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Item: AIAC_1766
Permalink: https://www.fastionline.org/excavation/AIAC_1766

Name: Northern Tower on the Western Defences
Date Range: 400 – 1590
Monuments: Tower

Seasons

Media

Name: Northern Tower on the Western Defences

Year: 2006
Summary: sq Nё vitin 2006 vazhduan gёrmimet nё kullёn veriore tё mureve mbrojtёs perёndimor tё qytetit antik tё Butrintit. Gjatё gёrmimeve, mbi dyshemenё prej balte tё ngjeshur tё kullёs, u gjetёn mbetjet e plota tё tё paktёn 12 kupave Veneciane me fron si dhe njё numёr pjatash. Gjithashtu u gjetёn edhe njё numёr thikash prej hekuri, dy enё gatimi me glazurё tё shekujve 8-tё – 9-tё si dhe njё grup i veçantё prej 8 enёsh tё plota qeramike, pjesa mё e madhe e tё cilave janё prodhim lokal. Njёra prej enёve tё gatimit tё gjetura mund tё jetё prodhim i Italisё sё Jugut, ndёrsa tjetra prodhim vendas.
Gjatё kёtij sezoni u gjetёn gjithashtu edhe fragmente enёsh prej qeramike tё zbukuruara me inçizim prej vijash tё lakuar, tё njohura si prodhime sllave.
Dyshemeja e kёsaj strukture ishte e mbuluar nga njё shtresё e pasur karboni, e datuar nga analizat e radiokarbonit nё shekullin e 9-tё m.Kr., dhe mbi tё ndodhej njё depozitё tjegullash çatie tё rrёzuara. Prezenca e shtresёs prej karboni tregon pёr rёnien e njё zjarri, qё solli edhe rrёzimin e tjegullave tё çatisё. Mё pas njё pjesё e mureve tё kullёs u shkatёrruan dhe mbetёn ashtu deri nё rindёrtimin e saj nё shekullin 13-tё ose 14-tё. Materialet prej qeramike dhe qelqi tё datuara nё fund tё shekullit 8-tё dhe nё filim tё shekullit 9-tё tregojnё se kulla ka patur njё ambient rezidencal qё i pёrkiste njё individi tё klasёs aristokratike tё qytetit.; en Excavations in the northern-most tower of the western defensive wall at the ancient site of Butrint, were continued in 2006.
During the excavations, directly above a beaten earth floor of the tower, the complete remains of at least twelve stemmed Venetian drinking glasses and a number of glass platters were found. In addition, a number of iron knives, two unusual glazed 8th/9th-century chafing dishes (portable ovens) and a unique group of at least eight complete ceramic vessels, mostly of local fabrics, were found. One of the chafing dishes may be of south Italian origin; the second appears to be locally produced. Pottery sherds displaying incised wavy-line decoration - so-called Slavic wares - were also found in the Tower.
The floor of the structure was sealed by a thin charcoal-rich layer, dated by radiocarbon dating to the 9th century and then a deep deposit of broken roof tiles; evidently the charcoal layer represents a catastrophic fire in which the tower’s tiled roof collapsed inwards. Shortly thereafter part of the tower walls tumbled into the interior and the tower was not re-built until the 13th or 14th century. The elite assemblage of ceramics and glass of the late 8th and early 9th century, appear to represent the contents of a formal dining room of the tower’s occupant who was plainly a person of high status at this time.
Director: Richard Hodges
Research Body: IWA - Institute of World Archaeology, University of East Anglia
Funding Body: Packard Humanities Institute; Butrint Foundation

