Archaeology in Albania 1991-1999

Author(s): Zhaneta Kristo

Source: Archaeological Reports , 1999 - 2000, No. 46 (1999 - 2000), pp. 152-159
Published by: The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/581103

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 1. Archaeological sites
in Albania

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 ARCHAEOLOGY IN ALBANIA 1991-1999

Surveys of archaeological work in Albania in 1973-83 and

1984-90 appear in AR 1983-84 and AR 1991-92 respectively;
the present article covers work done in the period 1991-99. As
before, the chronological span is wide, covering prehistory,
antiquity, late antiquity and the medieval period. In several
instances the archaeological work described involved the close
collaboration of archaeologists from Albanian and foreign insti-
tutions. This account draws upon preliminary reports of exca-
vations published in Iliria, BCH and JRA, and in some instances
on excavation reports deposited in the archive of the
Archaeological Institute in Tirana. For the location of excava-
tion sites, see the map (Fig. 1).

DURRES
Uncovering the Byzantine forum occupied an important place
in the work done in 1999 the ancient city of Durres (anc.
Epidamnus, Dyrrachium), under the direction of A. Hoti.
2. Dyrrachium, Byzantine torum
Following earlier excavation at this site (AR 1991-92, 77) work
concentrated on the exposure of the southern part of the portico.
Among the architectural remains brought to light, the best pre-
served was the supporting element of the colonnade, upon which
stone plinths indicated the placings of the columns (Figs 2, 3).
At the floor level of this section of the portico only a few slabs
were preserved, and columns and capitals were absent.
Seven Med tombs were discovered at floor level in the same
area of the portico, five of them covered with large tiles form-
ing a pitched roof, while the other two were simple pit-graves
with burials but no grave-goods. These bring to 64 the number
of Med tombs discovered at this site.
The LMed stratum, and part of the MMed, have been dis-
turbed, so the best preserved level is the EMed, where frag-
ments of vessels with painted or incised decoration were dis-
covered. The EMed pottery at Durres is represented by a series
of forms specifically associated with the Byzantine south
Adriatic region, in particular the amphoras and handled- 3. Dyrrachium, Byzantine forum
amphoras which gradually rendered obsolete almost all the
Mediterranean amphoras of late antiquity. excavated was defined and a topographical survey of the city was
During the 7th- 10/11th Cts, Dyrrachium was well known as a made. Since 1994 work has developed in the following areas:
commercial centre, properly speaking Byzantine, among the N of the promenade remains were found of what appears to
most important of the Albanian region. A large amount of be a room resembling four others already uncovered, which are
glazed pottery was discovered in the MMed layer, as was a unpaved and vaulted, and thought to be storerooms.
series of copper coins, struck for Byzantine emperors of the first N of the portico (Fig. 5) a the major road was uncovered,
half of the 6th Ct, as well as some billiones and
tetarterones of the last quarter of the 11th Ct.
The forum, laid out in the centre of the city of
Dyrrachium during the reign of Anastasios (559-70),
is of an architectural form not known in other
provinces of the empire, but resembling Roman mar- vs J
ket buildings, which must have served as its model.
At the the end of the 7th Ct the forum was put to use
as a cemetery. (Iliria 1999, in press)

FIER DISTRICT
Excavations in the antique city of Apollonia (Fig. 4)
during 1992-99 were carried out by a joint Albanian-
French team. The Albanian section was directed by
Prof. N. Ceka (1992-94), F. Drini, (1995-97), B.
Vrekaj (1998-99), while the French section was
directed by Prof. P. Cabanes and J. Luc Lamboley
(1992-99). Participating in the excavations were V.
Dimo, V. Bereti, L. Koqi, A. Skenderi, Sh.
Gjongecaj, I. Pojani, F. Quanti, C. Balandie, Ph.
Lenhard, E. Fouache. During 1992-93 the area to be 4. Apollo
mnia
1L

