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Cultural Heritage

Cultural Heritage

Foreign travellers and scholars, starting from the first half of 19th century, have shown interest and have given information for Albanian archeological monuments. In the first three decades of 20th century, excavations became more frequentand Austrian archeological mission (K. Prashniker), French mission (L. Rei), and Italian (L. Ugolini) undertook archeological excavations in Butrint and Apolonia.

Durres amphitheater, the biggest and most important not only in Albania but in Balkans as well, was built at the beggining of 1st century A.D. It has special architectural and artistic values and may be compared with the monuments of that time such as those of Pompei and Kapuas in Italy.The amphitheater, where gladiators fought, has the shape of an ellipse with a diameter 136m and 20m high. The audience stairs which were white slab-clad provided seats for 15 000-20 000 persons.

Apolonia was one of the biggest ancient cities in Adriatic area and the most distinguished of the other 30 cities bearing the same name.

It was founded in early 4th century B.C. Apolonia's ruins were discovered at the beggining of 19th century. Several buildings of the iron era, typical of the Illyrian culture, are the earliest archeological traces. Remnants of the defending wall and an archaic temple dedicated to Artemis, Apolonians'most worshipped goddess, are the buildings that have come down to us. A French archeological mission carried out excavations in 1824-1838 in this city whereas lately it was a joint Albanian-French mission who excavated.

Arapaj's Basilica

It is a pale Christian Basilica of sixth century, one of the biggest in Albania discovered on a hill at the Arapaj village. Excavations of 1983 prove it was a monumental building of dimensions 60x28m. It is probable this Basilica be the church of Saint Michael, mentioned by Ana Komnena in the Byzantine war against Normans in 11th century. In the battle of 1081 which took place on the outskirts of Durres, the protectors found refuge in the fortified Basilica which was set in fire by Normans.

Poseidon, bronze statue 30cm high showing the sea God,is atestimony of the wide spreading of the cult of Gods in the innerterritories of Epirus and southern Illyria connected mainly with the inner forces of earth, earthquakes. The image of Poseidon,found during archeological excavations in 1966-1975 in Antiganenear Gjirokaster, is presented clothed with his lifted left handholding a trident.

Butrint Goddess (Dea), man marble head on a female body2.5m high, is discovered during archeological excavations ofItalian mission in Butrint. The object with rare archeologicaland historic values is testified to have been stolen and smuggled to Italy, legalized by King Ahmet Zogu as a present. It wasrestored to our country by the Italian government in 1981. It iscurrently exposed at the National Historical Museum. The head isthe original of the first half of 4th century B.C. and is reused on thebody created around 1st century A.D.

Albanian archeology and ancient history of Albania are closelyconnected with each other and fulfill the gaps of the writtenantique sources for the territory of our country. Archeology hasgiven priority to the researches in the prehistoric field,antique and ancient civilization, which have solved so manyproblems.One of the main problems, like that of the inhabitants of oldAlbania, although so widely discussed by the linguistics andother scientists since the beginning of the century and after the World War II, is not solved yet.

There is an idea concerningthis problem and it has to do with the presence of an ancientpre-Ilyrian level, which is connected with an old Indo-Europeanelement or as it called palo-Indo-European.

There are recorded results to be estimated indeed. There are tens Ilyrian towns, such as Bylysi, Amantia, Nikraja, Timali,Antipatria, Lisi, etc, in the back of Apollonis and Durrah. Other indicators such as protection system, the place where the publicactivity is performed, commercial, political, cults centers,which are made evident in several centers show they have beeninhabited once upon time. Several towns with theaters, such asBylysi, Klosi or Amantia with stadium, are made evident in theback of Apollonis. All these signs spoke for Ilyrian authentictowns.

The history of Ilyrians, late antiquity, and arbers has darkperiods. The period after the influx of barbarian hords incentury IV in Balkan is dark and the archeology finds verydifficult to make evident this period due to the lack of written sources. The survival of Byzantine culture in the century VI inall Balkan brought the survival of the culture in ourterritory.The culture called Komani culture, is in fact arbersculture. Its location is related with Dalmacia castle and Komanigrave yard near it, where the necropolis gives a lively and fullmaterial. The study of the necropolis has another importancebecause it keeps with conservatorism the tradition and theculture as it is a sign of respect toward the dead. This is thereason why the archeologists see the grave yards as the onlysource to find full information. For this reason specialimportance is paid to Komani culture, because it was accompaniedeven with diggings in Kruja and Lezha cemeteries.

Hasan Ceka is one of the founders of Albanian archeology.He dealt with numismatic researches and there are nearly 20 thousand coins in its numismatic cabinet.This cabinet includes coins of Greekantiquity, which were the first to be emitted and later on theywere exchanged with the other towns and the coins emitted by theIlyrian states themselves,like King Gent or Lisi town.

Albania is a member of International Council of Monuments andHistoric Centers ICOMOS. It became a member of this organization in 1999. ICOMOS is an international cultural non governmentalorganization established in 1965 in Warsaw, after theestablishing of Venice Charter on conservation and reconstruction of monuments and historic centers. Albania is a member even ofInternational Center of Monuments Study and Reconstruction ofICCROM culture. Albania is athering in this organization since1962.