Medieval history of art in North Macedonia

1. OOU "Goce Delcev"-Aerodrom
Medieval art period in
North Macedonia
Together with Arts-
2020/2022

2. Despite a number of significant achievements, architecture in North Macedonia in the early Middle Ages, compared to the
accomplishments of Constantinople and Thessaloniki, was largely of provincial character. But fresco-painting in North
Macedonia in the same period equaled the greatest and most beautiful works of the Byzantine Empire. Portrait painting
was also an important art in the mediaeval period. Among the most famous portraits made on Macedonian soil are the
portraits of King Milutin and Simonida in Staro Nagoricane, the portraits of Dusan and Helena at Lesnovo, the group
portrait of the Paskaca family at Psaca.
Icon painting
After several visits by the Apostle Peter to Thessaloniki, Christianity began to quickly spread throughout Macedonia.
Confirmation of this are a number of early Christian basilicas in Macedonia, including a hundred or so square meters of
excellently preserved floor mosaics abounding in iconography and showing a high level of technical expertise, remnants
of stone sculptures and 50 recently unearthed icons in ruins near the small town of Vinica.
Wood carving
It is normal to suppose that decorative sculpture was complementary to fresco-painting and an integral part of the
architectural arrangements and the architectural conception. The oldest specimens of decorative sculpture in Macedonia
are the wood carvings on the altar screen in the church of St. Sophia in Ohrid. After the Ottoman conquest, the influence
of Middle Eastern elements in the Macedonian wood carving became much stronger. The shallow and flat arabesque
style of carving dominating until the 17th century began to be replaced by more intricate styles of carving. In the
monasteries of Slepce, Treskavec, Zrze, Varos (near Prilep), and in the Monastery of the Holy Immaculate Virgin of Kicevo,
a number of works by Macedonian wood-carvers have been preserved.
Introduction (Medieval period in North Macedonia)

3. Simonida in Staro
Nagoricane
King Stefan Milutin
Dusan and Helena at Lesnovo
St. Nikola The Most Holy Mother of God
(Mary)
1299–1321 8 September 1331 –
16 April 1346
1282–1321
15 March 270
6 December 343

4. St. Jovan Bigorski Wood Canvas

5. ■ Roman architecture is scattered throughout the
country. Skopje is home to a few examples of
this type of architecture. One is the Skopje
Aqueduckt, the only aqueduct in North
Macedonia. It consists of 55 stone arches.
Another example is Scupi. Although not much
remains of this archaeological site, burial
grounds and a theatre are somewhat visible.
Other examples of Roman architecture in North
Macedonia includes the many Roman ruins in
and around the town of Strumica. One of the
largest is a well-preserved Roman therma, built
during Late Antiquity.
Roman and Gothic styles
The Skopje Aqueduct
Walls in Scupi

6. ■ The earliest example of architectural activity in
North Macedonia date from the Neolithic and
consist of structures associated with Megalith
culture. Kokino is the fourth oldest megalithic
observatory in the world. The site consists of
rocks crafted in a way that lets one observe
celestial objects. Remnants of the architecture
from the times of the ancient Macedonian
Kingdom are scattered throughout North
Macedonia, especially in the south of the
former territory of Macedon.
■ Heraclea Lyncestis, founded in the middle of the
4th century BC, was an important strategical
town as it bordered Epirus to the west and the
Paeonian kingdoms to the
north. Roman architecture dominates the site
today because of the level of the excavations
which are exposing the layers from the Roman
times.
■ The Ancient Theatre in present-day Ohrid was
built during the 1st century BC. It was part of the
ancient town of Lychnidos. It is reconstructed
and in use today. Its location between two hills
that surround it keep it protected from winds
that could interfere with acoustics during
performances.
Architecture
Ancient Theatre of Ohrid

7. Sculpture

8. Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery
● The Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski is a
Macedonian Orthodox monastery located in the
western part of North Macedonia, near the road
connecting the towns of Debar and Gostivar.
The monastery church is dedicated to St. John
the Baptist. One of its most valuable treasures is
the iconostasis, created by Petre Filipovski –
Garkata from the nearby village of Gari, and
considered one of the finest examples of wood-
carved iconostases.