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 154 ZH. ANDREA
5. Apollonma
6. Bylis
bounded by the side wall (W-E) of the storeroom building and
the N side wall of the portico. The road provided access to the
theatre and temenos situated between the hills of the city. The
road was unpaved, but at the level of the N wall was found a
surface of cobble-stones much earlier than the final phase of the
road, and representing the most ancient phase of construction in
this area. The whole area of the road was filled with fragments
of columns, sculpture and ceramics from the upper part of the
hill, perhaps indicating the presence of a R temple in the upper
part of the town.
To the W of the road, a construction of roughly square form
was uncovered, revealing a surface of 132mL covered with a
mosaic of small white pebbles of irregular form. This was pre-
served intact only on the SW side, with just traces remaining of
the rest. During the excavation two superimposed levels were
located, with mosaic of different phases and so demonstrating
re-use of this area, as well as of the lateral walls of the founda-
tion. On three sides of the structure there was a parquet-style
surface of brick cubes which had served as an external passage
around the site. The absence of columns or their bases suggests
that this was an open precinct, and traces of a foundation in its
southern half, may indicate the presence of an altar-this was,
it seems, a sacellum.
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The storeroom building and the area of mosaics
belong to a period of construction and reconstruction
from the end of the 2nd Ct BC to the 1st or 2nd Cts
AD. In terms of the urban layout, these discoveries
show the existence of monumental construction in
the area between the portico and the theatre.
One of the most ancient monuments discovered in
this zone is a 10m length of HL wall, built in pum-
mice blocks placed in regular courses, giving the
appearance of isodomic construction.
In the necropolis of the town a tumulus contain-
ing tombs of the 5th-3rd Cts BC was excavated by V.
: Dimo.
In addition to the excavation, the Albanian-French
team attached particular importance to epigraphy,
and the publication of the ancient Greek inscriptions
(P. Cabanes and F. Drini) and to study of the coinage
of Apollonia (Sh. Gjongecaj, O. Picard). (BCH 118
(1994) 521-9; BCH 119 (1995) 761-81; BCH 120
(1996) 971-93; Iliria 1999, 1-2, in press)
In the Illyrian town of Bylis, investigation of the
urban period by N. Ceka, in 1991, again concentrat-
ed on the agora. After excavation aimed at the clari-
fication of the urban plan and the typology of the
houses of Bylis, work was undertaken to uncover the
SE part of peristyle house 2, situated on one of the
terraces at the W of the agora. At the same time work
was completed on the excavation of a 1 st Ct AD pub-
lic building to the W, traces of which were found in
the earlier excavations. Work was also continued on
another public building, located to the right of the
entrance to the agora, first built in the mid-3rd Ct BC,
when there were changes to the character of the site.
(AR 1991-92, 81)
Continued excavation of late antique Bylis in
1991, by S. Muqa, resulted in the complete uncover-
ing of the public bath, located in the region of the
agora, near to the large cistern excavated there. In
1991 and 1992 S. Muca also excavated the fifth
basilica (E), located to the W of the enclosure wall
of Bylis III. It was possible to establish the main elements of its
plan: the portico, narthex, three aisles, semi-circular apse, and
two annexes to N and S of the narthex (Fig. 6).
Also in 1991, S. Muca continued excavation to the N of
house 2, to reveal a number of other houses, some remains of
which date to the 3rd-2nd Cts BC, while others belong to hous-
es of the 5th-6th Cts AD built above them. Of particular interest
in this excavation was the discovery of a marble head of the
emperor Hadrian. Another house was excavated near to basilica
C, in the SW area of the site. The 5th-6th Ct houses of Bylis were
of simple plan, with basements used for storage, with large
numbers of pithoi installed in them. Of particular interest
among the finds was a considerable number of bronze coins
from the mid-6th Ct AD.
In 1991, S. Muca continued to work on the late antique
necropolis to the NE of the town, and discovered a late-
6th/early-7th Ct AD tomb, with rich grave-goods, near to the E
wall of building 2.
In the summer of 1999 a joint Albanian-French team (S.
Muca, J.P. Sodini) resumed excavation of late antique Bylis,
excavating a cistern in basilica C and completing the graphic
and photographic recording of basilica D.
 ARCHAEOLOGY IN ALBANIA 1991-1999 155

