot period, osobeno vo severnite pe-
riferii na carstvoto.
Najdobar primer za toa kako izgledale
pe~kite od "zatvoren tip# koristeni vo anti-
kata, pretstavuva edna ati~ka hidrija i ne-
kolku pinaksi otkrieni vo Penteskufia bli-
zu Korint, prete`no datirani vo VI vek pr.
n.e., na koi se naslikani kerami~arski pe~ki
vo razni fazi od procesot na pe~ewe.6 Postoi
golema vremenska razlika od pretstavite na
slikanite pinaksi do pe~kite koi se predmet
na ovoj trud, no, sepak, tie pretstavuvaat naj-
dobar izvor za izgledot na kerami~arskite
pe~ki koi so tekot na vremeto mo`ebi
stanale poednostavni, no vo su{tina prin-
cipot na gradewe i procesot na pe~ewe ne
pretrpele nekakvi zna~ajni promeni. Iako
konkretno vakvi pe~ki dosega ne se otkrieni,
nivnoto postoewe e nesporno i najverojatno
istovremeno so poednostavnite tipovi.7
Voobi~aeniot tip pe~ka pretstavuva zat-
vorena plitarna struktura sostavena od dva
dela: goren i dolen del (sl. 10).8
Dolniot del e sostaven od kanalot za
lo`ewe i lo`i{teto. Kanalot za lo`ewe,
smesten vo predniot del na lo`i{teto, e la-
~en tunel so razli~na dol`ina od kade pe~ka-
ta se polni so gorivo (sl. 25, a-d). Graden e od
nepe~eni tuli, teguli i kerami~ni otpadoci,
a mo`e da bide dolg od nekolku santimetri do
nekolku metri. Dolgite kanali se poprakti~-
ni, bidej}i ovozmo`uvaat podobar dovod na
kislorod. Vo nego se vr{i po~etnoto zagre-
vawe na pe~kata, a podocna gorivoto se turka
povnatre vo lo`i{teto, so {to se za{tituva
celata konstrukcija od silno razgoruvawe na
ognot so sekoe dodavawe gorivo.
Iako na pretstavite na pinaksite site
pe~ki imaat kru`na osnova na lo`i{teto,
istra`uvawata otkrivaat pe~ki so razli~na
forma: kru`ni, ovalni, pravoagolni ili
kvadratni. Spored nekoi avtori, zaradi po-
dobra termalna izolacija kanalot za lo`e-
we i lo`i{teto delumno se vkopuvaat pod
podnoto nivo.9 Od edinaesette otkrieni pe~-
6 Noble J. V., 1965, 72-74; Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984,
77-82; Cook R. M., 1984, 64.
7 Cook R. M., 1984, 64.
8 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 74-75.
9 Cuomo Di Caprio N., 1984, 74; Cook R. M., 1984, 63,
vrz osnova na otkrienite pe~ki vo Britanija, dati-
rani vo rimskiot period.
270
low firing temperature, and unequal heat
dispersion, the results are not always suc-
cessful. The vessels are fragile, with dif-
ferent colors of the surface and gray core.
These types of kilns were in use up to the
Roman period, especially in the northern
parts of the Empire.
Maybe the best examples of the up-draft
kilns used in ancient times come from
depictions on an Attic hydria and several
pinakes discovered in Penteskouphia, near
Corinth, dated to the sixth century BC. 6
Even though there is a big time difference
between the painted pinakes and the kilns
discussed in this article, the pinakes still are
the best source for the appearance of our
kilns. In the meantime, they might have
become simpler, but the basic construction
and process of firing did not essentially
change. Although these types of kilns have
not yet been uncovered, their existence is
undeniable. 7
The usual up-draft kiln has a closed mud
brick structure with an upper and lower part
(Fig. 10). 8
The lower part consists of a stoking tunnel
and a furnace chamber. The stoking tunnel,
placed in the front of the furnace chamber, is
actually an arch-shaped tunnel, of variable
length, where the fuel is loaded (Fig. 25, a-
d). It was built of mud bricks, tiles, and pot-
tery wasters and measures from several cen-
timeters to several meters. The long tunnels
are more practical because they provide bet-
ter air draught. This is the place where the
warming of the kiln begins; later the fuel is
pushed further into the furnace chamber,
which is a way of protecting the whole con-
struction from violent explosion during eve-
ry fuel reloading.
Although the pinakes show only kilns
with circular furnace chambers, excavations
revealed kilns with different shapes: circular,
oval, rectangular, or square. Certain authors
believe that the stoking tunnel and the fur-
nace chamber were dug below floor level to
ensure better thermal isolation. 9 Of the
eleven kilns uncovered on Vardarski Rid,
6 Noble J.V., 1965, 72-74; Cuomo di Caprio N.,
1984, 77-82; Cook R. M., 1984, 64.
7 Cook R. M., 1984, 64.
8 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 74-75.
9 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 74; Cook R. M., 1984,
63, opinion based on the kilns of the Roman period in
Britain.

