Contextualising the Neolithic in the Korçë Plain (Albania)

• Applicant: Dr. Jana Anvari
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 497045244

This project seeks to lay the groundwork towards a better understanding of the built environment and social organisation of Neolithic settlement communities in the Korçë plain (southeast Albania) as well as of the cultural landscape formed by settlements. It will research five settlements located in the Korçë plain, spanning the entire Neolithic period (6450-3500 BC). The project employs an established combination of techniques that have been used successfully in previous research of Neolithic settlement clusters elsewhere in southeast Europe, but will be applied here to sites in Albania for the first time: geomagnetic survey combined with surface collection and small-scale excavations for ground-truthing and the recovery of stratified material for dating. Previous archaeological work has been unsuccessful at establishing even basic knowledge of the built environment of Neolithic settlements in the Korçë plain or elsewhere in Albania, including the size of sites, the layout of buildings, the arrangement of buildings within settlements or the possible existence of ditches. This project aims to determine the size of settlements, gain an overview of their structure and contribute towards dating their occupation span. This data can be used towards interpretations of the population size and social organisation of settlements; towards an understanding of changes in settlement over the duration of the Neolithic in the Korçë plain; towards interpretations of the interaction between settlements and with the natural environment; and towards a comparison of Neolithic living in the Korçë plain with neighbouring regions. The Korçë plain contains the earliest Neolithic settlements in Albania and is therefore a key region for understanding the Neolithic in southeast Europe, an important transitional period in European prehistory. However, the lack of knowledge about its settlements has meant that the region has so far contributed only limited information to the overall research on the establishment and subsequent development of Neolithic lifeways in southeast Europe. This project seeks to address this research gap and establish an initial understanding of the size, structure and landscape context of Neolithic settlements in the Korçë plain. Finally, it will also use the more secure knowledge of the extent of Neolithic settlements generated by this project to contribute towards a better legal protection of the sites.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Albania
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Edlira Andoni; Dr. Ergys Hasa