The Mallakaster Region Archaeological Project RANDE

worked in 1998-99 under the direction of M. Korkut
and J. Davis, with the assistance of L. Bejko, M.
Galaty, S. Muca and Sh. Stocket. Mallakaster occu-
pies the central and SW part of the district of Fier, 4 /
and the archaeological project constitutes a full pro- )
gramme of integrated collaboration between the
Archaeological Institute of Tirana and the) ,TQ <
Department of Classics of the University of
Cincinnati, USA. ORFUZ
Survey of 4.5km2 during 1998 and 6.5 km
1999 permitted identification of principal zone
the neighbourhood of Apollonia and between Shen arir
Shtyllas and Levan, and Havaleas and Fier. There /
was intensive survey of the plots and the archaeo- 5 >S
logical sites of different periods, and systematic col- Uk e A jtt SpX
lection of finds, including small fragments of pottery is.'T
and stone tools. V KONISPOL,'U~
One of the principal results of the project was the __ vNSO
evaluation of the early PR periods: of 409 stone finds l\GREI-
gathered, most dated to EPal, MPal to Mes. Three
open settlements of the stone age (Kryegjata A B C) 7. Sarande district
were identified, which suggests a human presence in

8. Konispol cave

SARANDE DISTRICT
In the southern region of the country, to the N of Konispo
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^/^v1 7) is a cave situated at 400 m above sea level an
////colon // X //^ T50m long, 6m wide, with a maximum interior height of 6m
g/./S/,/Palt/(Fig. 8). Following work in 1989-90 (AR 1991-92, 87) the exca-
Byz. J (vations of 1992-94 in this cave were done by a joint Albanian-
JT--jJ^^- 7 American expedition directed by M. Korkuti and K
with the participation of L. Bejko, B.B. Ellwood, J.M. Ha
F.B. Harold, N. Russell, S. Bottema. A surface area of 19.3
9
9. Koni~qnol
.. -Konisnol
.....r..
level~qwas
levels wasexcavated
excavatedto
toaamaximum
maximum depth
depth of
of 4.20m
4.20m (Fig
(Fig 9)
9) and
and the

2W 4f SS N~ X5
3
6 8

0 3cm
I , g ~~~~~~~~J

10. Tools, Konispol II

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156 ZH. ANDREA

I :r ~\ '' p l | v 'T: / X itW- :

9 ^:^€ .-: H: i 13. Pottery, Konispol IIIC

1

I 122"'-:--":.*

.' :::i-L' :! Z , '

11L Pottery, Konispol Illa |it|
lI.Pottery, ^ / Pottery,
p14. Konispol IV

12. Pottery, Konispol IIIB

following levels were identified:

cal Pottery,
EPal Kons,(Konispol
they appear to belong to Konispol
1) is I, at the end
the
oldest occupation l
EPal (Konispol I) is the old est occupation level of the cave,
represented by irregular stone tools. Altho
distinguishable
distinguishable tools
tools was was limited
limited andwere
and there therefewwere few typologi- 3
typologi-
cal indication s, they appear t o belong to Konispol I, at the en
of the EPal. -/
Mes
Mes (Konispo l Ii) yielded several
(Konispol good qualityseveral
II) yielded tools of red good
° '/ qual
flint, of typical trapezoidal forms, finely retouched and similar r
to microliths of Vlusha (in the interior of southern Albania)
(Fig. 10).
level suggest a chronological corrpoy, Konispol eteen

Konispol III and Podgori . e e geoarchaeological and paleob-tt

level suggest a chronological correspondence between

Konispol III and Podgori I. The geoarchaeological and paleob- 15. Pottery, KonispolV

