The Verboc Fortress known by local residents simply as Our Fortress is an Illyrian archaeological site located on a hilltop about 2 kilometers from the village of Verboc in Drenas Municipality, Drenica region, Kosovo. Today, it is a monument of Kosovo's cultural heritage with archaeological character.

Overview

The Verboc Fortress dates back to the Illyrian period (around 400 BC to 100 AD). The Illyrians were an ancient Indo-European people who inhabited the western Balkans from the 2nd millennium BC to the 1st century AD. They were known for their hillforts, which were fortified settlements built on hilltops. The Verboc Fortress was one of the largest Illyrian hillforts in Dardania (present days Kosovo). The fortress consists of an inner and outer wall, as well as a number of towers and gates. The inner wall is about 2 meters thick and 5 meters high. The outer wall is about 1 meter thick and 3 meters high. The towers are about 5 meters square and 10 meters high. The gates are about 2 meters wide and 3 meters high. The Fortress was partly excavated in the 1970s and 1980s by

Skënder Anamali Skënder Anamali (5 May 1921 – 21 April 1996) was an Albanian archaeologist and historian. He was one of the founders of Albanian archaeology. He made significant contributions to the field of Illyrian studies. Biography Skënder Anamali was ...

Muhamet Pirraku Muhamet Pirraku (1944–2014), was Albanian historian and publicist from Kosovo. Biography Pirraku was born on October 12, 1944, in Flamuras, Drenas. Pirraku completed his elementary education in Flamuras and Komoran, secondary education in Dren ...

and others. The excavations revealed a number of artifacts, including pottery, metal tools, and weapons. These artifacts suggest that the fortress was used for both military and civilian purposes. In the east of the Fortress, the very old road from

Drenas Drenas or Gllogovc/Gllogoc ( sq-definite, Drenasi or ''Gllogovci/Gllogoci'') or Glogovac ( sr-Cyrl, Глоговац) is a town and municipality in the District of Pristina in Kosovo. The municipality has an area of . According to the last cens ...

Viciana Viciana () or Station Viciano was a Roman road station ( mansio type) of unclear location, somewhere in Kosovo field. History Viciana was a stopping place for caravans that travelled the Lissus–Naissus route, one of the most important Roman ...

(today

Vushtrri Vushtrri ( sq-definite, Vushtrria; sr-Cyrl, Вучитрн, ''Vučitrn'') is a List of cities in Kosovo, city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality located in the District of Mitrovica, Mitrovica District in Kosovo. According to the 2024 c ...

), alternatively known as the Bullaku Road (Rruga e Bullakut), passes through.

References

{{coord, display=title Veboc Fortress Illyrian Kosovo Drenas Dardanians Dardania (Roman province) Cultural heritage monuments in Prishtina District Forts in Kosovo

Overview

See also

References