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Papers by Rudenc Ruka
Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean, 2024
As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Polytechnic of Bari, the University of Bari ... more As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Polytechnic of Bari, the University of Bari and
the Academy of Albanological Studies of Tirana, research on Albanian fortified architecture was started
which also saw recognition by the MAECI. The studies, starting from experiences already acquired by
the Polytechnic and the University of Bari on the Apulian fortified works, aim to create an atlas of fortified
architecture in Albania and in-depth interventions on some significant case studies. Having noted a series
of limitations in various studies on fortified architecture in Albania and in particular the lack of
comparisons between eastern and western sources, it was possible to find a chronological classification
of the sites based almost exclusively on typological aspects and construction techniques, generating a
certain rigidity that should be rethought in the light of new studies and insights. Add to this the lack of
excavations and archaeological tests which can highlight, with greater clarity and precision, chronological
indicators to be associated with the wall structures. A first approach to the topic was to create a Geographic
Information System (which is being structured and enriched as the research progresses) in which the main
examples of Albanian fortified architecture were inserted to begin to define some fundamental
relationships between the fortification system and the geo-morphological aspects of the territory, the
hydrographic network and the ancient and medieval roads. Two case studies were identified at the same
time: the fortified citadels of Berat and Tepelene for a first series of historical investigations and surveys
of some significant structures in order to be able to carry out some reflections on the restoration operations
that have involved, over the past few years , the two fortresses.
Iliria, 2022
No holistic overview of all of the absolute dates generated in Albania thus far has been attempt... more No holistic overview of all of the absolute dates generated in Albania thus far has been
attempted. Therefore, this article aims first and foremost to compile these dates and
identify the boundaries between major prehistoric periods. By critically discussing
each period, we seek to recognise possible gaps and identify the weak points in the
existing chronology. This work does not intend to analyse the overall structure of
the existing chronology or the integrity of stratigraphic sequences at each particular
site; this goes well beyond the scope of the present publication. However, when
necessary we do provide examples from the archaeological record that are key to
understanding the new chronology we have constructed. Finally, we address some of
the outstanding chronological issues in Albanian archaeology, and pose a number of
new questions and suggestions for future research.
SCIENCE, 2022
We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern... more We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern Turkey and Northern Iraq), Cyprus, and the Northwestern Zagros, along with the first data from Neolithic Armenia. We show that these and neighboring populations were formed through admixture of pre-Neolithic sources related to Anatolian, Caucasus, and Levantine hunter-gatherers, forming a Neolithic continuum of ancestry mirroring the geography of West Asia. By analyzing Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic populations of Anatolia, we show that the former were derived from admixture between Mesopotamian-related and local Epipaleolithic-related sources, but the latter experienced additional Levantine-related gene flow, thus documenting at least two pulses of migration from the Fertile Crescent heartland to the early farmers of Anatolia.
SCIENCE, 2022
Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asi... more Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asia since the Bronze Age that can be complemented by genetics. Mycenaean period elites in Greece did not differ from the general population and included both people with some steppe ancestry and others, like the Griffin Warrior, without it. Similarly, people in the central area of the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van lacked the steppe ancestry characteristic of the kingdom?s northern provinces. Anatolia exhibited extraordinary continuity down to the Roman and Byzantine periods, with its people serving as the demographic core of much of the Roman Empire, including the city of Rome itself. During medieval times, migrations associated with Slavic and Turkic speakers profoundly affected the region. Stories about the peopling?and people?of Southern Europe and West Asia have been passed down for thousands of years, and these stories have contributed to our historical understanding of populations. Genomic data provide the opportunity to truly understand these patterns independently from written history. In a trio of papers, Lazaridis et al. examined more than 700 ancient genomes from across this region, the Southern Arc, spanning 11,000 years, from the earliest farming cultures to post-Medieval times (see the Perspective by Arbuckle and Schwandt). On the basis of these results, the authors suggest that earlier reliance on modern phenotypes and ancient writings and artistic depictions provided an inaccurate picture of early Indo-Europeans, and they provide a revised history of the complex migrations and population integrations that shaped these cultures. ?SNV Polities of the ancient Mediterranean world preserved contrasts of ancestry since the Bronze Age but were linked by migration.