ki na Vardarski Rid, samo vo tri slu~ai se
zabele`uva vkopano lo`i{te i kanal pod
podnoto nivo (Pe~ka III, V i VI), dodeka kaj
ostanatite tie se izgradeni na nivo na
podot, {to se zabele`uva i na slikanite
pinaksi. Lo`i{tata imaat razli~ni dimen-
zii, no se dovolno visoki za da se ovozmo`i
normalno sogoruvawe. Kaj pe~kite na Var-
darski Rid lo`i{teto e visoko 0.40-0.50 m,
kolku {to iznesuva standardnata visina na
edna tula.
Lo`i{teto e odvoeno od gorniot del so
perforiran pod - re{etka na koj se redat
predmetite za pe~ewe. Na eden od pinaksite
e prika`ana {ematska pretstava na vna-
tre{nost na pe~ka na koja se gleda re{etka-
ta, ~ij nosa~ e centralno postaveno kru`no
stolp~e (sl. 25-d). Kerami~arite vo antika-
ta koristele razli~ni re{enija za re{etka-
ta i nejziniot nosa~, koi bi bile dovolno
cvrsti da ja izdr`at te`inata na predmeti-
te koi se pe~at i vo isto vreme da ima dovol-
no prostor vo lo`i{teto za normalno odvi-
vawe na procesot na gorewe. Re{etkata se
potpira na strani~nite yidovi na lo`i{te-
to, a odozdola na centralno stolp~e, radi-
jalni pilastri, popre~no postaveni rebra
ili prevrten kerami~en sad. Vrz osnova na
ovie razli~ni re{enija e izvedena i tipo-
logijata na pe~kite.10
Mislewata na prou~uva~ite najmnogu se
razlikuvaat po pra{aweto na gorniot del,
odnosno komorata, koja dosega ne e za~uvana
kaj niedna od istra`enite pe~ki. Taa mo`e
da bide privremena ili postojana. Privreme-
Postojana gorna Otvor za dovod na vozduh
konstrukcija Enhaust vent
Permanent domed
superstructure
Komora
Oven chamber
Perforiran pod - re{etka
Perforated oven floor
Lo`i{te
Furnace
chamber
Centralno stolp~e
Oven floor support
Sl. 10. [ematski prikaz na pe~ka od "zatvoren tip#, spored V. G. Swan.
Fig. 10. Shematic presentation of "up-draft" type of kiln, according V. G. Swan.
10 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 75.
Vardarski Rid
only three have their stoking tunnel and fur-
nace chamber dug below floor level (Kiln III,
V and VI). As for the others, their stoking
tunnels and furnace chambers are built on the
floor level, which can also be seen on the
pinakes. The furnace chambers are of differ-
ent heights, but they are high enough to pro-
vide for normal combustion. Of the kilns
uncovered on Vardarski Rid the furnace
chambers are 0.40-0.50 meter high, which is
actually the standard mud brick height.
The furnace chamber is separated from the
upper part by a perforated oven floor on
which the pottery is placed. On one of the
pinakes a cross-section view of the kiln is
depicted, where perforated floor is supported
by a free-standing circular shaped pedestal
(Fig. 25-d). The potters of antiquity tried dif-
ferent solutions regarding the perforated
floor and its support that had to be sturdy
enough to carry the weight of the pots to be
fired and at the same time to have enough
space in the furnace chamber for normal
burning process. The perforated floor rests
on the lateral walls of the furnace chamber
and, on the bottom, on a free-standing
pedestal, pilasters, cross-walls, or inverted
vessels. Based on these various solutions, a
typology of kilns was made. 10
The analysts’ opinions mostly differ con-
cerning the upper part, the oven chamber,
which was not preserved in any of our kilns.
An oven’s roof can be either temporary or
permanent. The temporary roof is a rudimen-
tary type of vault. Unfired vessels were
Kanal za lo`ewe
Stoking tunnel
10 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 75.
271
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
nata komora pretstavuva rudimentiran tip
svod, izveden na toj na~in {to nepe~enite
predmeti se redat na re{etkata eden vrz
drug, a potoa se pokrivaat so kerami~ni otpa-
doci i glina, pri {to se ostava otvor zaradi
dovod na vozduh. Po pe~eweto ovaa konstruk-
cija se kr{i, a za sekoe novo pe~ewe se
izrabotuva druga.11 Vakviot primitiven na-
~in na pokrivawe na sadovite vo pe~kata e
sli~en na "otvoreniot tip# pe~ki, a vo anti-
kata vakvite privremeni komori se koris-
tele za pe~ewe na grubi sadovi ili pokrivna
keramika, bidej}i zaradi niskata temperatu-
ra i neednakvoto cirkulirawe na topliot
vozduh se dobivaat nevoedna~eno ispe~eni