Team

Field director - Solinda Kamani

Field director - Matthew Logue

Media

Name: Northern Tower on the Western Defences

Year: 2007
Summary: sq Materialet arkeologjike tё gjetura gjatё gёrmimeve tё vitit 2007 nё kullёn veriore tё mureve perёndimore tё Butrintit, me pёrjashtim tё disa fragmenteve enёsh prej qeramike dhe njё monedhe romake, datojnё nё fazёn e parё tё ndёrtimit tё saj.
Mungesa e materialeve mё tё hershme tregon se ndёrtimi i linjёs sё re mureve pastroi gjithё sipёrfaqen pёrreth kullёs. Si rrjedhim sasia mё e madhe e monedhave romake tё gjetura daton nё fund tё shekullit tё 5-tё m.Kr, dhe disa nё shekullin e 6-tё m.Kr. Po ashtu edhe nё materialet e qeramikёs tё gjetura nё gёrmim, dominojnё ato tё fund shekullit tё 5-tё dhe fillimit tё shekullit 6-tё m.Kr. Materiale tё Periudhёs pas – Romake janё gjetur vetёm brenda kullёs, ku ato mё tё vonat i pёrkasin shekullit tё 7-tё m.Kr. Mungesa e plotё e materialeve arkeologjike tё shekujve 7-tё dhe 9-tё m.Kr., tregon pёr braktisjen e kullёs nё kёtё periudhё.
Megjithatё, ky sezon gёrmimesh tregoi se kulla u mirёmbajt dhe u pёrdor nё njё lloj forme deri nё fillim tё shekullit tё 9-tё m.Kr. Gёrmimet u pёrqёndruan nё dyshemenё prej balte tё katit tё parё, i cili mendohet tё jetё pёrdorur si magazinё. Banorёt kanё jetuar nё katin e dytё tё kullёs ku ngjiteshin nёpёrmjet njё shkallё tё vendosur nё anёn e jashtme tё saj. Mbetjet e kockave tё kafshёve tё gjetura nё dysheme tregojnё se dieta ushqimore e banorёve pёrfshinte mishin e dhenve, dhive, drerёve dhe derrave tё egёr. Dyshemeja dhe materialet e magazinёs ishin mbuluar nga shembja e katit tё sipёrm, çatisё me tjegulla dhe trarёt prej druri tё karbonizuar qё datojnё nё shekullin e 5-tё m.Kr. Shkatёrrimi i katit tё sipёrm tё kullёs ndodhi si rrjedhojё e njё zjarri katastrofik, qё sipas analizave me radiokarbon daton nё vitin 800 m.Kr.

Nё qendёr tё dyshemesё prej dheu tё ngjeshur tё katit tё parё u zbulua njё vatёr zjarri dhe njё furrё e lёvizshme. Pёrpara vatrёs u gjetёn dy grupe depozitash. Depozita nё tё djathtё tё vatrёs, pёrmbante njё koleksion objektesh qelqi qё mund tё kenё qenё tё ruajtura brenda njё kutie prej druri, ku pёrfshiheshin tё paktёn 60 kupa vere me fron, fragmente xhamash dritaresh, fragmente enёsh tё Periudhёs sё vonё Romake dhe njё llampё prej qelqi. Kjo depozitё me pёrzierje fragmentesh qelqi mendohet tё jetё pjesё e njё koleksioni tё destinuar pёr riciklim, nё njё punishte ku pasi shkriheshin pёrdoreshin pёr prodhimin e enёve tё reja. Pranё fragmenteve prej qelqi u gjet njё sasi enёsh qeramike ku pёrfshiheshin: dy enё tё gjata me dekorim tё prodhimit lokal qё mbartnin elementё tё traditёs sllave; njё amforё e pikturuar dhe njё tas tё importuara nga Apulia; si dhe disa enё tё importuar nga Kostandinopoja. Midis kёtyre enёve u gjet njё aribalos (enё parfumi), i vogёl nё ngjyrё tё zezё, i marrё ndoshta nga njё varr i antikitetit si antikuar. Enё tё tjera u gjetёn tё grumbulluara nё mёnyrё tё çrregullt, nё njё cep nё tё majtё tё derёs, tё thyera nga rrёzimi i katit tё dytё tё kullёs. Pёrveç tё tjerash u gjetёn edhe 8 amfora globulare tё importuara nga Otranto, si dhe njё amforё nga Efesi.
Gjetjet prej qeramike tё mesit tё shekullit tё 13-tё dhe mesit tё shekulli 14-tё janё mbetje nga periudha e rindёrtimit tё kullёs gjatё Despotatit tё Epirit.; en Apart from a few stray pottery sherds and a single Roman coin, the earliest materials found during the excavation season of 2007 at the Tower in the western wall of Butrint, date from around the period of its construction and first use. The general absence of earlier material indicates that the construction of the new fortification line dismantled and cleaned the ground around the tower. Thus, the bulk of Roman coins from the site date to the late 5th century, with a couple from the later 6th century. Also the Roman ceramic assemblage is dominated by material dated from the late 5th century through to the mid 6th century. From the post-Roman period there were found only in the tower, the latest one date in the earlier 7th century. From the 7th to 9th centuries there is total absence of archaeological material evidence that proves the occupation of the Tower in this period.
However, it is clear from this season of excavation that the tower remained in good order and was presumable used and maintained in some form until around the turn of the 9th century. The excavation focused on an earthen floor-the ground floor storeroom of residents living on an upper storey with access gained from a staircase outside the tower. Remains of animal bones from the floor show that the residents’ diet included plenty of sheep, goat, and wild deer and boar. The floor and the contents of the store were sealed beneath a collapsed upper floor of shattered 5th century paving and roof tiles and carbonised joist timbers. The collapse of the floor above was clearly the result of a catastrophic fire, an event dated by radiocarbon analysis of the remains to c. AD 800.
In the centre of the beaten earth floor were found a simple hearth and a portable oven. Just inside the door, in front of the hearth, were found two groups of stores. To the right lay a collection of glass, probably stored in a wooden crate. The assemblage included at least 60 thin-stemmed late-style wine goblets, window glass, fragments of late Roman vessels and a lump of opaque green glass. This large deposit of mixed glass fragments bears many of the hallmarks of a collection intended for recycling as cullet – an extraordinarily precious consignment destined for a glass maker to melt down for new vessels. Alongside the glass was found an assemblage of ceramic vessels which included: two tall decorated locally produced pots of the regional Slavic tradition; a brightly painted amphora and bowl from Apulia; and thin, white-walled tableware from Constantinople. A tiny black-painted 3rd century BC aryballos (perfume bottle) was found amongst the other pots, presumably taken from a tomb as a token of antiquity. More vessels were gathered untidily in a corner to the left of the door, crushed by the collapsed first floor of the Tower. Seven globular wine amphorae from Otranto were accompanied by another probably from Ephesus on the west coast of modern Turkey.
Finds of mid 13th to mid 14th century pottery date from when the tower was next refurbished as a defence under the Despots of Epirus.
Director: Richard Hodges
Research Body: IWA - Institute of World Archaeology, University of East Anglia
Funding Body: Butrint Foundation; Packard Humanities Institute