Science
By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southe... more By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra–West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe.
The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migr... more The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migrations before, during and after the late glacial maximum. For this reason the Cologne CRC806 project started archaeological fieldwork in 2012 in collaboration with the Albanian National Institute of Archaeology. The most outstanding discovery are several caves in northern Albanian Mati district with undisturbed deposits in Jurassic limestone ridges about 300m a.s.l. Artefacts discovered on the hillslope indicate the presence of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic terrace deposits in front of the caves buried under several meters of Holocene layers. In a small test trench within the entrance area of one of the sites, called Blaz Cave, we discovered Epi-Gravettian remains. Similar artifacts were excavated 170km to the south in a collapsed cave near Orikum. Together with high-density Mesolithic levels discovered in the site of Shën Mitri (Butrint basin), the CRC806 investigations testified the hi...
In Procedings of the International Conference: New Archaeological Discoveries in the Albanian Regions, Tirana, 2017
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Archaeologists first identified obsidian artifacts in Albania in the early 20th century, but thei... more Archaeologists first identified obsidian artifacts in Albania in the early 20th century, but their numbers were small and the contexts insecure. Their source was never determined. Nor was it clear why, given the large numbers of obsidian artifacts recovered in regions to the south and north, in areas like central and southern Greece and Croatia, more obsidian artifacts were not found in Albania. In an attempt to address these problems in Albanian prehistoric archaeology, we analyzed eight obsidian artifacts from six sites – out of a total of only 16 known pieces from the entire country, many of which are now lost – using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF). One of these, from the Putanja site, is from Lipari, Italy. The other seven are from Melos, Greece. All eight appear to date from the Middle/Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age (5500–1050/25 BCE). The absence of obsidian in Albania is not the result of poor archaeological sampling; several, recent intensive surface surveys and excavations in south and north Albania produced no obsidian. Rather, it may be that obsidian was not imported to prehistoric Albania due to the presence of abundant, accessible, very fine flint sources, located in particular in the southwest of the country. Consequently, the prehistoric inhabitants of Albanian were out of the loop or otherwise uninterested in obsidian during those periods of Mediterranean prehistory, specifically from the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age, when it was traded most extensively.
Quaternary International, 2017
Bulletin de correspondance hellénique, 2010
Palaeolithic research in Albania is still in its infancy. Palaeolithic artefacts having been foun... more Palaeolithic research in Albania is still in its infancy. Palaeolithic artefacts having been found mostly incidentally and sporadically, a demand for more systematic research has recently lead us to establish a joint Albanian-German research project. Our first excavations to be presented here were carried out in southern Albania (Butrint region), central Albania (Vlora region) and in the northern Albanian highlands (Mati region). So far, Palaeolithic remnants were recovered representing two time slices: First, evidence for the presence of early Upper Palaeolithic humans is given by a series of radiocarbon dates in the lower part of the Blazi Cave sequence and by an excavated Aurignacian lithic assemblage from the open-air site of Shën Mitri near Butrint. Second, some caves inspected have also revealed traces of hunter-gatherers who used these shelters shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM): Two Epigravettian sites, Blazi Cave (Mati) and Kanali (Vlora), date to around 18,000 ye...
Candavia, 2020
In present-day Albania, stone mounds constructed entirely of loose stones, most probably related ... more In present-day Albania, stone mounds constructed entirely of loose stones, most probably related to burial practices of the late prehistoric periods, are so far evidenced in the karst hills of the northwestern region. Their important concentration in this region was first noticed in 2014, while during the first two seasons of the present project (2014 and 2017), 137 stone mounds were recorded in the hills that rise above the Albanian Adriatic coastline and at their immediate proximity, between the lower courses of Drini i Lezhës and Buna rivers22. The third season of the extensive archeological survey (8-21 October 2018) aimed at following the distribution of the stone mounds further north, from Buna River in the south (city of Shkodra) to the Albanian-Montenegro border in the north.