sadovi so sivo jadro.
Postojanata komora e vo vid na kupola iz-
rabotena od skalesto naredeni nepe~eni tuli,
ili, pak, od granki zategnati vo forma na lak
koi ja pretstavuvaat ramkata vrz koja se
nalepuva glina. Na korintskite pinaksi gor-
nata konstrukcija kaj site pe~ki e kupolesto
re{ena. Na vrvot imaat otvor-oxak, so koj se
regulira dovodot na kislorod, koj se zatvora
so fragment od tegula ili pogolem sad. Vo
zavisnost od toa dali oxakot e otvoren ili
zatvoren, se menuvaat uslovite na pe~ewe, so
ili bez prisustvo na kislorod, odnosno
uslovi na oksidacija ili redukcija, {to, pak,
vlijae na kvalitetot i bojata na sadot. Kaj
pogolemite pe~ki na strani~niot yid na kupo-
lata ima "vrata# so mal kru`en otvor preku
koj se kontrolira procesot na pe~ewe.
Kaj postojanite komori naj~esto postavu-
vano pra{awe e na~inot na redewe na sado-
vite vo pe~kata. Kako {to ve}e navedov, na
nekoi od pinaksite se zabele`uva vrata na
strani~niot yid na komorata koja se nao|a na
visina na perforiraniot pod ili malku nad
nego. Preku nea bi se postavile sadovite di-
rektno na podot, no za da se napolni pe~kata
ostanatite treba da se naredat odozgora, pre-
ku oxakot. Zaradi ova se pretpostavuva deka
samo dolnata polovina od kupolata e posto-
jana, a gornata se doyiduva otkako pe~kata }e
bide napolneta so sadovi. Po zavr{uvaweto
na pe~eweto gornata polovina bi moralo da
se iskr{i za da se izvadat sadovite.12 Ova
11 Cook R . M., 1984, 65; vakva gorna konstrukcija e
zabele`ana kaj rimskite pe~ki otkrieni vo V. Brita-
nija; svoeto mislewe go potvrduva i so eksperimentot
na Watson, kerami~ar od London, koj izvel uspe{na
rekonstrukcija na procesot na pe~ewe vo kopija na edna
od ovie pe~ki.
12 Cuomo Di Caprio N., 1984, 81.
272
stacked on the raised oven floor on top of
each other and then covered with ceramic
wasters and clay; a draught hole was left
open. After the firing, this construction is
demolished, and rebuilt for next firing. 11
This primitive way of roofing is similar to
the single chambered kilns of the open type.
In antiquity this type of temporary chamber
was used for firing coarse wares or roof tiles,
which usually are unevenly fired with a gray
core, because of the low temperature and bad
hot air circulation.
The permanent roof is usually dome
shaped, made of mud bricks arranged in a
scalar fashion or arches which are a frame
upon which clay is spread. All of the kilns
represented on the Corinthian pinakes have a
domed upper structure. On the top it has an
opening, an exhaust vent for draught regula-
tion, which is closed with a tegula fragment
or some other larger vessel. Opening or clos-
ing an exhaust vent influences firing condi-
tions, increasing or decreasing oxygen, that
is, regulating conditions of oxidation or
reduction, which influences the quality and
color of the vessel. In the larger kilns, on the
lateral wall there is a “door” with a small cir-
cular spy-hole, to observe and control the
burning process.
The most common question concerning the
permanent upper structure is the manner of
loading the vessels into the kiln. As I have
already mentioned, on some of the pinakes, a
“door” can be seen on the lateral wall of the
domed upper structure; it is placed at the
same level as the perforated oven floor or
slightly above it. Through it, the vessels
could be placed directly on the oven floor, but
to load the kiln, the rest have to be placed
from above, through an opening at the top.
This is why it is presumed that only the lower
half of the upper structure is permanent and
the uppermost part is built after the kiln is
filled with vessels. After the firing process is
complete, the upper half would have to be
demolished to extract the pottery. 12 This is
most likely done in cases when large vessels
are fired.
11 Cook R. M., 1984, 65; the same type of roof-
ing is noticed on Roman kilns uncovered in Britain;
the author confirms his opinion with the experi-
ment of Watson, a pottery craftsmen from London,
who has done a successful reconstruction of the fir-
ing process in a replica of one of these kilns.
12 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 81;

