Trying to Identify some Ancient Residences in Albania through Old Maps

Abstract

This paper attempts to identify ancient settlements in Albania by cartographic methods by elaborating geographical coordinates obtained from Ptolemy's work. The results of the paper are of interest for archeology, history, geography, geodesy, photogrammetry etc. The problem addressed is not simple, as for some settlements, different literature sources give different values ​​of geographical coordinates. In this context, those geographic coordinate systems that best deal with the real position of these settlements are selected. Thus, for example, the longitude (L) of Ohrid (which serves as a support point), in some sources is given the value L1 = 46040 ', while in later sources it is given the value L2 = 470 40'. The calculations are performed for both cases of this longitude, but greater certainty is given when L2 = 47040 'is obtained, because the geographical longitude of Skopje (Scupi with L = 48030'), Prishtina (Ulpiana, with L = 48040 '), Peja (Siparantum, with L = 46030'), etc., are closer to reality than L = 46040 ', according to which Ohrid appears to be highly displaced to the west, in relation to the aforementioned sites (pic. 2.1). Consequently, settlements located in and near the Apollo - Orikum-Ohrid triangle are identified with other sites (as noted in the following statements). All of these anomalies and others such as these have been handled carefully and according to a logical rationale for the material being processed, taking into account all factors that positively impact the settlement identification process.