Season Director

• AIAC_5593 - Cave of Blazi - 2015
  Between the test pits out inside Blazi cave in 2012 and 2014, a new excavation square was opened in 2015. The square was excavated between two dry walls at the entrance of the cave. The test pit in this area aimed to reach the Epigravetian and early Upper Paleolithic layers. The open square measured 2.8 x 1.5 m. The upper part of the excavation presents several sequences, with hearths from the Neolithic and Bronze periods. A large density of Epigravetian tools appeared immediately on top of the Pleistocene deposits. Layer 2 presented sediments of a typical cold phase, with a high density of limestone remains. 24,958 objects were collected, most of which are lithic objects and bones from the Epigravetian layer. Few lithic objects were found in layer 4, while layer 5, which was the last layer, was sterile.

Season Team

• AIAC_1774 - Kanali rockshelter. - 2012
  The 2012 excavation at Kanali rock shelter was conditioned by the results of the excavations carried out in 2004. It was decided to test two different points, one positioned near the area where the 2004 excavations were concentrated and the second point located where the collapsed entrance of the cave was thought to be. The first excavation site was named Kanali 1, while the second site was named Kanali 2. Kanali 1 In the end of this year's excavations in this point, was increased the amount of finds and also the lithic collection. From the material obtained from the excavation, it appears that the main goal of the occupation was to achieve the production of tools of the blade type and small flakes, a part of which can be described in some cases as flakes (<1.5 – 2 cm). This is evidenced by the presence of 5 cores for the production of blades as well as the blades themselves, as well as 2 discoidal cores and the corresponding flakes and blades. Other tools present in the collection are: a chip thinned in the ventral part, a retouched blade, an end scraper, and two partially preserved but unidentifiable tools. Of a different operational chain, are two bidirectional and two-sided wedges, which may have been in their initial phase. Kanali 2 On the other hand, the lithic material found during excavations at this point represents a special case in relation to the history of the study of this territory. Among the most important finds were a core, for the production of blades, as well as the presence of numerous blades. There are also two end scrapers which seem to have been produced from the same operational concept. It should be mentioned that the end scrapers are not short or round but rather long. Based on the material found from the excavation of this year, some preliminary conclusions can be given regarding the chronology of this collection. Starting from the high presence of blades with worked backs as well as the presence of a trapezoid, we can say with certainty that we are dealing with a collection of the Epigravetian, the period after the Last Maximum Glaciation (20,000 years). On the other hand, the presence of longitudinal end scrapers (not circular) as well as the absence of knives with worked backs places this material in time to the early Epigravetian or about 20,000-15,000 years ago.
• AIAC_5593 - Cave of Blazi - 2012
  The excavation inside the cave was placed in four points, with squares of 1x1m. The squares were named K I, which was positioned in the space where the lithic material was found in the excavations of the 70’s of the twentieth century realized by F. Prendi and Zh. Andrea. Square K. II was placed on the outside of the cave entrance, in front of the wall that separates the interior from the exterior of the cave. K III on the left side of the cave's interior, the area in which the previous excavations were also concentrated, and precisely with the aim of controlling this area, whether or not it preserved traces of pre-Neolithic periods. K. IV was located at the end of the gallery of the cave; its purpose was to help with taking samples for C14 dating. The only trenches that gave lithic material were K. I and K. II. The trench K. III did not give any archaeological findings, while in K. IV the findings were the same as those found during excavations in the 70’s. From this trench it was also possible to take some C14 samples that will allow the absolute dating of the Neolithic layer. The lithic finds in this case attest the fact that the aim of the chaine operatoire was the production of blades. The is no summary for this season.
• AIAC_5612 - Saint Miter - 2012
  Continued surveys at the prehistoric site of St. Miter had aroused great interest in terms of the lithic collection found. For this reason, in 2012, it was decided to carry out archaeological excavations in order to discover the potential of this site. The excavation was carried out through three trenches of dimensions (1x2 m). The trenches were named, A, located on the western side, B (in the center) and trench C (on the eastern side). Most of the finds come from trench A and for this reason the excavation was focused only on this trench. The excavation was extended to both sides of the trench and a rich collection of flint finds was obtained. The main material founded consists of blade of different typologies. The cores were obtained from raw material (craft), collected in secondary sources. The area in question is rich in Pleistocene fluvial terraces, as was previously noted at the site of Xarra, which is located at a short distance from our site. The number of tools found is small compared to the total amount of processing waste. This could possibly be related to the existence of a production workshop with wide spatial extent and high production intensity. The lack of a larger quantity of tools makes it difficult to determine chronologically this collection. In the absence of a more precise dating by means of the material culture discovered so far, absolute C14 dating remains the only possibility for now in terms of a clearer determination of the chronological affiliation of this collection.