Sl. 11. Pe~ka vo s. Vrane{nica.
Fig. 11. Kiln in the village Vrane{nica.
osobeno e slu~aj koga se pe~at golemi skla-
di{ni sadovi.
Od slikanite pretstavi ne mo`e da se izve-
dat konkretni zaklu~oci za visinata na pe~-
kite. Pove}eto se mali, kako i ovie na Var-
darski Rid, dodeka na eden pinaks (sl. 25-c)
pretstaven e kerami~arot ka~en na skala za da
go dosegne vrvot na pe~kata, {to zna~i deka e
visoka dva do tri metri.13
Od napred iznesenoto, se zaklu~uva deka
gornata konstrukcija na pe~kite mo`e da se
izvede na dvata navedeni na~ini, {to naj-
verojatno zavisi i od tipot i goleminata na
pe~kata, no i od vidot na predmetite koi se
pe~at.
Kon ovoj zaklu~ok se nadovrzuvaat i dene{-
nite pe~ki za keramika.14 Imeno, ki~evskoto
selo Vrane{nica s¢ u{te va`i za eden od naj-
golemite kerami~arski centri vo koe e
zadr`ana tradicijata na grn~arskiot zanaet.
Pe~kite vo koi majstorite od Vrane{nica gi
pe~at sadovite se izgradeni na mnogu sli~en
na~in kako i anti~kite, i vo osnova princi-
pot na pe~ewe e ostanat ist. Lo`i{teto koe e
13 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 77, No. 5.
14 Za informaciite i otstapenite fotografii
mu blagodaram na Gordan Nikolov, etnolog vo Muze-
jot na Makedonija.
Vardarski Rid
Sl. 12. Pe~ka vo s. Vrane{nica -
perforiran pod.
Fig. 12. Kiln in the village Vrane{nica -
perforated oven floor.
Concrete conclusions concerning the
height of the kilns cannot be drawn from the
depictions on the pinakes or painted vessels.
Most of them are small, as are the ones
uncovered on Vardarski Rid, but on one
pinakes (Fig. 25-c) there is an image of the
potter standing on a ladder trying to reach the
top of the kiln. This suggests that the kiln
might be two or three meters high. 13
From all this we can come to the conclu-
sion that the upper kiln construction can be
made in two ways, probably dependant not
only on the type and size of the kiln, but also
on the type of object to be fired.
The kilns still used in present days confirm
this conclusion. 14 The village of Vrane{nica,
near Ki~evo, still represents one of the largest
ceramic centers where the pottery craftsman-
ship tradition has survived up to the present.
The kilns which the potters of Vrane{nica
use are built in pretty much the same manner
as the ancient ones, and basically the princi-
ple of firing has remained the same. The fur-
nace chamber is square on the outside and
round in the inside, and built of stones coat-
ed with mud. The vessels are placed on the
perforated oven floor and the upper construc-
tion is temporary. It is built of ceramic
wasters after the kiln is filled with pottery
(Figs. 11, 12).
Besides these, there are kilns with
rounded bases and domed upper structures.
13 Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, 77, No. 5.
14 For the photographs and information I an indebt-
ed to Gordan Nikolov, ethnologist in the Museum of
Macedonia.
273
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika
izyidano od kamen oblepen so kal odnadvor
ima kvadratna, a odnatre kru`na forma. Sado-
vite se redat na perforiraniot pod, a gornata
konstrukcija koja e privremena se izveduva od
iskr{eni par~iwa keramika otkako pe~kata
}e se napolni so sadovi (sl. 11, 12).
Za razlika od ovie, se sre}avaat i pe~ki so
kru`na osnova i so kupolna gorna konstruk-
cija (sl. 13).15 Vo vakvite pe~ki sadovite se
redat preku "vratata# koja se nao|a na stra-
ni~niot yid na kupolata i odozgora preku
oxakot. So ogled na toa {to se prili~no
