- Item
- AIAC_3215
- Name
- Historic city of Scodra
- Date Range
- 300 BC – 1800
- Monuments
- Settlement
Seasons
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AIAC_3215 - Historic city of Scodra - 2011Viti 2011 shënoi sezonin e parë të kërkimeve arkeologjike të drejtuara nga misioni Polako-Shqiptar, në qytetin historik të Shkodrës në Veriperëndim të Shqipërisë. Gërmimet u përqëndruan në dy zona: në qytetin e sipërm, brenda mureve rrethuese të kalasë antiko-mesjetare të gjendur në kodrën e Rozafës (Resafa), 2 km në juglindje të qendrës moderne; si dhe në qytetin e poshtëm, në fushën në lindje të rrëzës së kodrës së kalasë, aty ku në shekullin e kaluar nga gërmimet arkeologjike është identifikuar fortifikimi i dytë dhe habitati i periudhës së antikitetit të vonë. Në qytetin e sipërm u kryen pesë sondazhe me përmasa të mëdha në zona të ndryshme të kodrës së kalasë. Në të gjitha sondazhet u zbulua e njëjta stratigrafi, ku shtresat e sipërme që lidhen me fazat e banimit të periudhës otomane (fillimi i shek. 15-19) dhe më poshtë me atë veneciane (shek. 14-15), të pasura me material arkeologjik dhe me gjurmë të shpeshta ndërtimore, duket se kanë shkatërruar depozitat e antikitetit dhe mesjetës së hershme. Në sondazhin e hapur në qendër të kalasë, poshtë shtresës së periudhës veneciane u zbulua pjesërisht një varrezë. Materiali arkeologjik i zbuluar në 23 varret e gërmuara, përbëhej nga një inventar jo shumë i pasur me enë qeramike (broke, shtama, kupa, tasa kryesisht prodhime lokale) dhe stoli (vathë, unaza dhe varëse) e objekte (thika, tokëza) prej bronzi, hekuri dhe argjendi, të gjitha të datuara në shek. 11-13. Shtrirja e varrezës përtej të katër anëve të sondazhit, tregon se të paktën një pjesë e mirë e zonës më pak të mbrojtur brenda kalasë është përdorur si hapësirë funerare gjatë kësaj kohe, ndërkohë që habitati duhet të ketë qenë në pikën më të lartë, aty ku sot gjendet citadela dhe një sërë monumentesh masive dhe të larta veneciane dhe otomane. Megjithatë, gjatë gërmimit të një cisterne veneciane, u zbulua një bazament i ripërdorur, me një mbishkrim honorifik të shek. 3 m.kr. Mbishikrimi latinisht flet për dhënien e statusit koloni romake qytetit “Colonia Scodrinorum” nga perandori August (v. 31 p.Kr.-14 m.Kr.). Në qytetin e poshtëm me gjithë problemet që krijojnë ndërtimet moderne, niveli i lartë i ujit apo shtresat e thella deri në 2 m me aluvion, u arritën të bëhen disa zbulime të rëndësishme. Një prej tyre është një ndërtesë romake e cila nga larmia e gjetjeve (kollona mermeri, fragmente arkitektonike, stuko dhe afreske) dhe përmasat e mëdha duket se ka patur karakter publik ose ndoshta ka qenë dhe domus. Në sondazhet e tjera u identifikuan dhe dy nekropole: i pari i zbuluar pranë anës veriore të murit rrethues të qytetit të poshtëm të antikitetit të vonë, daton po në këtë periudhë; ndërsa tjetri i gjendur pranë Xhamisë së Plumbit të ndërtuar në shek. 16, përmbante inventar që shoqëronte skeletet të shek. 14. Pranë këtij të fundit u zbulua dhe trakti i një rruge me drejtim veri-jug, që për nga teknika e ndërtimit duket se i takon periudhës otomane.