Team

Field director - Matthew Logue

Field director - Solinda Kamani

Media

Name: Northern Tower on the Western Defences

Year: 2008
Summary: sq Nё sezonin arkeologjik tё vitit 2008 vazhduan gёmimet nё gjysmёn jugore tё pjesёs sё brendёshme tё kullёs. Sekuenca stratiografike e evidentuar nga gёrmimet tregon se nё kullё nuk ka shenja braktisjeje qё nga Periudha e Antiketetit tё Vonё deri nё Periudhёn e mesme Bizantine. Gjatё kёsaj periudhё kulla ka ndyshuar funksionin nga njё vend me funksion mbrojtёs nё vend banimi. Tё dhёnat arkeologjike tregojnё se nё fillim tё shekullit tё 9-tё, hapёsira e brendёshme e kullёs u dogj. Kjo ngjarje vёrtetohet nga evidentimi i mbetjeve tё karbonit nё tё gjithё pjesёn e brendёshme tё kullёs, me njё pёrqendrim mё tё madh pranё murit perёndimor dhe cepit jug – lindor. Zjarri shkaktoi rrёzimin e katit tё parё (shtresё llaçi gёlqeror me fragmente tulla), katit tё dytё (shtresё me tulla mbi njё baltё tё lagёsht nё ngjyrё tё kuqe nё portokalli) si dhe çatinё me tulla.
Nё katin e parё u gjetёm 15 enё tё plota, midis tyre u gjet insitu edhe njё “furrё e lёvizshme”, e vendosur nё pjesёn jugore dhe perёndimore tё kullёs. Ndёrkohё qё dy amfora u gjetёn nё dyshemenё e katit pёrdhes. Konteksti i pasur arkeologjik i evidentuar brenda kullёs ndihmon nё pёrcaktimin e funksionit tё secilit kat tё saj. Kati pёrdhes mund tё ketё qenё pёrdorur si magazinё; kati i parё pёr aktivitet shtёpiak, ndёrkohё qё kati i dytё mund tё ketё shёrbyer si njё banesё private. Menjeherё pas rёnies sё zjarrit, kulla u ribanua dhe çatia e rrёzuar u nivelua duke krijuar njё kat pёrdhes i pёrdorur pёr pёrpunimin e midhjeve. Nё kёtё periudhё mendohet qё kulla tё mos pёrdorej si rezidencё banimi por si vend pёr aktivitet peshkimi..
Evidentimi i njё depozite rrёnojash mbi dyshemenё me guaska midhjesh shёnon fundin e aktivitetit tё peshkimit tё kryer brenda kullёs. Depozita e rrёnojave prej gurёsh gёlqeror dhe fragmente tullash tё lidhura me llaç tё bardhё u gjet e rrёzuar nё drejtim tё murit perёndimor, çka tregon qё shkatёrrimi i mureve tё kullёs ka ndodhur si rrjedhojё e njё ngjarjeje tё vetme. Gjetja e njё vatre tё vogёl zjarri prej tullash tё thyera dhe balte tё lagёsht nё ngjyrё tё kuqёrremtё, nё cepin e brendёshёm jug – perёndimor tё kullёs tregon qё pas shkatёrrimit kulla ёshtё braktisur.
Teknika e ndёrtimit nё muret lindor tё kullёs (pёrdorimi i vrimave rrethore tё skelёs nё faqen e jashtme dhe atё tё brendёshme tё kullёs), tregon qё nga mesi i shekullit 13-tё fillimi i shekullit 14-tё kulla si dhe muret perёndimor u rifortifikuan duke rifituar funksionin e tyre mbrojtёs.
Periudha Veneciane nё kullё shfaqet nёpёrmjet bllokimit tё derёs qё pёrdorej pёr tё mbajtur depozitat e hedhurinave brenda kullёs. Ky bllokim u krijua nёpёrmjet pёrfshirjes sё njё seksioni tё murit tё Periudhёs Romake qё ndodhet 2 m larg portёs sё kullёs.
Si rrjedhojё e kёtij aktiviteti niveli i dyshemesё sё brendёshme tё kullёs u ngrit nё lartёsinё 2 m duke krijuar njё dysheme tё re pёr katin pёrdhes qё arrinte nё nivelin e dyshemesё sё katit tё parё, nivel i cili ёshtё pёrdorur nё shekujt 15-tё – 16-tё. Kjo fazё shёnon edhe fundin e banimit tё kullёs. Tё dhёnat pёr pёrdorimin e saj pas shekullit tё 16-tё mungojnё çka tregon qё braktisja tё ketё ndodhur nё kёtё periudhёs; en During the archaeological season of 2008 continued the excavation of the southern half of the tower’s interior.
