THE MOST AUTHENTIC EARLY CHRISTIAN ARTWORK FROM MACEDONIA PRESENTED IN HERZEGOVINA

The Museum of Herzegovina in Trebinje has opened an exhibition titled “Terracotta Icons” from Vinica Kale, organized in collaboration with the Local Archaeological Museum “Terracotta” from Vinica, North Macedonia, and the Museum of Herzegovina.

PHOTO: Trebinje Live

The exhibition was curated by Julijana Ivanova, Blagica Stojanova, and Magdalena Manaskova. Vinica Kale, located on a small hill near the town of Vinica in eastern North Macedonia, is an archaeological site that was first excavated in 1985. Findings indicate that the site was inhabited from the Eneolithic period in the 5th century BCE up to the 12th century.

The fortress reached its peak during the Late Antiquity period (4th–6th century) as one of the largest military-administrative settlements in the region. The terracotta icons represent some of the most authentic examples of early Christian artistic production discovered on Macedonian territory, according to Blagica Stojanova, curator of the Local Archaeological Museum “Terracotta” in Vinica.

The icons are made of clay, molded using a cast, with relief depictions on the front plates. The scenes, which include textual elements in Latin script, depict figures or short religious texts. They illustrate episodes from the Old and New Testament and are unique in the world, showcasing early Christian art and cultural achievement not only in North Macedonia but across the Balkans.