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AIAC_3215 - Historic city of Scodra - 2012The objectives of this year excavation were to obtain stratigraphic data from both the lower and upper city of Scodra. Bearing in mind that in the lower parts the spaces for excavation are few, the excavation was placed in a land without construction in the Tabake neighborhood. At this point, three trenches were opened. The trenches opened in this area were in line with each other and their dimensions were 5 x 3 m. The only structure was found in trench 8 and it was a wall that in terms of the construction types, resembles with the other walls of the Shkodra fortress. This wall dates back to the end of the 18th century, the period in which the Lead Mosque was also built. The other trenches, a total of 6, were positioned inside the castle of Shkodra. Trench 5, measuring 5 x 5 m was placed in the highest courtyard of the castle. At this point the natural rock was reached very quickly, at a depth of 1.5 – 2 m. No architectural structures could be found, while the archaeological material belonged mainly to the late Ottoman periods with the exception of some amphora fragments from the ancient and late antique periods. Two more 5x3m trenches were placed in front of the main entrance of the castle. The aim here was to verify the continuation of the Illyrian wall, which is interrupted right at the entrance to the castle. Even in this case, the natural rock appeared very quickly and, in this way, it was not possible to find the extension of the Illyrian wall. In trench 7 after the removal of the humus layer, the corner of a ruined building was found, constructed with stones of medium dimensions, bounded with lime mortar and with some traces of plaster. A fragment of a plastered floor was also found that may belong to this dwelling, but this floor was very poorly preserved as it was damaged by later constructions as well as by the pit of a grave cut into it. The next trench was positioned in the second courtyard of the castle, in front of the church. The dimensions of this trench were also 5 x 3 m and a series of structures and a considerable amount of ancient ceramic material were found in it. The last trench was placed in the northern part of the first courtyard of the castle. In the upper layers of this trench, we found a deep pit completely filled with animal bones. The pit itself seemed to have been sealed with lime mortar at the time of closure. Since the pit with animal bones was found at very high levels, only a few centimeters below the humus soil, it shows that the pit date to a later period. Based on the archaeological material discovered, which was very rich, it seems that these structures belong to the sixteenth century.
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AIAC_3215 - Historic city of Scodra - 2013During 2013, excavations were continued in trench 13, which were interrupted in 2012, and at the same time four new trenches were opened: 14, 15, 16, 17. It was decided to deepen trench 13 still further and to extend northwards. At the end of the complete excavation of this trench, a wall tract from the Ottoman period was discovered, while below it emerged several wall structures and materials that date mainly to the Venetian and early Ottoman period. They are thought to be connected to a granary or cellar. The archaeological material found consists mainly of sherds and cover a wide period from the eighth-ninth centuries AD until the end of the Venetian period and the beginning of the Ottoman period. The other three trenches numbered 14, 15 and 17 were placed on the outer and inner face of the wall built with large stone blocks and located in the northeastern part of the hill of the Shkodra castle. The data obtained from the excavation of these three trenches gave us a more complete picture of the stratigraphy of the wall, as well as the different phases of its construction. The archaeological material recovered consists mainly of ceramic fragments. It dates mainly to the end of the Venetian period but is also related to the Ottoman period. The last trench, with number 16, was positioned in the yard of a house built in recent years by the river Drin. The upper layers identified in this trench are mainly related to fill levels to raise the yard level,while beneath these layers, a wall from the Ottoman period emerged, which, based on the analysis of the archaeological material (mainly ceramics), belongs to the seventeenth-eighteenthcenturies. A small find was also found in these layers; a lead box bearing a Latin inscription.
