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  • Zgërdhesh
  • Halil
  • Albanopolis?
  • Albania
  • Durrës County
  • Bashkia Krujë
  • Bashkia e Fushë-Krujës

Credits

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  • AIAC_logo logo

Periods

  • No period data has been added yet

Chronology

  • 300 BC - 50 BC
  • 50 BC - 400 AD

Season

    • Archaeological excavations in Zgërdhesh carried out by an Albanian-German team (cooperation led by the Archaeological Institute, Tirana, and the Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany) resumed in 2017 with a geomagnetic survey and were followed by a first excavation campaign in 2018 and then in 2019. During the 2018 campaign the excavations were focused in two areas: a) to the east of the narrow entrance of the surrounding western wall of the city, where a small necropolis had been discovered during the excavations in 1969; and b) in the 2017 we re-discovered a circular structure (rotonda) in the lowlands, outside the ancient city (approximately 400 m from the city wall). The choice to focus our work at the necropolis intra muros was successful, as four graves were found. The graves belong to the already known late Roman cemetery dated mainly to the III-IV centuries AD. Two of the graves belonged to the bustum type (cremation with a pyre directly above the grave), while the other two had a structure where inhumation was used. The most outstanding grave was grave 1, that has been constructed as a brick chamber, covered by huge curved tiles and surrounded by chalkstones. The grave goods included a set of five glass vessels, a silver needle and many other small objects. In one of the busta (grave 4) was found some iron weapons (a spearhead, a knife, parts of a sword), a bronze belt buckle and a large fibula. Another part of the 2018 campaign was the excavation of the southern half of the circular building (rotonda) outside the city. Our aim was to further clarify the full form of its construction. The centre was disturbed by a modern pipe. This building has not been entirely excavated yet as part of the structure was covered by a modern road.

Bibliography

    • E. METALLA, TH. MAURER, U. TOTA., "Kërkime arkeologjike në Zgërdhesh, vitet 2018-2019. (Archaeological research in Zgërdhesh, 2018 - 2019)", Candavia, 8, 2020, pp. 209 - 229.