Peek under the Canopy. Mining Landscapes in the West Osogovo Mountains

This project examines the challenging and underexplored mining landscape of the western slopes of the Osogovo Mountains (NE North Macedonia) and the role of the extraction and processing of its rich polymetallic ore deposits in the economy of the great empires, Roman and Ottoman, hitherto only anticipated based on literary sources, the scarce archaeological record, and outlined by a preliminary field prospection conducted in 2022.

The reconstruction and examination of the spatial and temporal development of mining installations, settlements and communications lie at the heart of this project. The aim is to trace and quantify the intensification of mining activities and relate this to increasing numbers of rural settlements and a more articulated settlement hierarchies including farms, mining or metallurgical camps, and central places.

The research design encompasses the processing and analysis of LiDAR data collected over a large area, invasive and non-invasive fieldwork using drone-photography, 3-D scanning, survey and test-pits. Planned radiometric analyses include the C14 dating of organic remains and chemical analyses of ore- and slag-samples.

This study seeks to understand long-term trends and, in particular, explore the relation between local settlement patterns and large-scale mining operations through time. By this, we hope to provide basis for follow-up project contextualizing the technological developments of mining techniques in the Balkans from prehistory to the late medieval period.

This project is undertaken in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum and the Institute of National History in Skopje, the Republic of North Macedonia.

Team Members:

Dr. phil. Barbora Weissová, ÚKAR

Dr. Marek Verčík, ÚKAR

Mgr. Petra Tušlová, PhD, ÚKAR

Ass. Prof. Damjan Donev, Institute of National History in Skopje

Radomir Ivanovic, MA, The Archaeological Museum of Republic of North Macedonia

PhD Position with a working Title: Exploration of the Mining Landscapes in the West Osogovo Mountains Using LIDAR

We are seeking a candidate for a fully financed 4-year PhD position within this project. The PhD candidate is expected to focus on the refinement of non-destructive remote sensing techniques used for the exploration of mining landscapes, with a special focus on the utilization of LIDAR imagery to identify remains connected with mining activities. The examined area is situated in the NE part of the Republic of North Macedonia and it is known for its rich polymetallic ore deposits, probably exploited since Prehistory.

Degree: PhD in Classical Archaeology
Anticipated start of the PhD study is the 1st of October 2025.
Deadline for the Application: 28.2.2025

For more information about the position see PhD position.

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