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AIAC_3215 - Historic city of Scodra - 2014The 2014 excavations were focused only on the upper part of the city, within the fortress walls. In total, five trenches were excavated (no. 18-22); four of them were placed in the first courtyard of the castle and one in the fourth courtyard. The excavations in the second courtyard were aimed to understand whether the church positioned in this space was built on top of an earlier structure. Trench 18 measured 5x4 m and was placed to the northeast of the castle church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, several walls were encountered, and a very thick layer of destruction consisting of stones, tiles and mortar. The mortar layer extends over almost the entire surface of the survey. The archaeological material found during the excavation consists mostly of ceramic fragments from the post-medieval period. Trench 22 was placed very close to the eastern wall of the church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, a clay drainage pipe came to light, which can also be followed under the wall of the church. The pipe had the function of collecting the water of the church, but it may also have served to stream water into one of the many cisterns located inside the castle. The excavations in trench 19 has the aim to understand if the slope in this space was due to the terrain or artificially created. At the end of the trench, a poorly preserved wall with a shallow foundation was discovered, placed directly on the natural rock. Based on the analysis of the archaeological material from the excavation, it can be said that this ground level in the second courtyard of the castle was created starting from the 15th century. Trench 21 was positioned in the lower part of the second courtyard, close to the medieval fortification of the castle. Like the other trenches, this one measured 5x4 m. After the end of the excavation in this trench, a wall tract was discovered with a length of 4.10m, built with medium stones bonded with white mortar. While on the western side, was found a grave, where the skeleton was kept in very good condition, but without accompanying inventory. The tract of wall is thought to belong to some structure of the Ottoman period. The ceramic found during the excavation belong to the end of the 16th century and mainly to the 17th century. Trench 20 also measured 5 x 4m and was placed in the fourth courtyard of the fort. After its complete excavation, the presence of several wall tracts and a floor level was discovered. A fragment of a road also came to light. Even in this trench, all the material found is thought to belong to the Ottoman period (probably the 17th century), like the ruins of the discovered structures related to this period.
Media
- Name
- Historic city of Scodra
- Year
- 2011
- Summary
-
sq
Viti 2011 shënoi sezonin e parë të kërkimeve arkeologjike të drejtuara nga misioni Polako-Shqiptar, në qytetin historik të Shkodrës në Veriperëndim të Shqipërisë. Gërmimet u përqëndruan në dy zona: në qytetin e sipërm, brenda mureve rrethuese të kalasë antiko-mesjetare të gjendur në kodrën e Rozafës (Resafa), 2 km në juglindje të qendrës moderne; si dhe në qytetin e poshtëm, në fushën në lindje të rrëzës së kodrës së kalasë, aty ku në shekullin e kaluar nga gërmimet arkeologjike është identifikuar fortifikimi i dytë dhe habitati i periudhës së antikitetit të vonë.
Në qytetin e sipërm u kryen pesë sondazhe me përmasa të mëdha në zona të ndryshme të kodrës së kalasë. Në të gjitha sondazhet u zbulua e njëjta stratigrafi, ku shtresat e sipërme që lidhen me fazat e banimit të periudhës otomane (fillimi i shek. 15-19) dhe më poshtë me atë veneciane (shek. 14-15), të pasura me material arkeologjik dhe me gjurmë të shpeshta ndërtimore, duket se kanë shkatërruar depozitat e antikitetit dhe mesjetës së hershme. Në sondazhin e hapur në qendër të kalasë, poshtë shtresës së periudhës veneciane u zbulua pjesërisht një varrezë. Materiali arkeologjik i zbuluar në 23 varret e gërmuara, përbëhej nga një inventar jo shumë i pasur me enë qeramike (broke, shtama, kupa, tasa kryesisht prodhime lokale) dhe stoli (vathë, unaza dhe varëse) e objekte (thika, tokëza) prej bronzi, hekuri dhe argjendi, të gjitha të datuara në shek. 11-13. Shtrirja e varrezës përtej të katër anëve të sondazhit, tregon se të paktën një pjesë e mirë e zonës më pak të mbrojtur brenda kalasë është përdorur si hapësirë funerare gjatë kësaj kohe, ndërkohë që habitati duhet të ketë qenë në pikën më të lartë, aty ku sot gjendet citadela dhe një sërë monumentesh masive dhe të larta veneciane dhe otomane.
Megjithatë, gjatë gërmimit të një cisterne veneciane, u zbulua një bazament i ripërdorur, me një mbishkrim honorifik të shek. 3 m.kr. Mbishikrimi latinisht flet për dhënien e statusit koloni romake qytetit “Colonia Scodrinorum” nga perandori August (v. 31 p.Kr.-14 m.Kr.).
