Ajdna (1064 m) is a peak in the

Karawanks The Karawanks or Karavankas or Karavanks ( sl, Karavanke; german: Karawanken, ) are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps on the border between Slovenia to the south and Austria to the north. With a total length of in an east–west dir ...

in the Municipality of Žirovnica in the

Upper Carniola Upper Carniola ( sl, Gorenjska; it, Alta Carniola; german: Oberkrain) 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 Jeseni ...

region of

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. Access to it is easiest from the village of Potoki in the neighbouring Municipality of

Jesenice Jesenice (, german: Aßling''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru'', vol. 6: Kranjsko. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 144.) is a Slovenian town and the seat of the Municipality of Jesenice on the ...

. A settlement from late Antiquity has been found just below the summit and evidence shows that it was probably inhabited much earlier.

Excavations In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...

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 upheaval 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-elevation settlements from the period between the 4th and 6th centuries have been found in the area of Slovenia, but Ajdna lies at the highest elevation 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 This page is a glossary of archaeology, the study of the human past from material remains. A B C D E F ...

weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, ...

s, and

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...

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.

Gallery

File:Poznoantična naselbina na Ajdni nad Potoki.jpg File:Poznoantična naselbina na Ajdni nad Potoki2.jpg File:Poznoantična naselbina na Ajdni nad Potoki3.jpg

References

External links

*
Ajdna at Hribi.net (''in English'')
{{Žirovnica Roman sites in Slovenia Mountains of Upper Carniola Former populated places in the Balkans Municipality of Žirovnica Cultural monuments of Slovenia One-thousanders of Slovenia Mountains of the Alps