The most significant step in the study of the Late Bronze Age in Macedonia was made between 1992–1994 and 2001–2008, when the necropolis “Dimov Grob” was systematically excavated in the Middle Vardar valley, in the territory of the village of Ulanci near Gradsko. Over the course of ten years of research, the necropolis was fully explored, resulting in the discovery of a total of 135 graves.
The predominant grave type was the cist construction, built of stone slabs, represented in 121 of the 135 excavated graves. The second grave form, rectangular pits, was identified in 14 cases. The burial rite, without exception, was contracted inhumation with an east–west orientation, with the deceased laid on either the left or right side, depending on their sex, in accordance with strict funerary customs. Male individuals were buried on their right side, while females were placed on their left. Alongside this differentiation in body placement, a clear standardization of grave goods is evident, directly reflecting both the sex and social status of the deceased.
The carefully selected research approach provided valuable data on burial practices, funerary rituals, and the role of specific archaeological artifacts within these customs, as well as initial anthropological information about the population living during the Late Bronze Age. With its fully documented archaeological features and the richness of its grave goods, this necropolis represents the most complete complex of its kind on our territory, used during the second half of the 14th and the end of the 12th century B.C.E.
The most significant element for the cultural and chronological definition of the necropolis is the grave inventory. The grave goods, based on their material and function, can be classified into three main categories: pottery, jewelry, weapons, and tools. Analysis of the nature and abundance of the grave goods reveals that female burials were richer than male ones.
On the basis of its cultural and chronological value, the finds from the Dimov Grob necropolis have been scientifically recognized as the cultural inventory of a distinct cultural group, today known as the Ulanci Group of the Late Bronze Age.