Në qytetin e poshtëm me gjithë problemet që krijojnë ndërtimet moderne, niveli i lartë i ujit apo shtresat e thella deri në 2 m me aluvion, u arritën të bëhen disa zbulime të rëndësishme. Një prej tyre është një ndërtesë romake e cila nga larmia e gjetjeve (kollona mermeri, fragmente arkitektonike, stuko dhe afreske) dhe përmasat e mëdha duket se ka patur karakter publik ose ndoshta ka qenë dhe domus.
Në sondazhet e tjera u identifikuan dhe dy nekropole: i pari i zbuluar pranë anës veriore të murit rrethues të qytetit të poshtëm të antikitetit të vonë, daton po në këtë periudhë; ndërsa tjetri i gjendur pranë Xhamisë së Plumbit të ndërtuar në shek. 16, përmbante inventar që shoqëronte skeletet të shek. 14. Pranë këtij të fundit u zbulua dhe trakti i një rruge me drejtim veri-jug, që për nga teknika e ndërtimit duket se i takon periudhës otomane. -
en
The 2011 marked the first excavation season of a joint Polish-Albanian team, undertaken in the historic city of Shkodra, northwest of Albania. The excavations were located in two areas: in the upper part of the city, within the surrounding walls of the ancient and medieval castle, which is located at the top of Rozafa hill (Resafa), 2 km to the southeast of the modern centre; and in the lower city, extended in the field to the eastern side of the Rozafa hill foot, where during the excavations of the last century a second fortification line and the Late Antique habitat was revealed.
Five large scale sondages were opened in the upper part of the city, in different areas of the hill castle. The same stratigraphic sequence was revealed in all the opened sondages: the upper occupation layers of the ottoman period (early 15th – 19th) and the following Venetian phase (Centuries 14-15th), which are rich with archaeological material and construction remains, seem to have destroyed the Later Antique and Early Medieval deposits.
In the sondage opened at the central area of the castle, below the Venetian layer, remains of a cemetery were partly uncovered. The graves goods evidence of the 23 excavated graves was not distinctly rich and it consisted of pottery vessels (pots, bowls, cups, jars mainly of local production), jewellery (earrings, rings and pendants) and bronze, iron and silver objects (knives, buckles), all dated to 11-13th Centuries.
The extent of the cemetery beyond the area of the sondages, suggests that during this time, a major part of the less protected area was used as a funerary space, while the habitat must have been located at the highest point of the castle, where the citadel and a series of massive and high monuments of the Venetian and ottoman period are found.
However, during the excavations of a Venetian cistern, a reused base, bearing an honorific inscription of the 3rd Century AD was uncovered. The Latin inscription informs about the roman status of colonia _“Colonia Scodrinorum”_, granted to this city by the Imperator August (year 31 BC – 14 AD.). Some important discoveries were also made in the lower part of the city, despite the problems created due to the modern constructions, the high water level or the deep alluvial deposits (up to 2m). Among them was a Roman building, which for the diversity of findings (marble columns, architectonic fragments, plaster and frescos) and the large size, seem to have had a public character, or was possibly ad.
Two other cemeteries were identified in the other sondages: the first was revealed in the northern side of the surrounding wall of the lower part of the Late Antique city, and dates at this period; while the other was identified near the 16th century Leaded Mosque, and dates to the 14th century. In addition, a north-south directed road tract was identified nearby this cemetery, which based on the construction technique is likely to date to the Ottoman period.
Media
- Name
- Historic city of Scodra
- Year
- 2012
- Summary
-
en
The objectives of this year excavation were to obtain stratigraphic data from both the lower and upper city of Scodra. Bearing in mind that in the lower parts the spaces for excavation are few, the excavation was placed in a land without construction in the Tabake neighborhood. At this point, three trenches were opened. The trenches opened in this area were in line with each other and their dimensions were 5 x 3 m. The only structure was found in trench 8 and it was a wall that in terms of the construction types, resembles with the other walls of the Shkodra fortress. This wall dates back to the end of the 18th century, the period in which the Lead Mosque was also built.
The other trenches, a total of 6, were positioned inside the castle of Shkodra. Trench 5, measuring 5 x 5 m was placed in the highest courtyard of the castle. At this point the natural rock was reached very quickly, at a depth of 1.5 – 2 m. No architectural structures could be found, while the archaeological material belonged mainly to the late Ottoman periods with the exception of some amphora fragments from the ancient and late antique periods. Two more 5x3m trenches were placed in front of the main entrance of the castle. The aim here was to verify the continuation of the Illyrian wall, which is interrupted right at the entrance to the castle. Even in this case, the natural rock appeared very quickly and, in this way, it was not possible to find the extension of the Illyrian wall. In trench 7 after the removal of the humus layer, the corner of a ruined building was found, constructed with stones of medium dimensions, bounded with lime mortar and with some traces of plaster. A fragment of a plastered floor was also found that may belong to this dwelling, but this floor was very poorly preserved as it was damaged by later constructions as well as by the pit of a grave cut into it. The next trench was positioned in the second courtyard of the castle, in front of the church. The dimensions of this trench were also 5 x 3 m and a series of structures and a considerable amount of ancient ceramic material were found in it. The last trench was placed in the northern part of the first courtyard of the castle. In the upper layers of this trench, we found a deep pit completely filled with animal bones. The pit itself seemed to have been sealed with lime mortar at the time of closure. Since the pit with animal bones was found at very high levels, only a few centimeters below the humus soil, it shows that the pit date to a later period. Based on the archaeological material discovered, which was very rich, it seems that these structures belong to the sixteenth century.
Media
- Name
- Historic city of Scodra
- Year
- 2013
- Summary
- en During 2013, excavations were continued in trench 13, which were interrupted in 2012, and at the same time four new trenches were opened: 14, 15, 16, 17. It was decided to deepen trench 13 still further and to extend northwards. At the end of the complete excavation of this trench, a wall tract from the Ottoman period was discovered, while below it emerged several wall structures and materials that date mainly to the Venetian and early Ottoman period. They are thought to be connected to a granary or cellar. The archaeological material found consists mainly of sherds and cover a wide period from the eighth-ninth centuries AD until the end of the Venetian period and the beginning of the Ottoman period. The other three trenches numbered 14, 15 and 17 were placed on the outer and inner face of the wall built with large stone blocks and located in the northeastern part of the hill of the Shkodra castle. The data obtained from the excavation of these three trenches gave us a more complete picture of the stratigraphy of the wall, as well as the different phases of its construction. The archaeological material recovered consists mainly of ceramic fragments. It dates mainly to the end of the Venetian period but is also related to the Ottoman period. The last trench, with number 16, was positioned in the yard of a house built in recent years by the river Drin. The upper layers identified in this trench are mainly related to fill levels to raise the yard level,while beneath these layers, a wall from the Ottoman period emerged, which, based on the analysis of the archaeological material (mainly ceramics), belongs to the seventeenth-eighteenthcenturies. A small find was also found in these layers; a lead box bearing a Latin inscription.
Media
- Name
- Historic city of Scodra
- Year
- 2014
- Summary
-
en
The 2014 excavations were focused only on the upper part of the city, within the fortress walls. In total, five trenches were excavated (no. 18-22); four of them were placed in the first courtyard of the castle and one in the fourth courtyard. The excavations in the second courtyard were aimed to understand whether the church positioned in this space was built on top of an earlier structure. Trench 18 measured 5x4 m and was placed to the northeast of the castle church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, several walls were encountered, and a very thick layer of destruction consisting of stones, tiles and mortar. The mortar layer extends over almost the entire surface of the survey. The archaeological material found during the excavation consists mostly of ceramic fragments from the post-medieval period.
