The identification of the oldest Christian church in Macedonia resulted from archaeological excavations conducted by Blaga Aleksova in 1981. This discovery at the Stobi site represents a significant contribution to the regional understanding of early religious structures. Her academic career, spanning over several decades, focused on the meticulous recovery of medieval and early Christian history through fieldwork.
Academic Foundation and Early Career
Born in Tetovo in 1922, Blaga Aleksova pursued her education at the Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. She completed her doctoral studies in medieval archaeology at the University of Lublin in 1958. Her professional trajectory began in 1948 as a curator at the Skopje City Museum. Following this two-year tenure, she managed the Department of Medieval Archaeology at the Archaeological Museum for fifteen years, later serving as the museum director from 1962 until 1975.
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Between 1952 and 1956, Aleksova led research in the Demir Kapija region, where her team unearthed an early Christian basilica. She participated in collaborative Yugoslav-American research projects at Bargala and Stobi. Investigations at Bargala from 1966 to 1971 revealed a residential complex, a city tank, and a basilica. In 1975, she conducted archaeological excavations at the Kale site located at the confluence of the Zletovska and Bregalnica rivers near Krupiste. Her research there led to a theorem connecting the site to Cyril and Methodius, a conclusion that generated academic discussion.
Academic Recognition and Publications
Aleksova held a professorship in medieval and early Christian archaeology at the Institute of Art History from 1975 until her retirement in 1983. She was a scholarship holder at Dumbarton Oaks in 1971 and 1983. Her scholarly output included 'Prosek-Demir Kapija: Slovenska necropolis' (1966), 'Studies in the antiquities of Stobi, Volume III' (1981), 'Episcopate at Bregalnica' (1989), and 'Loca sanctorum Macedoniae' (1995). In 1997, she became a member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Fast facts
- Born: 1922, Tetovo
- Died: 2007, Skopje
- Doctorate: 1958, University of Lublin
- Museum Directorship: 1962–1975, Archaeological Museum
- Academy Membership: 1997, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
- Primary Field: Medieval and early Christian archaeology
Questions readers ask
What were the primary sites investigated by Blaga Aleksova?
She conducted significant research at Demir Kapija, Bargala, Stobi, and the Kale site near Krupiste.
When did Blaga Aleksova retire from academic work?
She retired from her position at the Institute of Art History in 1983.
Achievements
- Held posts at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje
- Educated at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje
