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Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesDepartment of Prehistoric Archaeology

Contextualising the Neolithic of the Korça Plain (Albania) (2022-2024)

Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne (Dr Jana Anvari)

Department of Prehistory, Institute of Archaeology at the Academy of Albanological Studies, Tirana (Dr Edlira Andoni)

Anthropology Department, University at Buffalo (Dr Patrick Willett)

Aims of the project

The Korça Plain is a small, fertile, mountainous basin in southeastern Albania. Based on current knowledge, Neolithic sites from the Korça Plain represent the earliest farming cultures in Albania, dating from 6450 BC. This region is therefore of crucial importance for the incomplete knowledge of the Neolithic period in Albania and southeastern Europe. Although this region is already well researched, there is still a lot of potential for research of the Neolithic in southeastern European contexts. Among other gaps in knowledge, it is currently unclear what the size and internal structure of the settlements in the Korça plain were due to the lack of both geophysical surveys and large-scale excavations based on modern excavation techniques. In addition, they have not yet been examined in the landscape context, which is intended to clarify how the settlements relate to each other and to landscape forms. By filling these research gaps, this project contributes to the overall understanding of the emergence and subsequent development of the Neolithic in Southeastern Europe.

The aim of the project is to gain an initial understanding of the size, structure and landscape context of Neolithic settlements in the Korça plain. In the course of the project, systematic geomagnetic investigations as well as investigations of settlement size and structure of Neolithic sites in Albania will be carried out for the first time. Through these, the project contributes to determining the size of settlement sites, gaining an overview of their structure and contributing to the dating of their settlement phases. In addition, we want to achieve improved legal protection of Neolithic sites based on new insight on settlement size and structure.

In a second work component, this project conducts intensive surveys in the mountainous areas surrounding the northern part of the Korça plain. While remains from all periods will be documented, we in particular seek to find potential Neolithic sites. Although much of southeast Europe and Albania in particular is mountainous, the Neolithic of mountain regions is rarely specifically studied and our project aims to contribute in closing this research gap.

Field seasons

In three field seasons 2022, 2023 and 2024, we conduct surface collection, geophysical prospection and sondage excavations at known Neolithic sites and conduct an off-site survey in the mountains surrounding the Korca plain.

First field season (02 - 29 October 2022)

During our first field season, we carried out systematic surface and geophysical prospection at several sites. The results from the surface collection  revealed an occupation of the area dating from the early Neolithic to the Metal Ages, Classical, Medieval and Modern periods. Through the geomagnetic investigations, the size and structure of some Neolithic sites was investigated while the prospection also showed extensive damage to other sites.

Second field season (08 July – 26 August 2023)

Based on the geophysics and survey results, sondages were systematically conducted on the middle Neolithic site in Luadisht in the following year. The purpose of the sondages is to obtain stratified, datable material (radiocarbon samples, ceramics) in order to contribute to the dating of the sites, and to confirm the structures interpreted by geomagnetics. The excavations revealed clay structures, which could be identified as neolithic house floorings, as well as a ditch surrounding the settlement. Furthermore, a large amount of finds from different materials was excavated and will be analyzed by specialists in a further phase of the project. The aim of the next field campaign is to further investigate the visible house structures and to trace the surrounding ditch, the first ever Neolithic ditch in Albania to be examined.

In the second part of the campaign, the mountainous region between the Korça plain and the two lakes, Prespa and Ohrid, was examined in an intensive survey. The aim was to contribute to research on the cultural, geographic, and chronological context for the already-known Neolithic sites of the Korça region and to find new sites from all periods. Our efforts specifically targeted the landscape passages that connect the three basins in order to document land-use practices there through time. The results are promising and will continue in the following year.

Our next field season will take place in July and August 2024.

This project is funded by:

  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant number 497045244)
  • University of Cologne
  • University at Buffalo
  • Oxford University
  • Private Donations
Conference presentations

  • " Contextualizing the Neolithic of the Korça Plain: Initial Survey Results" (presenter: Dr. Patrick T. Willett). International Mediterranean Survey Workshop, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 02.12.2022.
  • "Towards an understanding of the Neolithic landscape of the Korça Plain",  Jana Anvari, Edlira Andoni, Patrick Willett, Amy Holguin, Viktoria Fries, Tobias Krapf (presenter: Dr.  Jana Anvari). Presentation der Session ‘Re-Integrating the Environmental Archaeology of Europe’s ‘Wet’ and ‘Dry’ Neolithic Landscapes’, EAA (European Archaeology Annual Meeting), 01.09.2023.
  • “Neolithic of the Korça Plain, Albania, Part II: Highland Interfaces”, Patrick Willett, Edlira Andoni, Jana Anvari (presenter: Dr. Patrick T. Willett). International Mediterranean Survey Workshop, Wien 01.12.23.
  • “Towards an understanding of the Neolithic landscape of the Korça Plain, Albania”, Jana Anvari, Edlira Andoni, Patrick Willett, Amy Holguin, Viktoria Fries, Tobias Krapf (presenter: Dr. Jana Anvari). Prehistory in the Balkans conference, 13.12.2023.
  • “Above the Plain: Shifting Perceptions of Mountainscapes in the Korça Region, Albania” (presenter: Dr. Patrick T. Willett). Presented at the Erich Auerbach Institute for Advanced Studies, Köln 08.01.2024.

Twitter: @KorcaNeolithic

Instagram: @korcaneolithicproject