Trench 22 was placed very close to the eastern wall of the church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, a clay drainage pipe came to light, which can also be followed under the wall of the church. The pipe had the function of collecting the water of the church, but it may also have served to stream water into one of the many cisterns located inside the castle. The excavations in trench 19 has the aim to understand if the slope in this space was due to the terrain or artificially created. At the end of the trench, a poorly preserved wall with a shallow foundation was discovered, placed directly on the natural rock. Based on the analysis of the archaeological material from the excavation, it can be said that this ground level in the second courtyard of the castle was created starting from the 15th century. Trench 21 was positioned in the lower part of the second courtyard, close to the medieval fortification of the castle. Like the other trenches, this one measured 5x4 m. After the end of the excavation in this trench, a wall tract was discovered with a length of 4.10m, built with medium stones bonded with white mortar. While on the western side, was found a grave, where the skeleton was kept in very good condition, but without accompanying inventory. The tract of wall is thought to belong to some structure of the Ottoman period. The ceramic found during the excavation belong to the end of the 16th century and mainly to the 17th century. Trench 20 also measured 5 x 4m and was placed in the fourth courtyard of the fort. After its complete excavation, the presence of several wall tracts and a floor level was discovered.
A fragment of a road also came to light. Even in this trench, all the material found is thought to belong to the Ottoman period (probably the 17th century), like the ruins of the discovered structures related to this period. -
The 2014 excavations were focused only on the upper part of the city, within the fortress walls. In total, five trenches were excavated (no. 18-22); four of them were placed in the first courtyard of the castle and one in the fourth courtyard. The excavations in the second courtyard were aimed to understand whether the church positioned in this space was built on top of an earlier structure. Trench 18 measured 5x4 m and was placed to the northeast of the castle church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, several walls were encountered, and a very thick layer of destruction consisting of stones, tiles and mortar. The mortar layer extends over almost the entire surface of the survey. The archaeological material found during the excavation consists mostly of ceramic fragments from the post-medieval period.
Trench 22 was placed very close to the eastern wall of the church. At the end of the excavation of this trench, a clay drainage pipe came to light, which can also be followed under the wall of the church. The pipe had the function of collecting the water of the church, but it may also have served to stream water into one of the many cisterns located inside the castle. The excavations in trench 19 has the aim to understand if the slope in this space was due to the terrain or artificially created. At the end of the trench, a poorly preserved wall with a shallow foundation was discovered, placed directly on the natural rock. Based on the analysis of the archaeological material from the excavation, it can be said that this ground level in the second courtyard of the castle was created starting from the 15th century. Trench 21 was positioned in the lower part of the second courtyard, close to the medieval fortification of the castle. Like the other trenches, this one measured 5x4 m. After the end of the excavation in this trench, a wall tract was discovered with a length of 4.10m, built with medium stones bonded with white mortar. While on the western side, was found a grave, where the skeleton was kept in very good condition, but without accompanying inventory. The tract of wall is thought to belong to some structure of the Ottoman period. The ceramic found during the excavation belong to the end of the 16th century and mainly to the 17th century. Trench 20 also measured 5 x 4m and was placed in the fourth courtyard of the fort. After its complete excavation, the presence of several wall tracts and a floor level was discovered.
A fragment of a road also came to light. Even in this trench, all the material found is thought to belong to the Ottoman period (probably the 17th century), like the ruins of the discovered structures related to this period.
Media
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Shpuza, 2012S. Shpuza, 2012, Projekti Shkodra, in http://www.qsa.edu.al/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161%3Aprojekti-shkodra&catid=92%3Aadministrim&Itemid=1&lang=sq
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Shpuza-Dyczek, 2013S. SHPUZA, P. DYCZEK., (2013) SHKODËR 2012- Gërmimet arkeologjike në qytetin e sipërm dhe të poshtëm, Iliria, 37, p. 353 – 359.
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[Untitled]https://www.persee.fr/doc/iliri_1727-2548_2013_num_37_1_2450
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Shpuza-Dyczek, 2014S. SHPUZA, P. DYCZEK., (2014) Shkodër. Gërmimet arkeologjike të viteve 2013-2014, Iliria, 38, p. 279 – 293.
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[Untitled]https://www.persee.fr/doc/iliri_1727-2548_2014_num_38_1_2482