Gradina on Pazariste– the City of Ras
Eleven kilometers to the west of Novi Pazar, at the confluence of the Sebečevo River and the Raška, at the place where roads met running from the west and the south further on to the east, stands a monument complex erected over the period of a millennium. In the words of Marko Popovic: 'The ancient fortified city of Ras stood on the top of the hill Gradine, above the confluence of the Sebecevo river, and its ramparts surrounded lower flats on the eastern side as well. Beneath the city, under the overhang of a cliff, lay the remains of a cave monastery; along the riverside, in an amphitheatre shaped area, stand the ruins of Trgovište, a medieval settlement from the before-Turkish period.'

The first settlement on Gradina was established as early as the early Bronze Age. The small settlement was expanded and more intensely used during the late Iron Age. It was abandoned early in the 5th century BC and remained in disuse until the Roman conquest and the consolidation of their power in these parts.

The oldest archeological traces from antique period, that is, the second half of the 3rd century were encountered on Podgradje, and in some measure on Gradina. The occupation in Gradina featured hoards of coins: by Galien (253-268); Claudius II Gothicus (268-270); Maximinus (235-238) and traces of structures.

On Podgradje, this occupation features a guard tower – speculum, which, by its position and structure antedates the construction of late antique ramparts. Contemporary with the watch tower is the log structure, on the floor of which an antonine by Trajan Decius (249-251) was found, and the coins of Aurelian (270-275) outside it. In addition, some ceramic materials and one fibula belong to the same period. To the antique occupation features three monuments – one stela and three altars, discussed earlier.

Podgradje and a small part of the plateau on Gradina were surrounded by new ramparts extending only along accessible sections, while steep cliffs constituted a natural defense. On Gradina, the remains of late antiquity ramparts were encountered in the North Sector. This rampart was strengthened by one tower of rectangular, almost square plan, measuring 4.6 by 5 meters.

By its characteristics, the late antiquity fortress on Pazarište falls with in a line of numerous fortifications that sprang up at the time all across the Roman Empire. 'Together with Gradina on Postenje, that is the largest fortification in territory between the Ibar and the valley of Lim. These two fortresses seem to have been erected at the same time, within the same defense system controlling and defending major accesses to imperial holdings in the valley of the Raška. This is the reason why they are the largest, an in all probability, the oldest fortresses in the area.'

The plateau of Podgradje under the cliffs was closed in by sections of the southern and the eastern ramparts; however, for the most part it was defended naturally since it lies under a steep cliffs which in places fall down to the river. The new, late antique fortress was irregular in shape, adjusted to the relief, and protected the area of about 5 hectares. The protected area was not very favorable for living, but could provide shelter for the local population.

Archeological material shows that the fortification was in use from the early 4th century to the 6th century when it was abandoned. Ceramic material is almost exclusively locally made while imported vessels are rare. Numismatic material shows that this fortress was an active stronghold in the 4th -5th century, while the circulation of coins in the 6th century decreased.

Like many other fortresses in Dardania, the fortress on Pazarište was partially restored in the first decade of Justinian’s reign. The reconstruction was done after the earthquake of the 518. New walls curtains were erected along corrected routes and with much better footing.

On the right bank of the river Raška, in the immediate vicinity of the confluence of the Sebečevska river, the remains of a basilica were uncovered, constructed in the first decade of Justinian’s reign, at the same time when the fortification was restored; they were both demolished in the late 6th century. It was first flooded and then abandoned. Soon after, its wooden construction was destroyed by fire as well. It is three-aisled building, which internal space is divided by colonnades of six built pillars on three aisles. Along the southern wall of the basilica, towards its eastern end, a smallish chapel was added. Inside were found the remains of a Holy table, an altar divide, a pulpit and altar and side seats.

The abandoned and certainly partially demolished late antique fortification which stood on the flats of Podgradje was repossessed in the second half of the 9th century. The caught ramparts were probably in good condition, and the damaged sections were repaired by dry wall constructions and palisades. While in the 10th century had considerable garrison made of Bulgarian soldiers finds from the 9th century show that fort was partially in use. The fortification on the Gradina in Postenje was in their possession as well. After the fall of the Bulgarian Empire in 971, the territory, and therefore the fortifications, was occupied by the Byzantines.