Iliria, 2018
During recent decades, prehistoric research in Albania has witnessed a revival of archival studie... more During recent decades, prehistoric research in Albania has witnessed a revival of archival studies as well as fieldwork, regarding foreign archaeological activity prior to the Second World War. Some of this research has proved very successful, providing a wealth of new information, such as in the case of the work of the Italian prehistorian Luigi Cardini (Francis 2005), while in other cases, such as with Carlo Petrocchi (Sestieri 1943, 43) or Bolko von Richthofen (Richthofen 1939), it has been unfruitful. In the same context, research was initiated by the first author of this paper, on the not fully published archaeological work of Eugène Pittard, a noted Swiss scholar and physical anthropologist. His fieldwork in 1921 represents an important contribution to the early research history of Albania with regards to prehistory. He is mostly recognised for the discovery of the first confirmed evidence of a prehistoric site in the vicinity of Little Prespa Lake, during his work in the region of southeast Albania. However, his work in Albania has been only briefly referenced in the archaeological literature (Gervasio 1939, 245; Peppo 1942, 7; Milaj 2005, 49–50; Ceka and Adam 1949, 95; Coon 1950, XXIII: 39; Mustilli 1963, 111, 1965a, 55, 1965b, 457; Valentini 2005, 971; Ruka 2006, 28). His single article on this work relates only to the preliminary results of the test excavations conducted in a cave in the area. As this article provides a rather limited sense of his work, our article aims to shed new light on the explorations of Pittard in the region (Pittard 1921). Despite several unsuccessful efforts to relocate his field notebooks, some of the finds, such as the ceramics and lithics, were rediscovered at the Laboratory of prehistoric archaeology and anthropology of the University of Geneva, in Switzerland. Few observations are presented in this article; rather we aim to present a first evaluation of the cultural aspects of the material collected. In addition, the reanalysis aims to provide a more complete picture of Pittard’s work in the country, as well as to assess the possibility for further future research work.
CANDAVIA, 2018
(in Albanian with English summary) This report is focused on the results of the second season (1-... more (in Albanian with English summary) This report is focused on the results of the second season (1-15 October 2017) of the extensive archaeological survey in the coastal hilly region between the lower courses of rivers Drini i Lezhës and Buna, in northwest Albania. As it has already been mentioned in the report of the first season (Kurti et al. 2015), the main aim of this survey is the identification and documentation of stone mounds, constructed entirely of loose stones, which very probably are related to burial practices of the late prehistoric periods. The tumuli represent the main burial practice for the Bronze and Iron Ages in Albania. However, all the tumuli excavated so far, from north to south of the country, are constructed in soil, or soil and stones, the latter being mainly used for specific architectural features, such as graves or stone circles and covering. For this reason, the initial information we had on the existence of mounds made entirely of loose stones, in the coastal ridge of Mali i Rrencit, in northwest Albania, seemed promising for initiating an extensive archaeological survey in understanding their spatial distribution. This type of burial mound has remained so far unknown in the Albanian archaeological literature. At the present state of research, in Albania, this type of tumulus architecture seems to be encountered in the hills rising along the northwestern lowland, while the lower course of Drini i Lezhës River seem to represent their southernmost limit. During the two seasons a total number of 137 stone tumuli have been recorded (70 in 2017 and 67 in 2014). During the 2017 season, were discovered also three probably late prehistoric fortifications, unknown so far in the literature.
