Open-air museum
Tumba Madzari, the prehistoric settlement in Gazi Baba is an archaeological site scientifically known for its artistic and esthetic values of the material and spiritual culture. With its scientific, educational and tourist attractions, the site has been attracted the public attention since 2008.
The Neolithic village is open for visits every day from:
Tuesday – Friday - 08:00 – 14:00 o'clock
Saturday - Sunday - 10:30 - 17:30 o'clock
Monday and Holidays are non-working
Official web site
About the site
The location is in the current neighborhood of Cento and it is the most significant Neolithic settlement in Skopje valley. It was discovered in 1961
Tumba Madzari was an economic and first of all a cultural centre in the micro-cosmos of the Neolithic man of this region. The settlement has an irregular circular shape with a 220 m in diameter and 3 m in height.
The life here was continuously taking place in the period between year 6000 and 4300 bc.
For the first time in Macedonia, painted amphorae have been discovered; according to their shape, texture, decorations with painted stylized floral ornaments found on one spot, they have been made by an excellent craftsman.
In the later research, other fragments of cylinders and house with various dimensions and hair styles have been discovered. The hair styles in general indicate the extraordinarily rich fashion of the Neolithic woman. A strikingly made head of man in natural shape is especially interesting. The anthropomorphic clay work is numerous and diverse in Tumba.
An accidental find in Tumba is a ceramic representation of a head of a ram (bull)-bukranion with dimensions of 32-33-27 cm, dated to the early Neolithic. It indicated the cult of ram-bull. It was most probably applied on the facade of a house.
Goat and centaur with recipients on his back are also interesting zoomorphic representations.
The analysis of the animal and bird bones from Madzari indicates that the Neolithic man, as far as providing meat was concerned, was absolutely dependent on his herds, with very little hunting and fishing.
