Cultural Transformation and Resilience Strategies in the Macedonian Iron Age (8th–5th Centuries BC)

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How did local communities respond to social and cultural changes during the Iron Age? This question is the focus of a research project conducted by the Institute for Prehistoric, Protohistoric, and Provincial Roman Archaeology at LMU Munich in cooperation with international partner institutions in Austria (ÖAI Vienna) and North Macedonia (Archaeological Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje).

The focus is on the Milci necropolis near Gevgelija in North Macedonia, one of the region’s most significant burial grounds. The excavations provide valuable insights into burial rituals, social structures, and the role of local elites between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C. Among the most important finds are richly furnished graves containing jewelry, ceramic vessels, and weapons, which shed light on the status, identity, and cultural contacts of the population at that time.

This site is of particular significance because it is one of the few places in Macedonia where the evolving Iron Age can be traced. The research thus makes a significant contribution to our understanding of continuity and change during a period of profound social transformation in the Balkans. At the same time, the project promotes international scholarly exchange and the training of the next generation of archaeologists through joint fieldwork.