L’Illyrie méridionale et l’Epire dans l'antiquité: actes du VI colloque international de Tirana (20-23 mai 2015), 2018
Southeast Albania has been a focal area for prehistoric research in Albania throughout the post S... more Southeast Albania has been a focal area for prehistoric research in Albania throughout the post Second World War (SWW) period. Chance finds and intensive research have led to the discovery of an unprecedented number of prehistoric sites, which range from Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. As the main geographical component of Southeast Albania, the Korça basin turned consequently into the core region for the construction of chronologies, as well as a key element in comparative interpretations for the rest of the country. However, when the existing bibliography is reviewed, there is a lack of evidence from the earliest periods such as the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic. On the other hand, despite the low interest in these periods by Albanian archaeologists and a lack of expertise, the basin has occasionally provided sufficient evidence for the presence of human activity related to them.
L’Illyrie méridionale et l’Epire dans l'antiquité: actes du VI colloque international de Tirana (20-23 mai 2015), 2018
The Dyrrachium Hinterland Project is focusing on the landscape along the two main roads leading f... more The Dyrrachium Hinterland Project is focusing on the landscape along the two main roads leading from Durrës towards the southeast; firstly the road leading towards Kavajë, and secondly the road leading from Arapaj towards the Erzen river and Romanat. These routes were of great importance already during Antiquity; the Via Egnatia following the first route and the Hadrianic aqueduct leading water to Dyrrachium from the river Erzen along the second.
Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean, 2024
As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Polytechnic of Bari, the University of Bari ... more As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Polytechnic of Bari, the University of Bari and
the Academy of Albanological Studies of Tirana, research on Albanian fortified architecture was started
which also saw recognition by the MAECI. The studies, starting from experiences already acquired by
the Polytechnic and the University of Bari on the Apulian fortified works, aim to create an atlas of fortified
architecture in Albania and in-depth interventions on some significant case studies. Having noted a series
of limitations in various studies on fortified architecture in Albania and in particular the lack of
comparisons between eastern and western sources, it was possible to find a chronological classification
of the sites based almost exclusively on typological aspects and construction techniques, generating a
certain rigidity that should be rethought in the light of new studies and insights. Add to this the lack of
excavations and archaeological tests which can highlight, with greater clarity and precision, chronological
indicators to be associated with the wall structures. A first approach to the topic was to create a Geographic
Information System (which is being structured and enriched as the research progresses) in which the main
examples of Albanian fortified architecture were inserted to begin to define some fundamental
relationships between the fortification system and the geo-morphological aspects of the territory, the
hydrographic network and the ancient and medieval roads. Two case studies were identified at the same
time: the fortified citadels of Berat and Tepelene for a first series of historical investigations and surveys
of some significant structures in order to be able to carry out some reflections on the restoration operations
that have involved, over the past few years , the two fortresses.
Iliria, 2022
No holistic overview of all of the absolute dates generated in Albania thus far has been attempt... more No holistic overview of all of the absolute dates generated in Albania thus far has been
attempted. Therefore, this article aims first and foremost to compile these dates and
identify the boundaries between major prehistoric periods. By critically discussing
each period, we seek to recognise possible gaps and identify the weak points in the
existing chronology. This work does not intend to analyse the overall structure of
the existing chronology or the integrity of stratigraphic sequences at each particular
site; this goes well beyond the scope of the present publication. However, when
necessary we do provide examples from the archaeological record that are key to
understanding the new chronology we have constructed. Finally, we address some of
the outstanding chronological issues in Albanian archaeology, and pose a number of
new questions and suggestions for future research.
SCIENCE, 2022
We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern... more We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern Turkey and Northern Iraq), Cyprus, and the Northwestern Zagros, along with the first data from Neolithic Armenia. We show that these and neighboring populations were formed through admixture of pre-Neolithic sources related to Anatolian, Caucasus, and Levantine hunter-gatherers, forming a Neolithic continuum of ancestry mirroring the geography of West Asia. By analyzing Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic populations of Anatolia, we show that the former were derived from admixture between Mesopotamian-related and local Epipaleolithic-related sources, but the latter experienced additional Levantine-related gene flow, thus documenting at least two pulses of migration from the Fertile Crescent heartland to the early farmers of Anatolia.
