Ajdna
Encyclopedia
Ajdna is a peak in the Karavanke in the Žirovnica
municipality in the Upper Carniola
region of Slovenia
. Access to it is easiest from the village of Potoki
in the neighbouring Jesenice municipality.
A settlement from late Antiquity
has been found just below the summit and evidence shows that it was probably inhabited much earlier. Excavations began in 1976. Most evidence is from the period immediately after the collapse of the Roman Empire
(476 AD), when it seems locals moved to the safety of the peak from the valley below during a period of upheval and migration of various Germanic
and Slavic
tribes through the region. With its location high above the valley with a natural precipitous barrier towards the south and an excellent view up and down the Upper Sava Valley
, Ajdna was an ideal location for a defendable settlement. A number of other high altitude settlements from the period between the 4th and 6th centuries have been found in the area of Slovenia, but Ajdna lies at the highest altitude of all. Remains of a total of 25 buildings have been excavated, including an early Christian
temple. In a nearby building eleven graves have been excavated and the potsherds
, weapon
s and jewellery
found are on display in the museum in Kranj
. It is believed this was not the main burial ground which has so far not been discovered. The remains of the religious building have been conserved, roofed over and are open to visitors.
Ajdna has been declared an archaeological monument of national importance by the Slovene government.
Žirovnica
Žirovnica is a municipality in Slovenia. It is located in the historic Upper Carniola region, on the southern slope of the Karavanke mountain range, close to the border with Austria...
municipality in the Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
region of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. Access to it is easiest from the village of Potoki
Potoki (Jesenice)
Potoki is a settlement in the Jesenice municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.-External links:*...
in the neighbouring Jesenice municipality.
A settlement from late Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
has been found just below the summit and evidence shows that it was probably inhabited much earlier. Excavations began in 1976. Most evidence is from the period immediately after the collapse of the Roman Empire
Decline of the Roman Empire
The decline of the Roman Empire refers to the gradual societal collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Many theories of causality prevail, but most concern the disintegration of political, economic, military, and other social institutions, in tandem with foreign invasions and usurpers from within the...
(476 AD), when it seems locals moved to the safety of the peak from the valley below during a period of upheval and migration of various Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
and Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
tribes through the region. With its location high above the valley with a natural precipitous barrier towards the south and an excellent view up and down the Upper Sava Valley
Upper Sava Valley
The Upper Sava Valley is an alpine valley in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. The Sava Dolinka river flows along it. It begins in Rateče at an altitude of 870 m and ends at Moste at 560 m. It is the geographical border between the Julian Alps and the Karavanke Alps. It was created on a...
, Ajdna was an ideal location for a defendable settlement. A number of other high altitude settlements from the period between the 4th and 6th centuries have been found in the area of Slovenia, but Ajdna lies at the highest altitude of all. Remains of a total of 25 buildings have been excavated, including an early Christian
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
temple. In a nearby building eleven graves have been excavated and the potsherds
Sherd
In archaeology, a sherd is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels as well....
, weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s and jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
found are on display in the museum in Kranj
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
. It is believed this was not the main burial ground which has so far not been discovered. The remains of the religious building have been conserved, roofed over and are open to visitors.
Ajdna has been declared an archaeological monument of national importance by the Slovene government.
External links