Butrint

June 26, 2012

Butrint

One of the most significant archeological sites in the entire Mediterranean, the ancient city of Butrint (Buthrotum) is located fourteen kilometers south of Saranda. The ancient Greek and later Roman city that has been and continues to be excavated in meticulous detail. It is listed as a World Heritage Site in 1992 being recognized as a cultural and natural site of outstanding significance. The entire region around the archeological excavations has been set aside as a National Park and now over 86 square km are a protected and beautiful area of both historical and natural beauty.

Butrint was one of the must see stops for me during my visit to Albania and I had the tremendous good fortune to have my own personal guide, my Albanian friend Kela. Kela has visited the site over 500 times, having led multiple tours, worked at the site and even participated in the on-going excavations that are taking place there. As massive and amazing as what has been uncovered to date, it is estimated that only about 15-20 percent of what is actually there has been unearthed, which is truly a staggering possibility once you visit and see how much is there.

Kela

Kela arranged for a private car to drive us from Saranda and then took her time as she escorted myself and the driver on a wonderful, informative and fascinating behind the scenes tour that the average visitor just does not get. It was so cool that even though the incredible museum on site was closed, Kela had the staff open it up so that I could get a private viewing, that was pretty cool just in of itself. We also got to go and see some of the excavation work which was happening while we were there.

To accurately capture the amazing structures as well as the natural beauty of the place is almost impossible in either words or photos. It is an incredible place. Full of the kind of history and ruins that we just do not have in the United States. Evidence of habitation of the area goes back to at least the 10^th century BC and speculation is that the site has been inhabited for even longer. Each successive conquering culture seemed to build upon, expand and rework the site, so there is archeological evidence from a multitude of cultures and eras, making the site especially important.

The first modern archaeological excavations began in 1928 when the Fascist government of Mussolini's Italy sent an expedition to Buthrotum. The aim was geopolitical rather than scientific, aiming to extend Italian hegemony in the area. The leader was an Italian archaeologist, Luigi Maria Ugolini who despite the political aims of his mission was a good archaeologist. Ugolini died in 1936, but the excavations continued until 1943 and the Second World War. They uncovered the Hellenistic and Roman part of the city including the "Lion Gate" and the "Scaean Gate" (named by Ugolini for the famous gate at Troy mentioned in the Homeric Iliad).





After the communist government of Enver Hoxha took Albania over in 1944, foreign archaeological missions were banned. Albanian archaeologists including Hasan Ceka continued the work. The Albanian Institute of Archaeology began larger scale excavations in the 1970s. Since 1993 further major excavations have taken place led by the Butrint Foundation in collaboration with the Albanian Institute of Archaeology. Recent excavations in the western defences of the city have revealed evidence of the continued use of the walls, implying the continuation of life in the town. The walls themselves certainly seem to have burnt down in the 9th century, but were subsequently repaired.







After the collapse of the communist regime in 1992, the new democratic government planned various major developments at the site. The same year remains of Butrint were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. A major political and economic crisis in 1997 and lobbying stopped the airport plan and UNESCO placed it on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of looting, lack of protection, management and conservation. Archaeological missions during 1994-9 uncovered further Roman villas and an early Christian church.







The Albanian Government established the Butrint National Park in 2000. Its First Director was Auron Tare, who is also one of the archeologists that RPM has been working with since our arrival and who has been instrumental in creation of the Field School.

http://butrint.org/