According to the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, during November, the archaeologists from the Directorate of the Archaeological Service at the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, with the support of Mirdita municipality, carried out rescue excavations in the area of Upper Kthella.

The archaeological data from this area, accompanied by a rich and significant toponymy, testify to human activity starting from the Early Iron Age to that of Late Antiquity.

The Institute said that there will continue the archaeological research and exploration while there are expected important results for the recognition and discovery of the treasures of the cultural heritage of Mirdita area and beyond. /j.p/r.e/p.s./

The excavations were launched a few weeks ago by the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology at the University of Tirana and the History Museum in Lushnja.

These are the first excavations in the area and a basilica, some early coins, a granite column and skeletal remains have been unearthed, thought to belong to various periods, from the Hellenistic to the late Middle Ages.

Archaeology students are assisting the mission to document the finds in the site.

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Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation Blendi Gonxhja said that after an interruption, the excavations on the ground and under water, near the village of Buqeze in Pogradec, have resumed, bringing to light new elements.

The results of 2023 as well as the data of the archaeological material collected at the University of Geneva in Switzerland with the support of the University of Oxford in England, list the Lin 3 palafit settlement as the oldest settlement of this typology in Europe.

The impressive results of the study of the archaeological material convinced the researchers to intensify the research during the year 2024.

“During this season, the archaeologists will focus on deepening knowledge on the extent of this settlement, the complexity of construction, as well as its connections with archaeological sites of the same period in the Korça basin,” said Gonxhja.

Evaluating the significance of this archaeological discovery, the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation and the National Institute of Cultural Heritage are working on preparation of the decision to protect and declare it an archaeological area, which is expected to be finalized within 2024.

Last year, Albanian and Swiss archaeologists found new materials in context of their several years of research in Lin i Pogradec, which speak of the earliest lake settlement in Europe.

According to laboratory analysis, the wooden remains of the houses discovered in the water date back to around 6000 to 5800 BC. The settlement is believed to have consisted of houses built on wooden poles that housed 200 to 500 inhabitants. /k.s/p.s./

“A total of 136,293 visitors to the archaeological parks since January 2024,” Gonxhja revealed in a post on the social media, adding that archaeological parks remain open on all days from 9:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM during the summer season (May- October).

Cultural tourism, with countless museums, archaeological sites, castles and other historical and cultural heritage sites all over Albania, is attracting an ever growing number of both local and foreign visitors.

The surge in museum visits, archaeological parks and tourist arrivals reflects Albania’s rich cultural heritage and its increasing popularity as a cultural destination.

Albania is home to a series of archaeological sites, including Butrint, Apollonia, Orik, and Amantia archaeological parks.

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Under the direction of Dr. Nevila Molla (IA) and Prof. Richard Hodges (BF), at this stage, the project focuses on investigation of the urban topography in the Western area of ​​the lower city, where there is being carried out archaeological excavation of one of the towers of the fortification wall of Late Antiquity and the surface cleaning of a building of previously unidentified funerary character on the south-west coast of the peninsula.

Albanian archaeologists and conservators of the Academy of Albanian Studies, students of the Department of Archeology and Cultural Heritage of the University of Tirana and a number of academic experts from various European universities, such as the University of East England (United Kingdom), Leiden University (Netherlands) , Co’ Foscari University of Venice and La Sapienza (Italy) have engaged in this project for the study and conservation of the rich archaeological material obtained from the research, so far.

The diverse archaeological material, which consists of coins from the 10th century, as well as vessels and objects made of ceramics, metal, and glass, is expanding the hitherto scarce knowledge about the period of the early and Middle Ages (7th-12th centuries) and speaks of continuation of the city’s commercial relations with Southern Italy and the Aegean regions in these periods.

Research to date has also revealed important previously unidentified data regarding the location of the main gate that provided land access to the lower city, the configuration of the fortification system partially discovered in this area, as well as the relationship of this system to the port of the city during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. /j.p/p.s./

During a conversation with the citizens of Saranda, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that, “In addition to Butrint, the cultural tourist package of Saranda will have an Archaeological Museum. It is thought to be located at the building where there has been the city maternity hospital.

“We have agreed to give Saranda an archeological museum. Butrint is there, a world cultural asset, but not everyone when they come to Saranda goes to Butrint. Those who come to Saranda, foreigners or Albanians, do not have an archeological museum and the former maternity hospital is an ideal place to have an archeological museum. Then we can cooperate with the Butrint park to have areas, certain sections of this museum dedicated to the Butrint park and then whoever will go to Butrint, let me go there as well,” Rama said.

“The Church of the 40 Saints also must be turned into a strong asset of the tourist package. The road has gone there, it is not of the highest standards, I agree that we need the best lighting of the Church and I believe that the mayor is keeping notes about this “, – said Rama. /a.a/p.s./