visoki, majstorot vleguva vnatre. Ovie mnogu
potsetuvaat na visokata pe~ka pretstavena na
pinaksot od Korint (sl. 25-c).
Od brojot na dosega otkrienite pe~ki za
keramika, mo`e da se zaklu~i deka vo pred-
rimskiot grad na Vardarski Rid postoi
silna lokalna kerami~na produkcija, vrza-
na prete`no za II vek pr. n.e. Tie se so
razli~na forma i razli~ni dimenziii. Kaj
site relativno dobro se za~uvani strani~-
nite yidovi na lo`i{teto, kanalot za lo-
`ewe i nosa~ot na re{etkata, no vo nieden
slu~aj ne e otkriena samata re{etka. Edin-
stven pokazatel za nea se tragite od pleter
otkrieni vo nekolku pe~ki. Ova posledno-
vo se odnesuva i na gornata konstrukcija za
koja samo kaj pe~kata VIII ima nesigurni
indicii, i zasega }e se dr`ime do ve}e
iznesenata konstatacija deka vo zavisnost
od goleminata na pe~kata i nejzinata
konkretna namena za odreden vid predmeti,
taa mo`e da bide privremena ili posto-
jana. So ogled na toa {to vo niedna od niv
ne se otkrieni naodi, ne bi mo`elo da se
izvede zaklu~ok za kakvi predmeti bile
nameneti, no sepak mo`e da se pretpostavi
deka pomalite pe~ki slu`ele za pe~ewe na
terakotni figurini. Potvrda za ova pret-
stavuva `enskata terakotna pretstava
otkriena vo pridru`niot objekt na pe~ka
VIII, i analizata na glinata na nekolku
terakoti otkrieni na Akropolata, koja go
potvrduva nivnoto lokalno proizvod-
stvo.16
Ovoj trud pretstavuva prezentacija na
pe~kite za keramika otkrieni na Vardar-
ski Rid, no, od druga strana, povlekuva i
mnogu drugi pra{awa povrzani so ovaa an-
ti~ka tehnologija. Pred s¢, problemot na
mestopolo`bata na pe~kite vo ramkite na
objektite. So ogled na toa {to vo niv se
15 Kupolnata pe~ka na sl. 22 se nao|a vo Berovo.
16 Analizite na glinata gi izvr{i d-r. Pere To{ev.
274
Sl. 13. Kupolna pe~ka vo Berovsko.
Fig. 13. Domed Kiln in Berovo region.
(Fig. 13). 15 In this type of kiln the vessels
are loaded both through the “door” opening
on the lateral wall of the kiln’s upper struc-
ture and also from the chimney on the top.
Considering that the kilns are rather high, the
potter gets inside. This type of kiln resem-
bles the tall kiln image from the Corinthian
pinakes (Fig. 25-c).
By the number of pottery kilns unearthed,
we can conclude that there was a strong local
ceramic production in the pre-Roman town at
Vardarski Rid, chiefly in the second century
BC. The kilns all have different shapes and
dimensions. They all had well preserved fur-
nace chambers, stoking tunnels, and supports
for the perforated oven floors, which were not
preserved in any of the kilns. The only indica-
tion of the floors are traces of wattle and daub
uncovered in several kilns. This also accounts
for the upper construction of which only Kiln
VIII has uncertain indications. For now we will
stay with the conclusion that the kiln may have
had a temporary or permanent upper construc-
tion, depending on its size and use in firing cer-
tain types of clay objects. Considering that
there were no relevant finds in any of the kilns,
a conclusion about what kind of clay objects
were fired cannot be drawn. However, we can
presume that the smaller kilns may have been
used for firing terracotta figurines. This pre-
sumption is based on the female terracotta fig-
urine uncovered in the adjacent construction of
Kiln VIII and the clay analysis of several terra-
cotta figurines uncovered on the Acropolis.16
15 The domed shaped kiln on Fig. 22 is located in Berovo.
16 Clay analysis was done by Dr. Pere To{ev.
 Vardarski Rid