9. Stone Bridge Skopje
● The Stone Bridge is a bridge across the
Vardar River in Skopje, the capital of the
Republic of North Macedonia. The bridge is
considered a symbol of Skopje and is the
main element of the coat of arms of the
city, which in turn is incorporated in the
city's flag. It is located in Centar
municipality and it connects Macedonia
Square to the Old Bazaar.

10. . Skopje Aqueduct
● The Skopje Aqueduct is an aqueduct and
archaeological site located in the
neighbourhood of Vizbegovo 2 km northwest
of central Skopje,North Macedonia. The Skopje
Aqueduct is the only aqueduct in North
Macedonia, and one of three largest and well
preserved in the former Yugoslavia along with
Diocletianus Aqueduct near Split, Croatia and
Bar Aqueduct in Montenegro.

11. Monastery of Saint Naum
● The Monastery of Saint Naum is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in
North Macedonia, named after the medieval Saint Naum who founded
it.It is situated along Lake Ohrid, 29 kilometres south of the city of Ohrid.

12. Skopje Fortress
● The Skopje Fortress commonly referred to as
Kale (from kale, the Turkish word for 'fortress'),
is a historic fortress located in the old town of
Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. It is
located in Centar municipality and situated on
the highest point in the city overlooking the
Vardar River. The fortress is depicted on the
coat of arms of Skopje, which in turn is
incorporated in the city's flag.

13. Samuel's Fortress, Ohrid
● Samuel's Fortress is a fortress in the old town of Ohrid, North
Macedonia.Today, this historical monument is a major tourist attraction
and was heavily restored in 2003 with the addition of entirely new
battlements where none had survived.

14. The orthography of Macedonian includes an alphabet Consisting of 31 Letters.
(Macedonian: Македонска азбука, Makedonska azbuka), which is an
adaptation of the Cyrillic script, as well as language-specific conventions
of spelling and punctuation.
The Macedonian alphabet was standardized in 1945 by a committee formed
in Yugoslav Macedonia after the Partisans took power at the end of World
War II. The alphabet used the same phonemic principles employed by Vuk
Karadžić (1787–1864) and Krste Misirkov (1874–1926).
Before standardization, the language had been written in a variety of
different versions of Cyrillic by different writers, influenced by Russian,
Early Cyrillic, Bulgarian (after 1899) and Serbian (after 1913) orthography.
Calligraphy

16. ● The main characteristic of the Macedonian costume is the embroidery with
luxurious and geometric patterns, srma and braids, as well as jewelry made
of metal, silver, beads and fruits of nature. ... A characteristic of the
Macedonian embroidery is the densely embroidered surfaces and specific
ornaments and motifs.
Embroidery

17. Бардаче за вода Butterfly Macedonian
Traditional Traditional Macedonian Silver Filigree Art
Macedonian Filigree Art
Water pich

22. ● Macedonian music styles developed under the strong influence of Byzantine church music. It can
be stated with some certainty that all of the 3,500 disciples of Clement and Naum studied music
as they prepared to spread and establish Christianity, as music education was obligatory for
service in the clergy. In addition to spreading the liturgy of the Orthodox Church, they spread
Byzantine liturgical music throughout Macedonia. In 1894, the first cultural and artistic
association was founded in Veles, with the music being its dominant activity. The first modern
Macedonian musician was Atanas Badev, born in Prilep in 1860, a student at the Moscow
Academy of Music, but his only preserved work is the "Liturgy for a Mixed Choir. At the end of the
19th century, the first choirs and orchestras using notation signs began to appear in Macedonia.
The Mokranjac choir founded in Skopje in 1922 played a remarkable role in the development of
music life in Macedonia. In 1934, the Mokranjac School of Music was opened in Skopje and an
active part in its work was taken by Trajko Prokopiev and Todor Skalovski, both of whom later
became distinguished Macedonian composers and founders of contemporary Macedonian music,
together with Stefan Gajdov, Zivko Firfov, and Petre Bogdanov-Kocko. On 5th February 1947, the
first concert of the Radio Skopje Symphonic Orchestra was given, conducted by Todor Skalovski,
and featuring soloists Didar Ali on violin, Liljana Kostic on piano, Gligor Smokvarski on clarinet,
and Ivan Vlahov on viola. The program included works by Mozart, Chopin, and Dvorak, but more
than its content, its context was that of an exceptional event in the music life of the country.
Music and dance