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 ARCHAEOLOGY IN ALBANIA 1991-1999 157

otanical findings of Konispol III are of particular

importance, for here were discovered marrow bones
of animals and carbonized wheat, testifying to the
beginnings of stock-rearing and agriculture among
the aboriginal inhabitants.
MN (Konispol III B) forms a layer 0.30 m thick.
The pottery found is dark grey with a medium (occa-
sionally fine) lustre; the most typical forms are S-
shaped vases. The characteristic decoration consists
of dots and lines in relief and painting in grey, which
is also typical of other cultures of MN Albania
(Dunavec-Cakran) (Fig. 12).
LN (Konispol III C) is represented by pottery in
plain colours with brown painting. The pottery pro-
duced locally is decorated chiefly with motifs of
raised triangles, while imported ware has groups of
parallel lines. Chronologically this pottery belongs
with that of Maliq I in SE Albania (Fig. 13).
eN (Konispol IV) forms a thin layer of 0.20m and
is characterized by smooth-walled pottery and some
black lustre ware, with raised decoration andbaptistry
16. Butrint, grey
painting. The N pottery is comparable with that of
Maliq II (Fig. 14).
BA (Konispol V) is represented by a relatively
thin occupation layer, with IA material mixed into it
in places. The EBA band is clearest, in which the
typical pottery is barbotine, comparable with the
EBA culture Maliq III ab (Fig. 15).
Konispol VI consists of a thin layer (0.10-0.20 m)
with abundant finds of various periods, a mixture of
IA, A and HL material.
Noteworthy among the finds from the cave are
loom-weights and anchors in terracotta, needles and
burnishing tools of bone, and fragments of four-foot-
ed rhytons, all known from other areas of N finds
both in and outside the region. The participation in
these excavations of a variety of specialists in such
fields as geoarchaeology, paleobotany, archaeozool-
ogy, speleology and palynology, and the laboratory
analyses undertaken by them, have furnished very
interesting findings not only for the economy of the
inhabitants of the cave, but also for the flora and
17. Butrint, baptismal
fauna of the local environment. Radiocarbon analy- hall
sis of a number of samples of the carbonized materi-
al taken from the cave has provided valuable new
information for establishing the absolute chronology
of the PR cultures represented there, supplying far
more reliable datings for the various occupation lev-
els than were previously available. (Iliria 1996, 1-2,
183-208, in English 209-24)

In 1994-99 remains of the Byz period in the ancient

town of Butrint were the object of joint excavations
by the Archaeological Institute of Tirana and the
British School at Rome, directed by Gj. Saraci
(1994-98), K. Lako (1999) and R. Hodges (1994-
99), with the participation of P. Damko, L. Perzhita,
W. Bowden, P. Chiles, A. Lane, S. Martini, J.
Mitchell, I. Moreland, S. O'Hara, M. Pluciennik, L.
Watson.
During this period of several seasons, an environ-
mental study of the Butrint plain was undertaken
which furnished important information about the
nature of settlements and their stratigraphical differ-18. Butrint, episcopal palace

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158 ZH. ANDREA

At the baptistry in Butrint (fig. 16), exc

1995-99 was undertaken by Gj. Saraci, L
Dh. Condi, W. Bowden. The many season
vation at this important ECh monument,
as one of the most developed baptistr
Mediterranean basin, had several aims: (a
cleaning of the building complex, removin
tion and the debris of earlier excavations;
of all the visible remains of structures in
bourhood of the architectural comple
revealed that they belonged to secular bu
re-evaluation of the excavations of 1982, a
completion of excavation to the SE of the
hall, where the most interesting structure
6 x 5m cistern which supplied water to the
For the first time in this complex six ar
phases were identified, dating from th
/beginning-3rd Ct, and from the end of the
the beginning of the 7th Ct. (d) Architectu
19. Butrint, episcopal palace
ing of the monument was subsequently c

1 ¢
1 2 3 .