postignuva temperatura od 800-900 ºC, lo-
gi~no e da se smesteni vo otvoreni tremovi
ili sl. Na ova pra{awe }e se dade odgovor
duri po detalnata analiza na objektite.
Potoa, pra{awa koi se odnesuvaat na teh-
nolo{kiot aspekt na samiot proces, po~nu-
vaj}i od podgotovkata na glinata, izvedu-
vaweto na sadovite, na~inot na podgotovka
na firnizot, pa s¢ do problemot na proce-
sot na pe~eweto i hemiskite promeni koi
se slu~uvaat so glinata i firnizot pri
nivnoto izlo`uvawe na visoka temperatu-
ra vo pe~kite. Tuka spa|aat i utilitarnite
predmeti, kako i onie pridru`ni elementi
so pe~kite koi ovde se samo spomenati, a
koi verojatno }e bidat cel na nekoe sledno
prou~uvawe. Od druga strana, otkrivaweto
na idetitetot na lokalnite kerami~ari e
u{te pogolem pridones vo obidot da se
rekonstruira ovaa anti~ka tehnologija,
koja pretstavuva zna~aen segment vo grad-
skata ekonomija.
This article is a presentation of the pottery
kilns uncovered in Vardarski Rid, but touches on
many other questions related to this ancient tech-
nology, primarily the problem of placing kilns
within buildings, keeping in mind that kilns
reached temperatures up to 800-900º C. It is logi-
cal to presume that they were placed on open
porches or someplace similar. This question can
only be answered after a detailed analysis of the
buildings themselves. Then questions concerning
the technological aspect of the process itself, start-
ing with clay preparation, modeling of vessels,
glaze preparation, to the chemical changes of the
clay and glaze during their exposure to high tem-
peratures in the firing process, can be dealt with.
Also, the utilitarian objects as well as the adjacent
kiln constructions will be subject of some other
article. Pottery production in the town is undeni-
able, but discovering the identities of the local
potters would be a greater step in our attempt to
reconstruct this ancient technology, which repre-
sents an important segment of the town economy.