As opposed to earlier periods, when only a portion of the plateau on the top of Gradina was in use, from the 11th to the mid 13th century, a fortification was erected here which was later to be demolished and reconstructed several times. In the late 11th century new drywall and earthen palisade ramparts were raised, while a new eastern rampart was built on Podgradje. These activities are attributed to the Serbs. However, already by the beginning of the 12th century Byzantine garrison was in the fort. In 1127 the Serbs demolished the fortress of Ras, but the Byzantines managed to repossess and reconstruct it during the fourth decade of the 12th century. Above the remains of the burnt structure, masonry curtain walls were erected, with the gateway defended by two flank towers. The stronghold suffered damage again in 1149, followed by the last reconstruction. The entrance gate was walled up and the new one was opened, next to the gatehouse which was strengthened. In the north part of the fortress a court palace was built, and several log houses in the internal.

Principle portable finds are the coins of the king Radoslav and the casts with planchets prepared for imprinting, testifying to the fact that the first Serbian mint was there. The stronghold was demolished around the mid-13th century, and the life continued in the valley, on Trgoviste. According to historical sources, many occurrences from the early days of the Serbian state are linked to Ras. A mention of it was made in the before-Nemanjic period, in connection with Serbian-Bulgarian and Serbian-Byzantine relations. Undoubtedly, Ras was an important political center of the Serbian state which played an important cultural role at the time when its autonomy was forged. Today, Ras is an archeological site of primary importance which found its place on the world cultural and natural heritage list.

Archangel Michael's Monastery is a complex erected in the overhang of a cave on the eastern slope of Gradina; it presents a 'stronghold for the defense of the heart of the state and one of royal residences.' The complex was built towards the end of the 12th and in the first decades of the 13th century and constitutes a monastic community of the Pešterna lavra. The principal structures of the monastery complex are the church, the granary and the water tank on the ground level but the whole overhang had three flats. The church is small, almost square in plan and was fresco painted. In direct contact with the Archangel Michael church are inaccessible hermit cells in the surrounding caves, in which monks engaged in copying texts. This is where Old Man Simeon wrote Vukan's Gospel in 1202. Some believe that Stefan Nemanja was incarcerated here during a conflict with his brothers.

The results of a two decades long study were published in 1999 in the monograph Fortress Rass, by Marko Popović, while the Museum 'Ras' holds the related materials.

Trgovište
The oldest horizon of this site presents a late antiquity necropolis which stood on the left bank of the Raška River, where was an early Byzantine church with the tomb. It is one isled building in whose central part, under the floor, lays a masonry tomb vaulted with a barrel roof made of tufa. The tomb had been opened earlier and plundered – only the scattered bones of four or five skeletons were encountered inside. Around the church is discovered a part of a late antiquity necropolis, 11 separately dug burial places without tomb gifts. The church with the tomb is datable to around the 5th-6th century.

The establishment of the settlement was antedated by a necropolis placed between buildings erected later. In the explored graves, among other things, was found a silver 'S' earring, as well as an earring with a single strawberry. The only remaining structure from the time when Ras was inhabited is one isled church dating from the second half of the 12th century, located on the left bank of the river Raška.
Towards the end of the 14th century, in the valley in the shape of an amphitheatre near the place where the Sebečevo River joins the Raška, below the remains of the city of Ras a new settlement began to grow – Trgovište. The medieval settlement stood on the present day Pazarište, 9 km to the west of Novi Pazar. The complex of buildings on Pazarište, uncovered in archeological explorations, makes up a medieval settlement with two chronologically discernible phases. Houses made of wooden logs stacked against vertical supports belong to the earlier phase. Larger amounts of ceramic fragments were found in the houses; parts of luxurious, glazed vessels with zgraphito ornament. The coins of king Dušan belong to the same occupation.

During the first part of the 15th century the settlement gained economic strength and in the place of log cabins have been started to build floor houses made by the stone. Stores with trading wares and possibly the workshops were on the ground floor. As a residence were used rooms on the first floor.

The medieval settlement in Trgovište featured five churches, each with a necropolis. Setting aside the above memorial with the tomb and the 12th century church, the main church of the settlement stood on the dominant position above the middle part of the settlement, erected in the first half of the 15th century. The main necropolises of the place were along the western edge of the settlement, near the 12th century church and to the east, on the site Tabačina.

In 64 houses uncovered at the medieval Trgovište, abundant archeological material was found, testifying about the life of a once prominent trading post. A considerable amount of kitchen and table pottery was found, metal objects, a hoard of silver jewels, objects made of bone, architectural plastics etc. Thank to the Archives of Dubrovnik, we know the names of some of the merchants who had their colony here. The results of the research have not been published and all portable archeological material is in the Museum 'Ras'.

