Strumica Fortress

About

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. The largest number of cult objects is made up of anthropomorphic figurines and to a lesser extent cult tables, amulets, spindle whorls and certain objects that do not have a clear purpose. One of the most significant finds at the Carevi Kuli site is the oldest metal tool awl, found in situ at the sites in Macedonia.

Judging by its overall material characteristics, the Chalcolithic culture of Carevi Kuli belongs to the complex that culturally unites the area between the rivers Struma and Vardar. In Macedonia, this complex is known as Carevi Kuli-Burilchevo-Spanchevo. In the Struma River valley, this culture is known as the Gradeshnica-Slatino-Dikili Tash II cultural complex.

Towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC, the bearers of the Early Bronze Age began the second phase of continuous settlement of the Carevi Kuli site. Research on the southeastern slope showed that the Bronze Age settlement emerged immediately above the strata from the Chalcolithic era. Such settlements are known as hillfort type, i.e. settlements positioned on high and inaccessible hills that dominate the surroundings. The research revealed two phases of living in the settlement from the Early Bronze Age. The buildings were placed on terraces cut into the slope.

The next stage in the development of the prehistoric culture of Carevi Kuli belongs to the Middle Bronze Age. Immediately above the younger residential phase of the Early Bronze Age, the settlement of the Middle Bronze Age was formed, in apparent continuity. The residential horizon from this phase shows differences in the organization of the buildings which, in this period, were organized independently and placed on different terraces. In most buildings, the terrace was artificially cut into the rock and the buildings were built with stakes. The buildings from the time of the Middle Bronze Age were above ground and, most likely, they were built with wooden construction. Unlike the Early Bronze ones, at least one of the buildings had an apse on the eastern side.

The material culture, mainly consisting of common Bronze Age pottery, connects the settlement from the Early Bronze Age with the settlements from the north and that from the Middle Bronze Age with the settlements from the south. Among those from the Middle Bronze Age, the most impressive are the vessels with so-called wishbone handles and those richly decorated with geometric carvings. The chronological, geographical and cultural affiliation of the finds from the Middle Bronze Age connects the prehistoric settlement of Carevi Kuli with the so-called Minoan culture.

Sporadic findings from the Early Iron Age have been recorded at the Carevi Kuli site. The largest part consists of finds of pottery, above all, bowls with a channeled rim, jugs decorated with hatched hanging triangles, portable ovens (pyraunoi), etc.

It seems that the waves of the Aegean migrations also passed through these parts, but they remained on the site for a very short time. The top of the hill at that time was probably a point from where the waves of migration continued their march toward the rich settlements of the Aegean.

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. The largest number of cult objects is made up of anthropomorphic figurines and to a lesser extent cult tables, amulets, spindle whorls and certain objects that do not have a clear purpose. One of the most significant finds at the Carevi Kuli site is the oldest metal tool awl, found in situ at the sites in Macedonia.

Judging by its overall material characteristics, the Chalcolithic culture of Carevi Kuli belongs to the complex that culturally unites the area between the rivers Struma and Vardar. In Macedonia, this complex is known as Carevi Kuli-Burilchevo-Spanchevo. In the Struma River valley, this culture is known as the Gradeshnica-Slatino-Dikili Tash II cultural complex.

Towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC, the bearers of the Early Bronze Age began the second phase of continuous settlement of the Carevi Kuli site. Research on the southeastern slope showed that the Bronze Age settlement emerged immediately above the strata from the Chalcolithic era. Such settlements are known as hillfort type, i.e. settlements positioned on high and inaccessible hills that dominate the surroundings. The research revealed two phases of living in the settlement from the Early Bronze Age. The buildings were placed on terraces cut into the slope.

The next stage in the development of the prehistoric culture of Carevi Kuli belongs to the Middle Bronze Age. Immediately above the younger residential phase of the Early Bronze Age, the settlement of the Middle Bronze Age was formed, in apparent continuity. The residential horizon from this phase shows differences in the organization of the buildings which, in this period, were organized independently and placed on different terraces. In most buildings, the terrace was artificially cut into the rock and the buildings were built with stakes. The buildings from the time of the Middle Bronze Age were above ground and, most likely, they were built with wooden construction. Unlike the Early Bronze ones, at least one of the buildings had an apse on the eastern side.

The material culture, mainly consisting of common Bronze Age pottery, connects the settlement from the Early Bronze Age with the settlements from the north and that from the Middle Bronze Age with the settlements from the south. Among those from the Middle Bronze Age, the most impressive are the vessels with so-called wishbone handles and those richly decorated with geometric carvings. The chronological, geographical and cultural affiliation of the finds from the Middle Bronze Age connects the prehistoric settlement of Carevi Kuli with the so-called Minoan culture.

Sporadic findings from the Early Iron Age have been recorded at the Carevi Kuli site. The largest part consists of finds of pottery, above all, bowls with a channeled rim, jugs decorated with hatched hanging triangles, portable ovens (pyraunoi), etc.

It seems that the waves of the Aegean migrations also passed through these parts, but they remained on the site for a very short time. The top of the hill at that time was probably a point from where the waves of migration continued their march toward the rich settlements of the Aegean.

Towards the end of the 5th century BC, the locality was used again by the population that built the first urban settlement at the foot of Carevi Kuli under the foundations of today's Strumica. Most likely, these were Paeonian tribes which, sometime at the beginning of the 4th century BC, fell under the domination of the ancient Macedonian state. Judging by the material findings, the first conquest of these areas probably took place under Amyntas III so that already under Philip II and Alexander III these areas were fully integrated within the Macedonian state.