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Ancient Mythology
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1. The name Macedonia derives from the word Macedon, son of Zeus and Deucalin's daughter Tia.
2. Macedon was on of the fifty sons of the Arcadian king Licaon.
3. Macedon was the son of the Egyptian God Osiris. Osiris departed to conquer the world together with his sons Hanibus and Macedon. Hanibus covered himself with a dog skin and Macedon had wolf's head emblem. Osiris killed the king Licurg in Thracea, proclaimed Macedon as king and left him in the country that carried his name Macedonia.
| Slavonic Mythology |
The main God of the Slavs was Perun (Svetovid) - the Master of Lightening. Dajbog was the God of Sun, Volos - the God of livestock, Vesna- Goddess of Spring and youth, Morena -Goddess of winter and death. The Slavs did not believe in destiny but believed that the victim will be saved. There is a strong correlation of the Slavonic mythology and the Iranian influence.
| A First Historical Annotation on Macedonia |
The inscription on the tomb of Ramez III in Medinet Habu (1195 B.C.) gives a detailed description of some Mediterranean people who come to plunder and conquer the Pharaoh Menerptah in the 13th century B.C. The Pulasi i.e. Pelasi, who are ancient inhabitants of the Aegean region, are mentioned among these peoples.
| The Neolithic period in Macedonia |
The Balkan - Anadolian Cultural Complex
Barutnitsa, near the village of Anzabegovo (Sv. Nikole) and Vrshnikner Tarintsi (Shtip) are considered to be the oldest settlements. Much later similar settlements emerged in the western part Macedonia (Tumba near Porodin and Velushka Tumba near Velushino). The ceramic cult objects in the shape of miniature models of houses known as zhrtvenits (sacrificial altars) are of great importance as to determining the appearance of the houses.
These were made of ceramics, sometimes wood, textile or bone. The ceramic products were vessels for food preparation or the transport and storing of water and food, from the smallest to ones holding dozens of liters. The medium sized vessels so-called askoses retained the shape of their predecessors, the waterskins. These regularly had handles through which ropes were pulled so that they could be hung in the house or carried home. The cult vessels were most frequently used in the offering of sacrifice which involved a precious matter such as oil, milk, blood or fruit to the demons, deities or ancestors.
These were worn on the body either as ornaments or indicators of age, gender and social standing or as protection from unwanted influences such as illness, evil eyes and accidents and were of an anthropomorphic nature. The dominant role is played by the earth which is identified with the woman - the mother - the giver of birth. The powerful symbol and deity known as mother - earth transmutes into her symbolic counterpart mother - house.
These are mostly instances of miniature animals (goats, sheep, pigs or deer) represented with a little vessel on their back used to offer the blood of the sacrificed animal.
Alters They were used for the burning of aromatic herbs or substances, the offering of fruit to the higher powers.
THE METAL AGE
Starting with the end of the fourth and continuing to the first millenium B.C. the Balkan and Macedonia in particular were pounded by a number of migration waves. In view of Dyakonov's hypothesis that these newcomers the ushers-in of this epoch are Indo-European who each brought to the Balkans the Old Balkan population, their languages, their myths and their gods. The end of the third millenium brought the Mycenaean Cretan civilization to the south of the Balkan Peninsula. They were made up of a number of highly organized cultural communities with an internal class differentiation and organized urban settlements ruled by governing dynasties. A remarkable example of a bronze sword believed to be a Mycenaean import (dated 14th c, B.C.) was found near the town of Tetovo. On the Kluchka -Hipodrom site near Skopje, in a tomb from the end of the second millenium B.C. , a boar's tusk showed parts of the lining of a helmet typical for of Mycenaean warrior.
Settlements and fortresses
The Eneolithic settlements were built on slopes of strategic importance, in river basins or on important communication routes, enclosed within high fortifications of piled up earth , stone and wooden fences on the ridge. They were intended for the whole clan,, or a certain class or were primarily of a defensive or military nature. So far the following settlements have been explored: Burlichevo and Pilavo, the Kochani region; Kostoperska Karpa, the Kumanovo region; Skopsko Kale, Skopje; Chepigovo and bakarno Gumno, the Prilep region; Dolno Oreovo and Shuplevets, the Bitola region; Vranishta, Tsrkveni livadi, the Struga region; Tumba Karamani, Bitola; Tumba Kravari, Bitola and Tumba Palchishte, Tetovo.
Craft products
Vessels with an indented brim and goblets with two handles, incrustation that involved engraving the usually dark ceramics, decorating the ceramics with fugitive paste colors, baking and painting with a graphite emulsion giving it an extraordinary metallic shine. They are bi-conical vessels with one or two handles. Lamps used for lighting appear.
In the Eneolithic period there are no signs of a highly organized religion. The miniature mostly female ceramic cult figures evoked the feeling of the presence of a goddess.
Jewelry from an artistic element
The deities and symbols implanted in the jewelry were to be found in man's belief that, by wearing such jewelry, he would establish permanent contact with the factor represented on it such as cosmic elements, deities and mystical powers. This gradually grew into elements denoting the age, sex, societal and social standing and the tribal affiliation. Its shapes are key elements in the ethno-cultural differentiation of the population.
These had sacral and magic properties an were used as part of the rituals.
The charms were designed to present a relationship between the animals and the vessel where the water was placed, a symbol of life-giving liquid.