A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF TWO PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA

A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF TWO PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES IN SOUTHERN ALBANIAAuthor(s): K.D. Francis, D.J. Bescoby and I. GjipaliSource: The Annual of the British School at Athens, Vol. 104 (2009), pp. 9-26Published by: British School at AthensStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20745361 .

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A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF TWO PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA1

Introduction

Cave and rock-shelter sites are well known as key depositional environments for archae

ological and palaeoenvironmental material. Such locations form comparatively low-energy

geomorphological environments, favourable to the preservation of sedimentary deposits and

the cultural artefacts they contain (Farrand 2001). Like much of the Balkan Peninsula, characterized by a mountainous, karstic topography, prehistoric cave sites in Albania are

common, although most lack any integrated, systematic study. However, in recent years a

number of important prehistoric projects have been undertaken, most notably at Kryegjata (Runnels et al 2004), Konispol (Schuldenrein 2001), and Soyjan (Petrika and Touchais

2003). In this paper we describe the prehistoric cultural assemblages from a cave site in the coastal

town of Himara, south-western Albania, and from a rock-shelter site at Kanalit in the Acroceraunian Mountains, overlooking the Dukat Valley and the Bay of Vlora (fig. 1 ). The

current investigations followed an evaluation of records discovered within the archives of the

Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana in Rome, detailing f?eldwork undertaken by the Italian

prehistorian Luigi Cardini in 1939 on behalf of the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania

(Gilkes 2005). In 2001, a reconnaissance survey was undertaken to relocate and assess the

prehistoric sites originally investigated and described by Cardini (Francis 2000; Francis and

Hodges 2003). Having successfully located a number of Cardini's sites, we undertook a

further preliminary investigation of the cave deposits at Himara in 2002 and 2003, as the site had come under considerable threat from building work in front of the cave, destroying extensive talus deposits. The rock-shelter deposits at Kanalit were subsequently re-evaluated in 2004.

Geomorphological and Archaeological Background

The cave at Himara is situated within a low limestone outcrop along Spil? beach in the middle of the modern town and forms the largest of three adjacent cavities, located at the base of a

low cliff ?.30 m high and 100 m from the present day shoreline (fig. 2). Cardini's trial

excavations revealed over 2 m of stratified deposits, the basal levels of which contained

1 Acknowledgements: the 2002-2004 evaluations at

Himara Cave and Kanalit rock-shelter were carried out as a joint collaboration between the Institute of World

Archaeology (IWA), UEA, Norwich and the Albanian Institute of Archaeology (AIA), Tirana. The excavations

were funded by the Institute for Aegean Prehistory, with extra financial and logistical support provided by the Butrint Foundation. Survey and excavation work was

undertaken by Pete Crawley, Emily Glass, Rovena Kurti,

Syrja Lala, Nevila Molla, Jerry O'Dwyer, and Rudence

Rucha. We are also extremely grateful to Lorenc Bej ko and Maria Grazia Amore of the ICAA, Tirana for the kind loan of their vehicles. The new study of the Himara caves and the Kanalit rock-shelter would not have been possible without the initial help of Professors A. and E. Segre, curators of the Cardini Archive, at the Istituto Italiano di

Palaeontologia Umana (IPU), Rome. We should also like to

thank Curtis Runnels and an anonymous referee for their comments on an earlier draft of this paper.



FRANCIS ET AL.

fig. . Site locations.

?

Himara Caves

fig. 2. Location of the Himara caves in the coastal town of Himara.



PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES

Eneolithic ceramics and numerous flakes of flint and jasper, along with the bones of

domesticates such as Sus, Capra, Ovis and Bos (Francis 2005). By contrast, the Kanalit rock shelter is situated at an elevation of 140 m above sea level on the north-east-facing flank of the

rugged Acroceraunian Mountains c.40 km north of Himara (fig. 3). The Acroceraunian Mountains consist of inclined massif beds of Triassic and Jurassic limestone, uplifted and folded by compressional tectonic events during the Late Jurassic to Eocene and reach elevations in excess of 1200 m. The north-eastern flank overlooking the fault-bound Dukat

valley is deeply incised by a network of drainage gulleys, often giving way to extensive alluvial fans towards the base. At Kanalit, Cardini excavated two trenches, the largest of which was

placed inside the rock-shelter. The excavations recovered Eneolithic flint tools, hand-made

ceramics, hearths and animal bones of domesticated species including Sus, Ovis, and Bos

brachyceros, a domesticate common in Neolithic and Copper Age deposits throughout the Mediterranean (Francis 2005).

Himara: Setting and Excavation

The largest cavity at Himara is over 30 m long with an irregular opening c.8 m wide and 7 m

high, facing west to south-west at an elevation of 3.6 m above the present-day sea level. The cave has formed as a result of karstic processes, the entrance being further enlarged by wave

action. The triangular planform of the cave was surveyed using a total station and is illustrated

fig. 3. View of the Acroceraunian mountain range (facing south),

showing the location of the Kanalit rock-shelter.



