Late-antique and Byzantine Butrint: interim report on the port and its hinterland (1994-95)

Hodges, Richard; Saraçi, Gjergj; Bowden, William; Chiles, Prue; Gilkes, Oliver; Lako, Kosta; Lane, Alan; Martin, Simon; Mitchell, Jeff; Moreland, John; Ohara, Shima; Pluciennik, Mark; Watson, Lucia

doi:10.1017/s104775940001480x

Cited by 10 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In each case it is the weaker orthogonal sets that are generally shorter than 9 m. Using the assumption that the longer linear anomalies correspond to street-related features, it could be inferred that the insulae of the suburb were triangular-like in shape, rather than the conventional form (de la Bédoyère, 1992;Alcock, 1993;Owens, 1996). This would be compatible with the main roadway being E-W orientated suggested by Hodges et al (1997). However, although triangular insulae of Roman towns may occur in limited areas to accommodate topographical or pre-defined major roadways (de la Bédoyère, 1992;Owens, 1996), the persistence of these triangular insulae over the whole site would be unusual.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…This accumulation has taken place in spite of regional sea-level rise of between 0.4 and 0.9 mm year 1 since ca. 4000 BC, so that current sea-level is 1 to 1.5 m higher than it was about 2000 years ago (Hodges et al, 1997;Mathers et al, 1999). This rise in relative sea-level is readily evident in the flooded lower parts of intramural Butrint (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the 8 th century BC and ceased in the 16 th century, and is centred on a limestone knoll that protrudes into the Vivari Channel (Hodges et al, 1997;Gilkes and Miraj, 2000; Figure 1). There are two main parts to the intramural area of Butrint, the acropolis area and the lower city that passes down towards the flanks of the Vivari Channel (Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to the 1960s, fluvial systems to the north of Lake Butrint drained through the Vivari Channel, but this natural system was bypassed in the countries communist era by construction of a new channel draining into Saranda Bay, which subsequently made Lake Butrint more saline. The sediments of the Vrina Plain are thought to have accumulated since the mid-Holocene, although the progression and timing of this are currently uncertain (Hodges et al, 1997). The Vrina Plain sedimentation had evidently reached near its current limit by AD 1814, when the castle of Ali Pasha was built on the saltmarsh near the western end of the Vivari Channel (Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural layout of the suburbs of Roman Butrint, southern Albania: results from a gradiometer and resistivity survey

Hounslow

Chroston

2002

Archaeological Prospection

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Butrint, a World Heritage Site in southern Albania, encompasses 3000 years of Mediterranean history from the Hellenistic Greeks to the Venetians. In Roman times a suburb of Butrint spread out across the marsh plain to the south of the city, where approximately 20 ha have been surveyed with a fluxgate gradiometer, and 4 ha with a ground resistivity meter. The magnetic anomalies show that the line of the aqueduct into the centre of Butrint is evident for part of this area, but the aqueduct signature becomes progressively less distinct on approaching the Vivari Channel, probably owing to deeper burial. A complex of confused, short-wavelength anomalies, but with some linear elements covers about 3 ha and is associated with exposed building remains. The abrupt termination of these anomalies to the west may be associated with the former Roman water front. Isolated smaller areas of magnetic anomalies up to 0.5 ha in the area surveyed, show buildings and associated ditches away from the main complex. The resistivity survey allows some detailed constraints on the position of buildings in the densely occupied area. Analysis of the orientation of linear anomalies indicates there are two co-genetic sets of magnetic and resistivity linear anomalies. A strong NW-SE and weaker NE-SW set, which parallel the aqueduct and the alignment of standing walls. This set appears to indicate a regular building alignment across the whole site, which is reflected in the orientation of the few current standing walls on the site. This set may post-date the building of the aqueduct, because these reflect the latest standing remains on the site. A second stronger set of E-W and (subsidiary) N-S linear anomalies may signify either an early system of streets, or perhaps an agricultural-based ditch system developed prior to the buildings on the site. This second set may pre-date the building of the aqueduct in the first century BC, when Butrint became a Roman colony. An alternative interpretation suggests part of the suburbs street plan may be based on a non-conventional triangular network of roadways, the design of which may have been emulated in the construction of the medieval Triangular Castle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Structural layout of the suburbs of Roman Butrint, southern Albania: results from a gradiometer and resistivity survey

Hounslow

Chroston

2002

Archaeological Prospection

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“…Showing a succession of landscape change typical in the Mediterranean, continued alluvial sedimentation over the past three millennia has led to the formation of a large coastal plain to the south of the city, pushing the coastline westwards by over 2 km. By the end of the Late Antique period, in common with many late Roman settlements, rapid urban transformation at Butrint culminated in the apparent cessation of town life by the late 6th and 7th Centuries (see Hodges et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Saints and Sinners: a tephrochronology for Late Antique landscape change in Epirus from the eruptive history of Lipari, Aeolian Islands

Bescoby

Barclay

Andrews

2008

Journal of Archaeological Science

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Butrint (Albania) between eastern and western Mediterranean glass production: EMPA and LA-ICP-MS of late antique and early medieval finds

Conte

Chinni

Arletti

et al. 2014

Journal of Archaeological Science

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In the Late Roman period, the city of Butrint (SW Albania) was one of the most important seaports of the eastern Mediterranean due to its very favorable position and an extended presence of human settlements (from the 5th century BC to the modern age). The city seems to have particularly flourished after being declared a Roman colony under Augustus in 31 BC, but even after the Roman period, Butrint remained a central node in eastern trade routes. During the archaeological campaign of 2011 directed by David Hernandez (University of Notre Dame -US), aimed at identifying the eastern border of the Butrint Roman Forum, several glass artifacts were recovered and dated to the late antique and early medieval period. In this study 33 fragments of glass (32 transparent, 1 opaque) were analyzed from different objects (drinking glasses, bowls, etc) mostly dated from the 5th to the 6th centuries AD. The aims of this work are: i) understanding the raw materials, the manufacturing techniques employed for glass production, and their evolution through the time; ii) correctly classifying items of uncertain date; iii) interpreting the economic development and trade models of the area. Chemical analyses were performed by electron microprobe (EMPA) for major and minor elements and by ICP mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) for trace elements. The chemical results indicate that the samples were produced with natron as fluxing agent. They can be divided, on the basis of the concentrations of Fe, Ti, and Mn, between the two main compositional groups widespread in the Mediterranean from the 4th century onward: HIMT (23 samples), and Levantine I (10 samples). Among the HIMT samples, both "weak" HIMT (13 samples), and "strong" HIMT (10 samples) were identified. This variety of compositions indicates that in Butrint, between the end of the 4th and the end of the 6th century, the glass materials were probably imported from different suppliers.Chrono-typological and chemical classification of glass from Butrint are reported.Comparison of glass varieties with the coeval production in the Mediterranean.Correspondence of chemical and typological/chronological groups is shown.Levantine I and HIMT are distinguished on chronological basis and product quality.Compositional grouping aids chronological definition of finds and site stratigraphy.

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Late-antique and Byzantine Butrint: interim report on the port and its hinterland (1994-95)

Cited by 10 publications

References 16 publications

Structural layout of the suburbs of Roman Butrint, southern Albania: results from a gradiometer and resistivity survey

Structural layout of the suburbs of Roman Butrint, southern Albania: results from a gradiometer and resistivity survey

Saints and Sinners: a tephrochronology for Late Antique landscape change in Epirus from the eruptive history of Lipari, Aeolian Islands

Butrint (Albania) between eastern and western Mediterranean glass production: EMPA and LA-ICP-MS of late antique and early medieval finds

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