The Church in Deževa stands in a space between the school and the Deževa River, in the immediate vicinity of the King's Drinking Fountain. In the beginning of the eighties of the 20th century, the remains of a medieval church with a necropolis were excavated there. The church is one aisled structure, with a spacious horse-shoe shaped apse, measuring 16 x 7 meters and added annex on the south side. The altar space also had built in seats – synthronon with the throne as well as a paneled parapet. The whole interior has fresco decoration. The church was built in the first part of the 13th century; and presents a place where the Deževo Convocation was held when king Dragutin conferred the crown to his brother Milutin. It was demolished in the late 14th or the first decades of the 15th century, at the time of the first Turkish raids in these parts. Around the church is formed a necropolis, but the burials were in the church. Around the church are gravestones datable to the late 14th and the early decades of the 15th century. The remains of the church have been conserved.

Reljina Gradina – St Barbara's Monastery stands on the right bank of the Raška, in the village of Lukocrevo. It was founded by the bishop Simeon and was the seat of the Rasсian episcopate during the 15th century. In 1579 the monastery was restored by bishop Silvester, but fell into disrepair around the end of the 17th century. The St Barbara's church has plan in a form of inscribed cross and it had fresco decoration. Its remains were explored and conserved during the excavation of the medieval Ras, and during 2004 and 2005 the whole surrounding churchyard was explored together with numerous buildings of the monastery complex.

Kumanica – Church of St Archangels is situated on the part where the territory of the municipality of Sjenica slopes down to the right bank of the Lim. The construction of the complex has not been reliably dated, but, based on characteristic details, primarily the plan of the church in a shape of developed inscribed cross and the fact that it belongs to Rascian architecture; it is supposed to date from the 13th century. The plans for the Belgrade-Bar railway line implied complete destruction of the church. The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments from Kraljevo managed to prevent this, and the church was explored and conserved in 1971. When the route of the railway was moved, in the immediate vicinity of the church a hoard of gold and silver coins from the 17th century was found.

The Monastery of Kumanica has primary importance for the wider area since it is the largest spiritual center, surpassing many significant monasteries in the vicinity: from the Mileševa and Davidovica, to the Sopoćani, Djurdjevi Stupovi and Peter's Church. A large mass of people comes from far afield to the monastery on the eve of St Arhangel, and spends the whole night and the whole day there.

In the last decade of the 20th century further research was conducted on the Monastery of Kumanica – the church was completely reconstructed and annexed small temporary lodgment. The Museum in Prijepolje organized the works and their museum holds the archeological material.

Pope – St Petеr and Paul's Church was erected in 1650, as testified by a preserved inscription mentioning the name of the beneficiary, Velimir Čilić 'with his brothers'. Church has rectangular plan, measuring 15 by 6 meters, with a half-circular apse on the eastern and the nartex on the western side. Fresco paintings were partially preserved as well. Archeological exploration and conservation were done in the late sixties. It was established that the church was raised on the foundations of a medieval church from the 13th or the early 14th century, which was in ruins when the younger one was built. Both churches were erected on floor of an early Byzantine three aisled basilica dating from the 6th century, which had an added annex on the north side. A Roman stela was unearthed during the exploration. The remains of the basilica and the youngest church have been conserved.

The Museum 'Ras' either took active part in the excavations of all discussed sites, or holds archeological material from them. Moreover, the archeologist of the Museum completed the exploration of some sites by herself, and work on some of them is still in progress.

Velika Gradina in Vrsenice near Sjenica is about 10 kilometers to the southeast of Sjenica. At 1330 m above sea level, the fortification is in a favorable position for defense as it has visual communication with the whole Sjenica field, as well as with the mountains surrounding it: Golija, Javor, Zlatar, Jadovnik and Giljevo.

First sondage excavations were conducted on Velika Gradina in 1987 and continued until 1995, when systematic archeological exploration of this outstanding site began in cooperation with the Archeological Institute from Belgrade.

The explorations unearthed sections of the ramparts on the east, south and western side of the fortification, while on the north side rises a steep cliff with no traces of a rampart. On the southern, most accessible side, stand the remains of a tower with a gateway on the east side. In the east part of the site, two more ramparts were encountered. One of them is made of stones with largest dimension bound by weak lime mortar, while the second, that is, the third rampart was made of rubblework masonry by the using drywall technique. Based on the founded layout of the route of the ramparts, we can say that the fortress on Velika Gradina has irregular elliptical shape. In the space closed in by the first rampart the remains of a lime pit were found used at the time when the rampart was built, as well as the objects-houses erected in different period from the 4th to the 9th-10th century. The most important object is the church in the northeastern corner of the fortification, slightly behind a watch tower with many rooms.