SCIENCE, 2022
Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asi... more Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asia since the Bronze Age that can be complemented by genetics. Mycenaean period elites in Greece did not differ from the general population and included both people with some steppe ancestry and others, like the Griffin Warrior, without it. Similarly, people in the central area of the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van lacked the steppe ancestry characteristic of the kingdom?s northern provinces. Anatolia exhibited extraordinary continuity down to the Roman and Byzantine periods, with its people serving as the demographic core of much of the Roman Empire, including the city of Rome itself. During medieval times, migrations associated with Slavic and Turkic speakers profoundly affected the region. Stories about the peopling?and people?of Southern Europe and West Asia have been passed down for thousands of years, and these stories have contributed to our historical understanding of populations. Genomic data provide the opportunity to truly understand these patterns independently from written history. In a trio of papers, Lazaridis et al. examined more than 700 ancient genomes from across this region, the Southern Arc, spanning 11,000 years, from the earliest farming cultures to post-Medieval times (see the Perspective by Arbuckle and Schwandt). On the basis of these results, the authors suggest that earlier reliance on modern phenotypes and ancient writings and artistic depictions provided an inaccurate picture of early Indo-Europeans, and they provide a revised history of the complex migrations and population integrations that shaped these cultures. ?SNV Polities of the ancient Mediterranean world preserved contrasts of ancestry since the Bronze Age but were linked by migration.
Science
By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southe... more By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra–West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe.
The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migr... more The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migrations before, during and after the late glacial maximum. For this reason the Cologne CRC806 project started archaeological fieldwork in 2012 in collaboration with the Albanian National Institute of Archaeology. The most outstanding discovery are several caves in northern Albanian Mati district with undisturbed deposits in Jurassic limestone ridges about 300m a.s.l. Artefacts discovered on the hillslope indicate the presence of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic terrace deposits in front of the caves buried under several meters of Holocene layers. In a small test trench within the entrance area of one of the sites, called Blaz Cave, we discovered Epi-Gravettian remains. Similar artifacts were excavated 170km to the south in a collapsed cave near Orikum. Together with high-density Mesolithic levels discovered in the site of Shën Mitri (Butrint basin), the CRC806 investigations testified the hi...
In Procedings of the International Conference: New Archaeological Discoveries in the Albanian Regions, Tirana, 2017
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Archaeologists first identified obsidian artifacts in Albania in the early 20th century, but thei... more Archaeologists first identified obsidian artifacts in Albania in the early 20th century, but their numbers were small and the contexts insecure. Their source was never determined. Nor was it clear why, given the large numbers of obsidian artifacts recovered in regions to the south and north, in areas like central and southern Greece and Croatia, more obsidian artifacts were not found in Albania. In an attempt to address these problems in Albanian prehistoric archaeology, we analyzed eight obsidian artifacts from six sites – out of a total of only 16 known pieces from the entire country, many of which are now lost – using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF). One of these, from the Putanja site, is from Lipari, Italy. The other seven are from Melos, Greece. All eight appear to date from the Middle/Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age (5500–1050/25 BCE). The absence of obsidian in Albania is not the result of poor archaeological sampling; several, recent intensive surface surveys and excavations in south and north Albania produced no obsidian. Rather, it may be that obsidian was not imported to prehistoric Albania due to the presence of abundant, accessible, very fine flint sources, located in particular in the southwest of the country. Consequently, the prehistoric inhabitants of Albanian were out of the loop or otherwise uninterested in obsidian during those periods of Mediterranean prehistory, specifically from the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age, when it was traded most extensively.