No evidence of abandonment is shown in the tower’s stratigraphy from late antiquity up to early-mid Byzantine period. During this phase the tower’s function changed from defensive to residential. The archaeological evidence indicates that at the turn of the 9th century the interior of tower was burned. This is best represented by deposit of charcoal black layer which was consistent throughout the interior, although with a higher concentration against the west wall and south-eastern corner. Occurring in a single event, the fire caused the collapsed of the 1st floor (a gritty mortar layer with fragments of tiles and 2nd floor (composed of tile bedding under a sticky reddish orange clay) levels, and the tile roof also above the ground floor (grayish clay).
In and within the 1st floor a unique assemblage of almost 15 complete vessels, among them a "chafing-dish", placed alongside the southern and western part of the interior was found in situ, meanwhile two amphorae were found sitting on the ground floor. Given the rich contents found within the tower the functioned of each floor level can be postulated. The ground storey might have been used as a storage area; the 1st for daily domestic occupation, meanwhile the 2nd storey may have served as private area for living. Soon after the fire the tower was reoccupied and its collapsed roof was leveled up to create a new ground floor upon which mussel shells were processed. By this time most likely the tower had lost its residential function and it was used for nearby fishing activity.
A deposit of rubble, which lay upon the mussel shells, marks the end of the above mention activity carried out within the tower’s interior. Composed of limestones and infrequent tile fragments bonded with whitish mortar, the context which slopes strongly toward the western wall represents the collapse of the tower’s upper walls in a single event. A small hearth, composed of broken tiles and slightly sticky reddish clay, situated in the south-west corner of the interior indicates that after the collapsed the tower was abandoned. The construction technique on the eastern wall of the tower (the used of circular putlog holes in the outer and inner face of eastern wall) indicates that by mid 13th – early 14th cent the tower and the Western Defences as a whole were refortified, regaining its defensive function.
The Venetian occupation of the tower is represented by the blocking of the door that was used to retain the dumped deposits within the interior. Part of this blocking were made by incorporating large sections of a Roman wall which stands 2m to the exterior of the tower’s doorway. This activity redesigned the tower’s interior by raising its level c. 2m to create a new ground surface at 1st floor level used in the 15th – 16th cent. This phase marks the end of the tower’s occupation. There is no post 16th cent evidence for the occupation of the tower, thus suggesting its abandonment.
Summary Author: Solinda Kamani
Director: Richard Hodges
Research Body: IWA - Institute of World Archaeology, University of East Anglia
Funding Body: Packard Humanities Institute; Butrint Foundation

Team

Field director - Matthew Logue

Media

Butrint Foundation, 2006
Butrint Foundation Annual Report 2006
Butrint Foundation, 2007
Butrint Foundation Annual Report 2007.
Kamani, 2008
S. Kamani, M. Logue, 2008, Preliminary report: on the excavations in the Northern Tower of the Western Butrint Defensive Walls.

Location

Ancient Site Name: Buthrotum
Location: Butrint
Easting: 20.019508
Northing: 39.745003