Based on portable archeological material, in the interior of the fortification on Velika Gradina, three cultural horizons can be distinguished, datable to the 4th, the 6th and the 9th -10th century. It could be assumed that the fortification was erected for the defense of antique road connecting the eastern part of the province Dalmatia with the via metallic in the Ibar valley. The explanation concerning the restoration of the stronghold in the 9th century can be found in the work 'Document about nations' written around the 10th century by a Byzantine emperor and historian Constantine Porphyrogenetos. At the end of Chapter 32 he lists six inhabited cities in Serbia. The first one on the list, the city of Dostinika, Jireček located near the Bulgarian-Serbian border, and maintaining that Slavic form of the name of the city should be ДЪС (Т) ЪНИЦА or ДЪС (Т) ЪНИК, assigned its location in the territory of Sjenica. Rački also believes that Dostinika should be sought to the west of Ras, which could also mean in the territory of Sjenica; the author suggests that during the whole 9th century Serbian lands in mountains 'could not raise their heads from Bulgaria.'

Jirečеk's assignment of place and the finds of archeological explorations on the site Velike Gradine in the village Vrsenice near Sjenica, give rise to the assumption that the remains of the city of Dostinika lie there. The researches showed that life in the fortification on Velika Gradina ended in the 10th century. The fortification probably suffered irreparable damage in the expedition led by Bulgarian emperor Simeon who devastated Serbia in 924, and it was never inhabited again. When in 928 Časlav ascended the throne in Serbia, he 'found in the country only 50 single men, with no wives and children, who lived by hunting.'

Parts of the name of the city of Дъс (т) ъница may still be hidden in the name of the medieval parish Senica or Sinica, and the present day city of the same name established in mid 17th century. The King Uroš's Charter was written 'in съници', the emperor Uroš 'in сънице', while the one of the sultan Mehmed II 'in синицах'. As late as the 19th century, the name used for Sjenica was Senica. Present day village of Vrsenice, in whose area is Velika Gradina, was called Vrhsenice or Vrh Senice in the middle Ages which gives rise to the assumption that the name of the walled city was transferred to its surrounding, village and parish and later to the newly established city.

What Ras was for the Serbia of Stefan Nemanja and his successors that was Dostinika for the Serbia of the 9th-10th century presents the capital of the before-Nemanjić Serbia.

Kobiljka
Since 1997, the Museum 'Ras' in Novi Pazar has been conducting an archeological exploration of medieval mounds on sites in the vicinity of Sjenica among which Kobiljka is the most important. So far on this site 13 mounds were explored, as well as one mound on the site Vlaški Grob (in the immediate vicinity of Kobiljka), two mounds on Mravin field near the village of Vapa and three mounds on the site Krajište, 2 km to the south of Sjenica. Mounds were recorded in Sugubine, Brnjica and Skradnik as well.

All explored mounds were formed in the same manner. In diameter they range from 4 to 10 meters and in height from 0.5 to 1.1 meters. They were made by piling on the prepared area unworked stone of various sizes mixed with earth with traces of soot, pieces of charred wood and ashes. The remains of pyres were encountered, as well as rich portable archeological material: fragmented ceramic vessels, pieces of jewels, objects of iron and stone, animal bones – many of which charred. Based on the typological characteristics of ceramic material and individual objects (a bronze earring with a single bi-conical strawberry), the mounds forming can be dated to the period from the 9th to the late 11th or early 12th century.

At the beginning of the exploration it was assumed that barrows contained funeral pyres, supported by the finds of traces of fire, pieces of jewels, small knives, weaving loom tools and other personal items. However, no human remains were found in the mounds. Possible explanation of the purpose of the mounds could be found in Slavic religion and mythology primarily in the customs concerning votive offerings and that is with greater part related to the Serbs. Considering this problematic, V. Čajkanovic says: 'it is possible that to our god of the dead were dedicated piles of stones, such as we find today mostly in Bosnia and Herzegovina… These piles served as cult places, or as altars, therefore, as the most primitive temples.' The assumption was supported by the explorations of 2005 when the remains of a circular stone structure were retrieved – most probably the altar.

The purpose of the mounds was partially clarified by the discovery of the altar but during the exploration campaign of 2006 and the opening of larger probes on the site Kobiljka, archeological material was encountered all over the site (not only in the barrows), and the purpose of the whole site remains open to question.

In October 2007, in the village оf Sugubine, 18 km northeast from Sjenica, on the site Hanovi, one of about twenty smaller mounds was explored. Two graves were found in the mound. The remains were laid on the ground without the grave pit, surrounded by stones and then covered with earth and stones. Based on the fragments of ceramic found beside the graves and in the mound itself, the burials date from the 9th century. They are the oldest barrow burials in the wider Balkan territory.

