Kokino
The site’s publicity began in 2004 when NASA recognized it as an ancient astronomical observatory, one of only four in the world, along with Stonehenge in England, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Abu Simbel in Egypt. There are, of course, many others, but these four were chosen as part of the so-called Sun-Earth Connection Forum.
The Kokino site consists of a double rocky peak, with two sites facing each other 50 meters apart. On the western peak, there is a rock platform on which four giant marble chairs were sculpted out of the rock, placed side by side and facing east. This is somewhat reminiscent of the four statues of the gods at the heart of the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt, which are illuminated, each in turn, during the four longest days of the year. The “thrones” at Kokino are oriented toward the eastern peak, where protruding rocks contain niches and depressions, some of which have been artificially widened and carved so that the sun and moon shine through them on certain days of the year, such as the solstice. Once the moon or sun is visible through these gaps, the date can be accurately determined.
According to various researchers, this was important for agricultural work, but they do not consider the ancients’ belief in energies that are present on certain days of the year, when gates open between the Earth and the rest of the universe. The niches carved into the rock on the eastern peak function as energy portals that charge the site with the power of the sun and other celestial bodies. It is important to remember that ancient Macedonia—before known history—was the land of the sun. Some places on Earth are connected to the sun, while others are connected to the moon. Macedonia serves as a gateway to the high energies of the sun, which is later reflected in classical history through the symbol of Macedonia—the sun and the Virgin—an emblem that eventually became associated with Alexander the Great.
The site was discovered in 2001 by the director of the museum in neighboring Kumanovo, Jovica Stankovski, and is part of a much larger complex. Excavations uncovered cult objects and many tools, some of which were probably used for burial—one of them was deliberately placed inside a groove in the rock. The tools date from the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC to the 7th century BC, with most of them from the Middle Bronze Age (14th century BC). However, it must be assumed that these represent a later and secondary use of the site, while the original site is much older. One of the characteristics of ancient megalithic sites is that they are often devoid of cult objects, as they were considered sacred territory and taboo.