23. ● Traditional folk dance is arguably the best way to discover and experience the Macedonian culture. Most of
Macedonia's folklore consists of folktales, aphorisms, traditional folk dances, folk embroidery, colourful costumes,
folklore music and pottery. There are many traditional folk dances in Macedonia and all are different and beautiful in
their own way. They burst with rhythms, fast dancing steps, colorful costumes, vigorousness and beautiful songs and
are named according to instruments, customs and rituals as well as names of towns and villages.
● The traditional folk dances are usually performed during important holidays including Christmas, Feast of Saint Peter
and Paul, Easter, Saint George’s Day as well as during national holidays and various celebrations. The most popular
and world-known folk ensemble of Macedonia is “Tanec” which is considered as an ambassador of the Macedonian
folklore tradition worldwide.
● The most popular traditional Macedonian folk dance is “Teshkoto”, it is considered as one of the most beautiful dances
and it is performed only by men. “Teshkoto” originates from Lazaropole and its origins date back to times when poor
villagers had to go abroad so they could provide for the families. The dance was then performed at the end of the
village where the families sent their close ones therefore its name “the difficult” representing hardship and struggle as
well as the difficult moves performed by the dancers. The dance is accompanied by two zurlas and a drum. Another
beautiful Macedonian folk dance is “Nevestinsko” which originates from Mala Reka an area around Debar. “Sedenka”
is a vivid traditional folk dance where both men and women participate. The dance originates from the villages of
Sredorek and Zegliovo and it represents the life of young people many years ago.

24. In medieval Macedonia, the way of dressing was similar but still
different from other countries. Women in the cities wore long
dresses that were often decorated, often wore hats, etc. Folk
costumes were also worn. Men often wore hats and suits.
Culture (customs, traditions, savoir-vivre)

26. Food
The rich and vibrant traditional recipes, some dating back centuries, will conjure up food that’s some of the
most delicious. Most Macedonian dishes are a perfect combination of organic produce, quality meat, and
dairy. But pastry is also a key staple in Macedonian cuisine. In fact, Macedonians eat bread with almost
everything you can think of. The locals enjoy salads before meals, along with homemade rakija. This is a
traditional alcoholic drink. Some of the most famous and traditional dishes in out country are: Sarma (Stuffed
Cabbage Rolls)- It is a winter dish made of fermented cabbage leaves, rice, and ground beef. Tavce Gravce
(Baked Beans)- It is made of boiled beans, seasoned with a roux that includes dry red pepper. The mixture is
baked in a pan or skillet. According to the tradition, tavce gravce is usually prepared as a Friday lunch. Ajvar
(Pepper Spread)- Ajvar is a legendary food for many Macedonians. So much so, many are keeping the
tradition of preparing it alive, no matter how long it takes to prepare it. Ajvar is a pepper spread made of
roasted red pepper, paprika, and eggplant. These ingredients are mixed, mashed, and slowly fried with salt
and oil for several hours. Macedonian families gather to make tens of kilos of ajvar and store it in jars for the
winter period. Polneti Piperki (Stuffed Bell Peppers)- a filling and flavorful main dish. It is made of red or
green bell peppers, stuffed with ground meat and rice. There are so much more traditional dishes in our
country, every single one with specific taste.

27. .
More traditional food
Sarma
Tavce Gravce
Ajvar
Polneti Piperki
Turlitava – Vegetable and Meat Stew
Mekici – Fried Dough
Pogacha- round loaf
Burek (pie-with meat or white cheese)

28. ● Jana Davidovska
● Anja Atanasovska
● Ana Atanasovska
● Tea Nikolova
● Mila Atanasovska
● Marko Trpkovski
● Mirjana Damjanova
● Sara Andonova
● Nina Jakimovska
● Jana Ancevska
● Matea Blazevska
This presentation was prepared by the students of the
elementary school OOU. Goce Delcev in Skopje.