Since so far, medieval mounds from the Sjenicko-pestarska plateau are the only ones known in the territory of Serbia, the results of their explorations will fill a large gap in our archeology as well as in the religion and mythology of the Serbs after the settlement on the Balkan, that is, for the period from the 9th to the early 12 century.

Naprelje – the Church with the Necropolis, on the right side of the road Novi Pazar – Raška, near the juncture with the road to Novopazarska Spa, the construction of a traffic circle was planned, which led to the archeological exploration in 1987. The area has been in continuous use from prehistoric period to the late middle Ages. The neolith settlement of the same name which was probed in 1952, stands about 150meters far to the southwest, extends to this portion of the site; however, it was devastated by digging for later burials.

Exploration on 200 graves led to the conclusion that the oldest horizon comprises parts of the necropolis formed during the 3rd century. Graves in this layer suffered damage through later burials as well as through the construction of the road Novi Pazar – Novopazar’s Spa. The remains of the necropolis featured archeological material: medical instruments, coins, ceramic fragments, bricks, and imbrexs.

The next horizon a necropolis presents, partially formed on top of the remains of a Roman necropolis, and stretching further on to the west and southwest, covering the slope of the hill. There were no tomb gifts in the explored graves, which can lead to the conclusion that the necropolis was formed in late antiquity.

The last stage presents, the church building and a new necropolis forming. Based on explored remains, the church was raised in the late 13th and the early 14th century, when the necropolis began to grow. Burials are in rows and span a long period from the end of the 13th to the mid-17th century, about what testifies a modest amount of tomb gifts, densely placed grave pits and a large number of dislocated graves, as well as a large number of graves destroyed by the construction of the roads Novi Pazar – Raška and Novi Pazar Novopazar’s Spa. The Church at Naprelje was destroyed by fire in the mid-17th century, possibly in 1689 when other monuments in the area of Novi Pazar were also destroyed or damaged.

Vrsenice – Latin Graveyard is in the western part of the village, at the foot of Velika Gradina. On the eastern side of the site stand the remains of a church explored in the nineties of the 20th century. The church was a log with stone socle, three sided apse on the eastern side and the remains of the altar divide and the Holy Table. It was built in the second half of the 16th century and destroyed in fire towards the end of the 17th century. Two graves were explored as well and in one were found a Dubrovnik dinarcic from 1629. The church is surrounded by a necropolis covering the area of 40 by 40 meters. Tombstones are mostly horizontally laid slabs of unworked stone, oriented in the East-West direction, and in rows along the north-south axis. There are also vertical markers of irregular shape placed at the head or at the foot of the grave. There were also some vertical cruciform monuments, but they were broken and scattered across the site. The one of them is decorated with a geometrical motif, and on the other with a stylized cross.

Postenje – the Latin Church, stands at the crossroads of the roads Novi Pazar-Raška (the old route) and Novi Pazar-Deževa, in the immediate vicinity of Petеr's Church. The explorations of 1983 encountered the remains of a narthex of a church datable to the first part of the 14th century and destroyed by the construction of the road. A masonry tomb was explored in the narthex, which is contemporary with the church in which were berried some people whose bones were disturbed afterwards. Several graves were studied, and in one of them two buttons and two rings datable to the 14th century were found. The church was demolished towards the end of the 14th century, but burials continued after that both outside and inside it.

Novi Pazar – there were almost no archeological excavations in the city itself; moreover, it could be said that the circumstances have not been favorable either. There is not a single square meter in the city which would lend itself to exploration. Conservation work on the Altun-alem Mosque was accompanied by archeological work, primarily in order to determine the possible existence of an older object. Namely, according to the legend, the Mosque was raised on top of an older church, but the excavations failed to confirm this. According to Evlia Čelebija, Isa-bey Ishaković turned a church on the left bank of the Raška, in the centre of present day Novi Pazar into a mosque which was demolished due to old age in 1938.

Some smaller archeological work was done on the City Citadel, on the western rampart and around the Watch Tower. The findings confirmed that the Tower was raised in the late 17th century, following the Austria-Turkey, or the Great War. A document of 1692 says that the inner city was built then. Fortification comprised palisades and pavilions while the flank towers - tabije were added after 1717, which was confirmed by archeological exploration. Stone ramparts between the towers were erected in the reign of the sultan Abdulaziz in the second half of the 19th century.

During the reconstruction of the building of the Museum 'Ras', the remains of a Turkish bathhouse were partially explored and conserved. After detailed analysis of historical data, it may be assumed that the bathhouse was built by Isa-bey Ishaković and that these are the remains of the old one, while the new bathhouse still stands in the old market.