Archaeologists that were conducting research in the area have discovered remains that belong to Early Iron Age (9th to 5th c. BC). Many of them are still visible today. First investigations started already in 19th century and have lasted till today. The data gathered during this long researche period has enabled us to have a clearer picture about the organisation of the past landscape.
The central Early Iron Age fortified settlement – i.e. hillfort – is believed to be on the site of Poštela, which is located on the plateau above the village Razvanje. This settlement was protected with the defensive earthen rampart and a wooden palisade. Just 5 km south from Poštela lies another settlement that was fortified with the earthen rampart and a deep ditch. This hillfort is called Čreta and is considerably smaller than Poštela, it lies at the edge of a ridge that rises above the plain.
At the dawn of the Early Iron Age, a flat cremation cemetery was established under the Poštela hillfort. There the cremated human remains were placed in ceramic urns which were laid into the pits. Burial ritual then changed in a following century. Remains of this can be seen in the vicinity of both fortified settlements, where groups of larger or smaller earthen mounds were discovered. The mounds are the remains of the new Early Iron Age burial ritual, they are also called tumoli or barrows. Two groups of barrows were formed on Habakuk, bellow Poštela, and some further, more remote barrows were erected on the slopes of Pohorje, south of the settlement at Poštela. The largest barrow lies in the village Razvanje and is known as the Kos barrow. Anothe large necropolis with more than 80 barrows can be seen in a small forest in Pivola, which is located south of Razvanje. The area is now a part of the Botanical garden of the University of Maribor.
Early Iron Age people also lived in small farming communities that were established in lowlands and organised in farmsteds. As for instance near Hotinja vas, where an Early Iron Age village with a total of 14 pit houses was discovered.