X|t ' t 1 13 l

18 o 5M
20. IA Pottery, Sovjan

ences. The area surrounding Butrint was also surveyed, follow-

21.
ing the most advanced modem procedures, used here for the LBA
first time in Albania. The result is a refinement of our under-
standing of known archaeological findings in the vicinity of and it is
Butrint, and the discovery of new sites. Thus, material of the R of all the
period was found in the village of Vrine, and in the hills of The bapti
Karaf a quarry of the HL and R periods was located, as were upon ear
two complexes of late antiquity. The area next to the Vivar canal immersio
retains many traces of luxurious R and EByz buildings. the begin
Abundant archaeological material of this period was also found Excavati
at Kalivo, where a R paved road was found. partially

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 ARCHAEOLOGY IN ALBANIA 1991-1999 159

Damko and 0. Gilkes. The palace is located in the lower part of

the town, and incorporates the fabric of earlier buildings. To the
already known triconch complex these latest excavations added
a peristyle court, 40 x 30m, and a large reception room extend-
ing both sides of the entrance to the grand hall of the palace
(Figs 18,19). Built at the end-5th/beginning-6th Ct, the episco-
pal palace of Butrint functioned until the 7th Ct, after which
time there was partial re-use of structures on the S side of the
triconch to serve as a Med chapel. Although still not complete-
ly excavated, the palace has already taken its place in the histo-
ry of Mediterranean architecture as one of the most important
examples of a type found in the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor
and North Africa. (Gj. Saraci, Rapport sur les recherches
arch6ologiques de l'ann6e 1994; 1995, 96; et 1998, dans le
Butrint Byzantin, Archive de l'Institut Archeologique 5012/1,
5013, 5014; JRA 10 (1997) 207-34; W. Bowden, R. Hodges and
K. Lako, 'Les resultats du project albano-anglais en Butrint'
(Iliria 1999, in press).

KORCA DISTRICT
Following sondages done in 1988, 1990 and 1991 in the PR
complex of Sovjan, in the Korca Basin (AR 1991-92, 85), sys-
tematic excavation during the period 1993-99 was undertaken
by a joint Albanian-French team directed by F. Prendi and J.
Touchais, with the participation of P. Lera, M. Denefle, J.J.
Dufaure, E. Foucache, J. Hansen and S. Martinez. The work of
several seasons demonstrated that we are dealing here with a
destroyed tel, of elliptical form, about 168m N/S and 120m
E/W. The stratigraphy and archaeological material indicate the
following relative sequence of occupation levels at Sovjan:
IA (levels 4, 5a and 5b) is represented by monochrome pot-
tery, crudely worked and with plastic decoration. Fine mono-
22. MBA pottery, Sovjan
chrome ware has a smooth surface decorated with matte paint-
ed motifs or, more rarely, with inscribed or grooved motifs (Fig.
20). PCor imported pottery offers a terminus ante quem of the
7th Ct BC.
LBA (levels 5c, 6) has fine-quality pottery with plastic deco-
ration, but lacks the pottery with matte painting; inscribed dec-
oration is rare. Two fragments worked with a turning-tool have
been identified as Myc imports of H VIIIB (Fig. 21).
MBA (level 7) is characterized by the predominance of dark
grey or black ware, with smooth surface and plastic decoration
such as plain or crenellated bands (Fig. 22).
EBA (level 8) is a level below that just noted, in which frag-
ments of crude pottery with barbotine decoration show the exis-
tence of an EBA phase at Sovjan, but its nature may be under-
stood only when further excavation has clarified the stratigra-
phy.
During the excavations a considerable number of working
tools were found, mostly of flint, the rest of stone, bone, hor
and terracotta; there were just four tools of bronze, a few orna-
ments and a fragmentary animal figurine. The excavations
brought to light several traces of building, such as burnt struc-
tures, post holes, pieces of terracotta tile, fragments of ovens
and hearths placed on cobbled or tiled surfaces. A considerable
number of bones and carbonized remains were studied and
analysed in the laboratory and supplied important information
on the flora and fauna of habitation, as well as radiocarbon dat-
ing of the various occupation levels of Sovjan. (Iliria 1993, 1-
2,294; Iliria 1996, 1-2,225-253; BCH 118 (1994) 531-33; BCH
120 (1996) 995-1026; BCH 122 (1998) 639-42).

ZHANETA KRISTO (ANDREA)

Institute of Archaeology, Tirana

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