Quaternary International, 2017
Bulletin de correspondance hellénique, 2010
Palaeolithic research in Albania is still in its infancy. Palaeolithic artefacts having been foun... more Palaeolithic research in Albania is still in its infancy. Palaeolithic artefacts having been found mostly incidentally and sporadically, a demand for more systematic research has recently lead us to establish a joint Albanian-German research project. Our first excavations to be presented here were carried out in southern Albania (Butrint region), central Albania (Vlora region) and in the northern Albanian highlands (Mati region). So far, Palaeolithic remnants were recovered representing two time slices: First, evidence for the presence of early Upper Palaeolithic humans is given by a series of radiocarbon dates in the lower part of the Blazi Cave sequence and by an excavated Aurignacian lithic assemblage from the open-air site of Shën Mitri near Butrint. Second, some caves inspected have also revealed traces of hunter-gatherers who used these shelters shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM): Two Epigravettian sites, Blazi Cave (Mati) and Kanali (Vlora), date to around 18,000 ye...
Candavia, 2020
In present-day Albania, stone mounds constructed entirely of loose stones, most probably related ... more In present-day Albania, stone mounds constructed entirely of loose stones, most probably related to burial practices of the late prehistoric periods, are so far evidenced in the karst hills of the northwestern region. Their important concentration in this region was first noticed in 2014, while during the first two seasons of the present project (2014 and 2017), 137 stone mounds were recorded in the hills that rise above the Albanian Adriatic coastline and at their immediate proximity, between the lower courses of Drini i Lezhës and Buna rivers22. The third season of the extensive archeological survey (8-21 October 2018) aimed at following the distribution of the stone mounds further north, from Buna River in the south (city of Shkodra) to the Albanian-Montenegro border in the north.
Iliria, 2018
During recent decades, prehistoric research in Albania has witnessed a revival of archival studie... more During recent decades, prehistoric research in Albania has witnessed a revival of archival studies as well as fieldwork, regarding foreign archaeological activity prior to the Second World War. Some of this research has proved very successful, providing a wealth of new information, such as in the case of the work of the Italian prehistorian Luigi Cardini (Francis 2005), while in other cases, such as with Carlo Petrocchi (Sestieri 1943, 43) or Bolko von Richthofen (Richthofen 1939), it has been unfruitful. In the same context, research was initiated by the first author of this paper, on the not fully published archaeological work of Eugène Pittard, a noted Swiss scholar and physical anthropologist. His fieldwork in 1921 represents an important contribution to the early research history of Albania with regards to prehistory. He is mostly recognised for the discovery of the first confirmed evidence of a prehistoric site in the vicinity of Little Prespa Lake, during his work in the region of southeast Albania. However, his work in Albania has been only briefly referenced in the archaeological literature (Gervasio 1939, 245; Peppo 1942, 7; Milaj 2005, 49–50; Ceka and Adam 1949, 95; Coon 1950, XXIII: 39; Mustilli 1963, 111, 1965a, 55, 1965b, 457; Valentini 2005, 971; Ruka 2006, 28). His single article on this work relates only to the preliminary results of the test excavations conducted in a cave in the area. As this article provides a rather limited sense of his work, our article aims to shed new light on the explorations of Pittard in the region (Pittard 1921). Despite several unsuccessful efforts to relocate his field notebooks, some of the finds, such as the ceramics and lithics, were rediscovered at the Laboratory of prehistoric archaeology and anthropology of the University of Geneva, in Switzerland. Few observations are presented in this article; rather we aim to present a first evaluation of the cultural aspects of the material collected. In addition, the reanalysis aims to provide a more complete picture of Pittard’s work in the country, as well as to assess the possibility for further future research work.
