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xxcavations at the triconch palace 2000 and 2004
Journal/Book Title: Archeologia medievale
Volume: 29
Issue:
Month/Year :2002
Pages: 343-353
Article Author: Gilkes, Oliver
Article Title Medieval Butrint
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Transaction # 1177367Archeologia Medievale
XXIX, 2002, pp. 343-353
Oliver Gilkes — Andrew Crowson - Richard Hodges — Kosta Lako — Joanita Vroom
Medieval Butrint: Excavations at the Triconch Palace 2000 and 2001
INTRODUCTION
The Graeco-Roman port of Butrint, ancient
Buthrotum, lies close to the mouth of the Vivari Chan-
nel, 3 km east of the Straits of Corfu (see Hopars et al,
2000). Although the UNESCO world heritage site is
best known for its classical phases, beginning in the
eighth century BC, it was nevertheless intermitrently
an important medieval port. The significance of the
medieval phases was frst recognised by Luigi Ugolin,
Director of the inter-war Italian Mission that essen?
tially discovered Butrint. Ugolini, before his early death
in 1936, published a brief overview of the town's com-
plex medieval history (1937: 67-108), and. was pre-
Pring 2 fall monograph on this chapter of Buesints
story, unpublished notes for which were found in
the Museo della Civilta Romana at Rome (Gitxts, Mita)
2000; Hovces ef al. 2000: 255). Following the Sec-
‘ond World War, the Albanian Institute of Archaeology
excavated in a number of areas in Butrint, Itis clear
from their published accounts and archival documen-
tation; that extensive deposits of medieval material
containing ceramics, coins, metalwork, and graves were
found (Lako 1981; Institutij Arkeologjisé Arkivi 4109-
4127, 4464-4475). Some of the more solid stone struc-
tures, such as churches, were also excavated (Meksi
1988).
The history of Butrint during this period, as Ugolini
demonstrated, is complex. Drawing upon the research
of Peter Soustal (2003) Tab. 1 sets out the principal
occupants and features of the town.
ae I
Scar
Dysnins Ene | Come anne
essa of estos | Chach nd toustan bong
espa Meo
assaf ened ot ‘Chae Sa batons
Netentaser? | Sipneantename gue
TET TETE — Ragas gon] Guan anaeestor Blah
[TIE | Cras at ow | Sipieant ome grouse
Taveia Byers En
Meme _
EET [Dospan of Es
espa Meroe
TaTETGSE——] Rego Ringer of] Cass, rcs wa
er ‘ontzaions
- ___| Shear comic gous
“HEETEGT— [Versa Rapatic | Farcabons ard tee
757 ‘Capa OT
‘San Suan ne
Magee |
TSRTSTE | Vretan Rop—| rtn or hat
15 ease ‘argdar owes an 2006
Stontored one! chen
‘Tab. 1 — Historical rable.
343
‘The collaborative excavations of the Butrint Foun
dation and the Institute of Archaeology began in 1994
and have concentrated on the lower reaches of the
city close to the Vivari Channel. Trial excavations
showed that the mid- to late-Roman triconch palace
that fronts the channel was reoceupied during the 13°
century by several structures buile of rubble and mor-
tar masonry as well as timber (Fig 1). Earth-bonded
walls, mortar floors and post — and trench — built
structures were found within rooms of the ruined
palace. Frequently Late Roman walls were reduced
toausable level and redundant doorways were scaled
(cf. Hooces et al. 2000). In 2000 and 2001 two large
excavation campaigns made it possible to examine
these structures in more detail. This has raised the
possibility of reconstructing the morphology of asec-
tion of the medieval city.
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DEPOSITS
‘The problem of the medieval period in Butrint, is,
to some extent, one of identification. On the acropo-
lis of Butrint (Fig. 2), its midslope and its base, stone
buildings and several churches have been found pos-
sibly to be dated to the 134 century and later (BOWDEN,
Mrrciisit forthcoming), However, on the low-lying
skirt of land extending from the base of the acropolis
to the Vivari Channel there are few substantial build-
ings other than churches and the remains of two pos-
sible Venetian-period houses. These may have con-
trolled a series of fish weirs across the channel (Man:
‘iN forthcoming). As the city wall running along the
side of the Vivari channel was refurbished several
times in the Middle Ages, itseems probable that there
was a considerable population and associated dwell-
ings in the Middle Ages. The problem was how to
identify these buildings. The largely organic compo-
nents of medieval buildings frequently leave little
detectable trace in the upper part of the soil profile.
‘The Late Roman triconch palace and associated seruc-
tures are sealed beneath a humic overburden thas in
places is up to Im deep. The traditional method
Bdopted to remove this apparently structure-Less "top
Soil’ deposit was to employ labourers to dig it off
Gown t0 the wall tops oF Roman buildings. Twelfth-
to Dthecenury ceramics and soins were recovered
from cach season's topsoil clearance, but, being
unstratified, were of lines research value. A differ-
tent approach Was required.
ihe 3001 season the 1opsols on the westside of
the triconch site were recorded vertically and hori-
yontally on a 5m grid. Artefacts were located by more
figorous context division in order to observe deposit
Stratification. Our aim was to clarify whether the over-
shurden contained evidence for extended medieval oc-NOTIZIE SCAVI E LAVORI SUL CAMPO.
Triconch Palace, Butrint
Lu
Fig. 1 ~ General plan of the ‘riconch Palace.
oon the fragmentary evidence obtained from previous
seasons.
WEST OF THE TRICONCH PALACE: THE
ELEVENTH CENTURY ONWARDS
‘The area lying to the west of the triconch buildings
has been idemtified as a commercial and storage sector
of the late Roman domus (Bowvex, Hopcts etal. 2002
forthcoming). Excavations during’ 2001 also revealed
part of a sequence of renewed activity during the me-
dieval period focused on the access through a narrow
gate in the city wall to the Vivari Channel. The ruined
late Roman structures, as well as the open space they
surrounded, were extensively reused from the 11°, if
not before (Fig. 3)
In the north of the excavated area, dilagidated late
Roman buildings were levelled and earth-bonded lime=
stone block divisions and partitions were inserted,
Thick mortar floors were set within two new small
Fooms. A rammed pebble road or yard was laid from
the Late Roman city walls extending from the gate to
the Vivari channels up to the front of the new building
opposite. A vast deposit of crushed shell on the cast
side extending across the road surface, suggests that
Fig, 2 ~The ruined medi
the huts of VI
icropolis castle in 1928 with
ch shepherds,
cupation. Additionally, it was hoped that this detailed
methodology might isolate a sequence of medieval
horizons, features or deposits that could throw light
344
Fig. 3 — Fleventh-century phases in the western area of the Triconch Palace
ratecngt ace
Fig. 4 ~ Eleventh to twelfth-century phases in the western area of the Triconch Palace.
The Departing Soul. The Long Life of A Medieval Creation Author(s) : Moshe Barasch Source: Artibus Et Historiae, Vol. 26, No. 52 (2005), Pp. 13-28 Published By: Stable URL: Accessed: 10/09/2013 15:45