Silvana Bla`evska
Museum of Macedonia,
]ur~iska bb, Skopje
silvejn@yahoo.com

Bibliografija:
Bibliography:

Cuomo di Caprio N., 1984, Pottery Kilns on Pinakes from Korinth, Ancient Greek and Related
Pottery, Proceedings of the International Vase Symposium in Amsterdam,
72-82, Amsterdam.

Cook R. M., 1984, The Calke Wood Kiln, Ancient Greek and Related Pottery, Proceedings of
the International Vase Symposium in Amsterdam, 63-67, Amsterdam.

Husenovski B., 2004, Anti~kite moneti od Vardarski Rid, Gevgelija.

Mitrevski D., 2001, Staromakedonskiot grad na Vardarski Rid, Skopje.

Malenko V., 1978, Novi anti~ki naodi vo Ohrid i ohridsko, @A XXVIII, 339- 351,
Skopje.

Noble J. V., 1965, The Techniques of Painted Attic Pottery, New York.

Swan G. V., 1984, The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain, Royal Commission on Historical
Monuments, Supplementary Series 5, London.

275
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika

1 40 80 cm

Sl. 14. Pe~ka I.

Fig. 14. Kiln I.

Sl. 15. Pe~ka I -

pridru`en objekt
so otpadni jami.
Fig. 15. Kiln I - adjacent
structure with dump pits.

Kiln II

Kiln IV Kiln V

0 50 100 cm

Sl. 16. Pe~ka II - Kerami~arska rabotilnica.

Fig. 16. Kiln II - The Pottery Workshop.

276
 Vardarski Rid

0 50 100 cm

Sl. 17. Pe~ka III - Kerami~arska rabotilnica.

Fig. 17. Kiln III - The Pottery Workshop.

0 50 100 cm

Sl. 18. Pe~ka IV - Kerami~arska rabotilnica.

Fig. 18. Kiln IV - The Pottery Workshop.

277
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika

0 50 100 cm

Sl. 19. Pe~ka V - Kerami~arska rabotilnica.

Fig. 19. Kiln V - The Pottery Workshop.

0 50 100 cm

Sl. 20. Pe~ka VII - Rabotilnicata na Menek.

Fig. 20. Kiln VII - The Workshop of Menek.
278
 Vardarski Rid

0 20 40 cm

Sl. 21. Pe~ka VIII - Rabotilnicata na Menek.

Fig. 21. Kiln VIII - The Workshop of Menek.

0 20 40 cm

Sl. 22. Pridru`en objekt vo Rabotilnicata na Menek.

Fig. 22. The adjacent structure in the Workshop of Menek.

Sl. 23. Pitos so sadovi-

vo Rabotilnicata na
Menek.
Fig. 23. Pithos with vessels
in the Workshop of Menek.

279
Silvana Bla`evska - Pe~ki za keramika

0 20 40 cm

Sl. 24. Pe~ka XI - Ku}a so svetili{te.

Fig. 24. Kiln XI - The House with a Sanctuary.

a b

Sl. 25. Korintski pinaksi od Penteskufija

(spored N. Kuomo di Kaprio). d
Fig. 25. Corinthian pinakes from Penteskouphia
(according N. Cuomo di Caprio).

280