CANDAVIA, 2018
(in Albanian with English summary) This report is focused on the results of the second season (1-... more (in Albanian with English summary) This report is focused on the results of the second season (1-15 October 2017) of the extensive archaeological survey in the coastal hilly region between the lower courses of rivers Drini i Lezhës and Buna, in northwest Albania. As it has already been mentioned in the report of the first season (Kurti et al. 2015), the main aim of this survey is the identification and documentation of stone mounds, constructed entirely of loose stones, which very probably are related to burial practices of the late prehistoric periods. The tumuli represent the main burial practice for the Bronze and Iron Ages in Albania. However, all the tumuli excavated so far, from north to south of the country, are constructed in soil, or soil and stones, the latter being mainly used for specific architectural features, such as graves or stone circles and covering. For this reason, the initial information we had on the existence of mounds made entirely of loose stones, in the coastal ridge of Mali i Rrencit, in northwest Albania, seemed promising for initiating an extensive archaeological survey in understanding their spatial distribution. This type of burial mound has remained so far unknown in the Albanian archaeological literature. At the present state of research, in Albania, this type of tumulus architecture seems to be encountered in the hills rising along the northwestern lowland, while the lower course of Drini i Lezhës River seem to represent their southernmost limit. During the two seasons a total number of 137 stone tumuli have been recorded (70 in 2017 and 67 in 2014). During the 2017 season, were discovered also three probably late prehistoric fortifications, unknown so far in the literature.
L’Illyrie méridionale et l’Epire dans l'antiquité: actes du VI colloque international de Tirana (20-23 mai 2015), 2018
Southeast Albania has been a focal area for prehistoric research in Albania throughout the post S... more Southeast Albania has been a focal area for prehistoric research in Albania throughout the post Second World War (SWW) period. Chance finds and intensive research have led to the discovery of an unprecedented number of prehistoric sites, which range from Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. As the main geographical component of Southeast Albania, the Korça basin turned consequently into the core region for the construction of chronologies, as well as a key element in comparative interpretations for the rest of the country. However, when the existing bibliography is reviewed, there is a lack of evidence from the earliest periods such as the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic. On the other hand, despite the low interest in these periods by Albanian archaeologists and a lack of expertise, the basin has occasionally provided sufficient evidence for the presence of human activity related to them.
L’Illyrie méridionale et l’Epire dans l'antiquité: actes du VI colloque international de Tirana (20-23 mai 2015), 2018
The Dyrrachium Hinterland Project is focusing on the landscape along the two main roads leading f... more The Dyrrachium Hinterland Project is focusing on the landscape along the two main roads leading from Durrës towards the southeast; firstly the road leading towards Kavajë, and secondly the road leading from Arapaj towards the Erzen river and Romanat. These routes were of great importance already during Antiquity; the Via Egnatia following the first route and the Hadrianic aqueduct leading water to Dyrrachium from the river Erzen along the second.
Hugo Obermaier Society for Quaternary Research and Archaeology of the Stone Age; 55. Jahrestagung in Wien 02. – 06. April 2013, Apr 2013
The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migr... more The territory of Albania is centred directly within the “Eastern Trajectory” of modern human migrations before, during and after the late glacial maximum. For this reason the Cologne CRC806 project started archaeological fieldwork in 2012 in collaboration with the Albanian National Institute of Archaeology. The most outstanding discovery are several caves in northern Albanian Mati district with undisturbed deposits in Jurassic limestone ridges about 300m a.s.l. Artefacts discovered on the hillslope indicate the presence of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic terrace deposits in front of the caves buried under several meters of Holocene
layers. In a small test trench within the entrance area of one of the sites, called Blaz Cave, we discovered Epi-Gravettian remains. Similar artifacts were excavated 170km to the south in a collapsed cave near Orikum. Together with high-density Mesolithic levels discovered in the site of Shën Mitri (Butrint basin), the CRC806 investigations testified the high potential for future Palaeolithic research in these areas.
