Do you know the biblical story about Jesus Navin (Joshua) and his friend Caleb?
The Old Testament Book about Jesus Navin describes the moment when he stops the Sun above Gibeon and the Moon above the valley of Ayalon before the great victory over the Israelis and Amorites. Jesus Navin was one of the greatest heroes of the Old Testament and Hebrew history and is one of the three greatest heroes of the glorious Judaic past along with David and Judas Maccabeus.
Only few lines have been preserved from the show “The stopping of the Sun and the Moon of Gibeon” and its earliest performance was probably during the cycle depicted in the songs of Saint Paulinus of Nola. The oldest preserved one was done in the mosaic decoration of the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome during the late first half of V century. A version of the character of Jesus Navin in the scene “Stopping of the Sun and the Moon” was performed between the illuminations of the Syriac manuscript number 341 from the Paris National Library, dating from VII – VIII century – almost the same period as the Rotulus of Jesus Navin from Vatican.
However, in order to see the illustrated story about the hero you don’t have to go to Vatican, Paris or Rome.
Come to Vinica!
When I go to this Macedonian town set in the base of the mountain Plachkovica, at the northern coast of the river Bregalnica, in the eastern part of Macedonia, I look towards the sun; I look for the moon amazed by the Jesus Navin’s feat. I imagine entering the history of my Macedonian biblical people through a big gate. Vinica is a town with population of 10.000, the center of the municipality with the same name; a town with many smaller rivers, Vinichka and Gradecha among them. I always proudly go there.
The barbarians Jesus and Caleb
The fortress is located at the hill above the town. There is an asphalt road leading to it, as well as a 1000 square meter parking space, an access path to the entrance and the site is completely illuminated. The famous early-Christian terracotta icons with scenes from the Old Testament, illustrated psalms, Christological pictures and pictures with characters of Christian saints can be found there. Among them is the icon depicting Jesus and Caleb. The terracotta icons are plates made of clay. This composition – the Vinica scena of “The stopping of the Sun and the Moon” depicts only Jesus Navin and Caleb.
That highlights the symbolic of the event and indicates the glory of the great victory of the chosen people. The triumphant character of the Vinica relief of Joshua and Caleb is accentuated by one specific detail – the helmets decorated with horns that the two warriors are wearing, something considered a barbaric sign. The earliest material culture at the Vinica fortress dates back to the Neolith. That has been confirmed by the stone tools (hatchets), whole and fragmented ceramic dishes, remains of cottage walls and continuity goes on through the Eneolith and Bronze Age. The Iron Age offers more remains of material culture in these regions.
The Vinica terracotta icons are among the most exclusive findings in the history of Macedonian archaeology. So far, they have been exhibited in several world centers: Vatican, Zagreb, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split (Croatia); Ljubljana, Celje, Kranj (Slovenia); Aquileia, Maastricht (Holland); Sophia, Saint Petersburg, Moscow (Russia); Paris, Melbourne (Australia); Belgrade, Munich, Wurzburg, Wiesenberg (Germany); Bregenz, Linz (Austria), Warsaw, Lisbon, etc.
Ancient splendor and decadence
The center of all cultural happenings in Vinica is the Culture Home. I can still hear the sound of the mandolin strings of Slavko, a music artist from Vinica in my head, and the “Terracotta” museum is a special attraction for the visitors.
It is located in the town’s center, in the municipality building. It works Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm. The entrance costs 50 denars for adults and 30 denars for children. With every visit, the visitors get to walk the Vinica fortress with a guide. Tools of the prehistoric people, mysterious cults of the first civilizations, the ancient splendor and decadence, the modesty of the first Christians and their profound faith, the combativeness of the barbarian tribes – all of that is collected in one place. The “Terracotta” museum offers the story of Vinica’s timelessness with the richest collection of terracotta icons.
In the area of the Vinica fortress where traces from Neolithic habitats have been found, there are also many bone remains from domestic and wild animals.
According to discovered materials from the Vinica fortress and the surrounding archaeological sites the region of Vinica was inhabited during the Neolith (12th to 6th century BC). It is considered that the area was inhabited by the Paeonians and that the present town was created from a Byzantine fortress that was a wine production center. The vineyards on the Vinica hill were abandoned after 1980 when the archaeological researches became more active.
Armonia or Astibo?
The origin of the name still hasn’t been clarified. According to the logs from the terracotta icons, the name Vinica was connected to the name Vinea. Some connect it to the Venetians with the Vinca culture. According to a local legend, the name came because of a dry period of several years when the houses were built using wine instead of water. Radmilo Petrovik thinks that the former town of Armonia is the town of Vinica with the fortress rising above it. According to him, the name has Thracian origin that was changed by the Turks when they arrived. Because they didn’t know the true meaning of the name they related it to the most similar Turkish word “Aramija” (somebody who does bad things). It was later changed to the local language with the same meaning – Vinica.
Marijan Jovanov also has an interpretation of the town’s name. He thinks that there was an early-ancient settlement on the location and the Phillip II’s silver tetradrachms point to its dating. Following the archaeological remains at the site, he claims that the town of Astibo was located at Vinica fortress.
The town’s protector is Saint Paul, to whom a chapel in front of the municipality building is dedicated. Other interesting places to visit are the town church “Saint Archangel Michael”, the church “St Joachim” in the village of Jakimovo, “Saint Apostle and evangelist Luke”, “Saint Ilija” in the village of Blatec, “Saint John the Baptist” in the village of Leski, “Saint Demetrius” in the village of Grljani, etc.
The site of Mojmija in the village of Blatec, a late-ancient settlement from the Iron Age is something that also needs to be visited. It is located 4 km north of the village above the Vinica-Berovo road. Other sites include: Ila - an Iron Age necropolis located in the northern part of the town, Barbash ravine, Gradishte 1, Gradishte 2, Rusalski cemetery in the village of Kalimanci and Mogila in the village of Laki.
The archaeological site “Vinica” is a medieval settlement. A ceramic pot bakery and a fragmented marble column were discovered there.
The main economy branches in Vinica are agriculture and textile industry. The rice is the most grown cereal and it is very important for the Vinica-Kochani valley. There are a lot of shops, cafés, restaurants, a night club and three hotels there.
There is also a sports hall in Vinica where the town hosted the Women’s Youth World Handball Championship in 2008, as well as a stadium and two swimming pools.
In Vinica Veritas is a humor and satire festival that is unique in Macedonia and is held every year at the end of October. Its first edition was in 1993, but it was cancelled later. It was restored in 2009 when it also became international.
The discovery of the ceramic plates in Vinica started during the 1960s, which almost coincides with the period when archaeologists began to recognize these areas. During the completion of the field works, the locals discovered two identical ceramic plates with a relief depiction of Saint Archangel Michael. This place was the target of illegal diggers several times and they discovered a sacred object during the 1960s – a small church. After this, the authorities performed an insight when several more fragments were discovered and in 1984 a damaged depiction of Saint Todor was discovered on a part of the wall.
If you come to Vinica for St. Todor’s holiday you will participate in the massive celebration together with the locals the same way their ancestors did it. The rope-pulling discipline was particularly attractive with eight teams participating and competing for the first prize of 50 euros and roast pork. The Todor races in Vinica have been held since 1926 and the local authorities restored them four years ago following a several-year hiatus.
There you have more reasons to come to Vinica and feel the timelessness.