Archaeological Investigations in a Northern Albanian Province: Results of the Projekti Arkeologjik i Shkodres (PASH): Volume Two: Artifacts and Artifact Analysis, 2023
This chapter aims to present the lithic assemblages from the PASH survey region. The first lithic... more This chapter aims to present the lithic assemblages from the PASH
survey region. The first lithic artifact from an archaeological
context in Albania was discovered in one of the Shtoj tumuli
by Theodor Ippen, an Austro-Hungarian diplomat stationed in
Shkodra (Ippen 1902:210). This discovery falls within PASH
Zone 2. However, focused work on lithic finds from the area
did not commence until the 1980s. A significant contribution
towards such studies was made by Anton Fistani, who began his
scientific career in the field of biochemistry (Fistani 1976, 1977,
1979a, 1979b, 1979c, 1980, 1981a, 1981b, 1983a; Fistani and
Ilirjana 1989), and later became a self-taught paleontologist and
archaeologist. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Fistani identified,
through surveys and excavations, a number of sites, such as Gajtan,
Baran, Bleran, Shiroka, and Rragam, which ranged in date from
the Lower to the Upper Paleolithic. He was passionately dedicated
to his work and published a large number of articles, both for the
scientific community and for the wider public (Fistani 1982a,
1982b, 1983b, 1983c, 1984a, 1984b, 1984c, 1985a, 1985b, 1985c,
1985d, 1986a, 1986b, 1986c, 1987b, 1987c, 1987d, 1987e, 1987f,
1988a, 1988b, 1988c, 1988d, 1988e, 1989a, 1989b, 1989c, 1990a,
1990b, 1990c, 1990d, 1993a, 1993b, 1993c, 1994, 1995a, 1995b,
1997; Fistani and Crégut-Bonnoure 1993). In addition, in the early
1980s, Albanian prehistorian Bep Jubani discovered the Shpella e
Hudhrës (PASH Site 004), which he dated to the Mesolithic (Jubani
1984:127, 1991:231–232). Despite the great potential of the region
for lithic studies, as demonstrated by Fistani’s pioneering work,
no further research on lithic artifacts was conducted in the region
until PASH.
The Epigravettian site of Blazi cave represents so far the only undisturbed and securly dated Epi... more The Epigravettian site of Blazi cave represents so far the only undisturbed and securly dated Epigravettian site in Albania.
The new data fill a research gap for the time of the Late Upper Palaeolithic in the Eastern Adriatic. During the GAP (German-Albanian Palaeolithic research project) campaign in 2015, a large sample of stone artefacts and animal bones was excavated. Their spatial distribution and good preservation indicate an in situ position of the archaeological
layer. The tool spectrum contains a high ratio of backed bladelets and microgravette points, typical components of an Epigravettian assemblage. The faunal remains, mainly ibex, exhibit numerous cut and percussion marks, characterising Blazi cave as a specialised ibex hunting site.
![Research paper thumbnail of Shënime mbi fortifikimet e Durrësit në periudhën osmane [Observations on Durrës fortifications in the Ottoman period]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/71374794/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Revista Studime historike 3-4, 2020
The aim of this paper is related with the treatment of the main military topographic aspects of t... more The aim of this paper is related with the treatment of the main military
topographic aspects of the city of Durrës during the Ottoman period. This goal we tried to achieve through combining the data taken from different sources. In relation with the city's fortifications, it's already clear that their evolution is more complicated that has thought. Also, already we have clear evidences that the investments of the Ottoman Empire on fortifications have been considerable. Unfortunately such studies and analyzes lacked and as consequence not only the constructions of this period have been totally ignored, but also have created considerable misunderstandings and misuse.
From the other part, the design of the city organization within the walls,
proves that has had an urban continuity from the medieval city to the Ottoman era even why on modest dimensions. After, these basic aspects of the city organization are fossilized, also imposing to the modern age, in the main lines of the city development. The clearer evidence are the roads, especially those who follow the north-south axes. Already we have clearly shown that nevertheless the evolution of fortification in the southeastern line, there has been a continuity of a superpose established since the Late Antiquity. The designed roads in the second map have as starting point the territory near this line of walls. Those for sure follow the axes of the medieval roads.
Preserving the medieval urban organization, also the continuity of the
Ottoman city has preserved the same development principles. Of course, were the enduring changes of the dwellings evolution, connected for many reasons, mainly with the land property. These data reject the description of Idris Bitlisi that after the occupation of Durrës, the Ottomans rebuild everything within the city. The urban continuity shows the opposite.