12 FRANCIS ET AL.

in fig. 4. The limestone beds forming the cave walls are tectonically deformed, dipping c.200 eastwards and are of a fractured and brittle nature, with high bedding and joint frequencies. There is a large fissure in the roof towards the front of the cave packed with irregular, poorly sorted clasts, suggestive of a collapsed solution feature. At the rear of the cave a long, narrow

water-worn passage runs at a shallow angle downwards into the bedrock. Several well

developed stalactites are present towards the rear of the cave with fairly extensive calcite

deposition on the back wall. The infilling deposits are level, forming a surface of compact dark brown silt and poorly sorted angular limestone clasts, c.i2m below the roof. The general character of the clastic deposits within the cave are of limestone debris of varying size, forming unconsolidated and poorly sorted deposits within a predominantly silt grade matrix. A deposit of cemented, moderately sorted gravel composed of well-rounded pebbles was recorded

sloping away from the rear of the cave.

excavation

A 3 3 m test pit was excavated along the northern wall of the front section of the cave as

indicated in fig. 4. The location was chosen to coincide with an area of the cave likely to

contain anthropogenic material, being a place of good natural light and, while sheltered from

the prevailing wind, having a good view of the cave's vicinity. Each deposit was excavated in

alternate 1 m2 spits corresponding to the trench grid survey squares. All excavated deposits were dry-sieved to aid finds recovery, while 20% of all deposits were subject to wet-sieving,

allowing the recovery of environmental samples (currently under investigation). All archae

FIG. 4. Plan of Himara Cave, showing location of test trench.

Inset photograph shows view looking into cave mouth.



PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES 13

ological features and finds were recorded three-dimensionally. A total of 100 deposits were

excavated, including a number of hearth and posthole features. The excavation was also

successful in locating Cardini's original trial trench, the position of which is indicated in fig. 4.

Sedimentological Interpretation

The sedimentary record at Himara reflects both cultural activity within the cave and

underlying palaeoenvironmental conditions. To evaluate this interconnection, a detailed

description of each sedimentary deposit was undertaken, recording colour, texture and the nature of unit boundaries. Within the recorded sequence, it is possible to group deposits into

four primary units based on lithostratigraphic properties, summarised in table 1 and

illustrated in fig. 5. Episodes of rockfall and weathering of the cave roof and walls and

increased instability through seismic events account for much of the clastic sedimentation, which remains fairly constant throughout deposition. The bulk of sediments excavated do not

appear to have been significantly altered by natural diagenetic processes.

fig. 5. Himara Cave, south-east facing section through excavated deposits,

showing division of lithostratigraphic units.



*4 FRANCIS ET AL.

Cultural Stratigraphy

Several distinct cultural phases can be identified

within the excavated deposits, based primarily on

artefact typology. Within the basal gravels (Unit ; see

table 1), several small abraded lithic pieces were

recovered (fig. 6), although these are not considered

culturally diagnostic. Overlying the gravels and associated with a thin ash

layer and stakehole feature, the cultural assemblage from the base of Unit 2 consisted of 228 g of pottery 0 2 CM and 200 g of animal bone fragments. Over 30 lithic

c===m'^^

artefacts, including jasper and chert flakes and a core fig. 6. Lithics recovered from basal

fragment, were also recovered (see fig. 7). The gravels (Unit 1). ceramic fragments are represented by both thick- and

thin-walled vessels, the latter being of good quality production with clay slip surfaces, which

have been burnished and are well fired. Two rim sherds indicate a vessel with a cylindrical neck and an everted rim (fig. 8). Amongst the large vessels is a fragment with a 2 cm-wide

raised edge or band, which might have served as a handle (fig. 8). The raised edge is

decorated with a continuous line of impressed holes, a technique of decoration that appears in the early Bronze Age and continues into successive phases. Radiocarbon dates of 1440 to

1280 cal bc (Intcalg8) were obtained from charcoal contained within the associated ash layer. While the potential limitations of the dated context need to be considered, the date

nonetheless provides an independent chronological marker that confers a late Middle Bronze

Age/early Late Bronze Age date range for this material. Ceramics from the uppermost portion of Unit 2 are handmade and assumed to be of local

origin. The fragments mostly relate to well-fired medium or large vessels; thin-walled vessels are rare. A number of rim profiles, necks, bases, and handles present indicate rounded vessels

with short cylindrical necks, as well as medium- and large-sized vessels (see fig. 9). Rims are

table 1 Preliminary lithostratigraphic units recorded at Himara.

1 Thick sequence of deposits of brown silty loams with up to 15% angular limestone clasts, containing numerous compact ash lenses and organically enriched horizons of anthropogenic activity, often related

to hearth features.

2 Thick deposit of fine silty clay sediments of a distinctive red colouring, containing up to 10% small angular to subangular limestone clasts. The presence of weak laminae within this deposit suggests the possibility of

seasonal ponding. It is likely that these sediments are derived from terrarossa soils ubiquitous on

surrounding slopes, possibly infiltrating the cave with ground water percolating in from fissures in the

roof, the cave acting as a sink for fine, surface derived material.

3 Thin deposits of dark grey brown, moderately compact silty loam. Two radiocarbon dates were derived

from charcoal fragments within a thin ash lens within this unit, giving dates of 3090 ? 40 bp and 3100 ?

40 bp (Beta 187243/4). 4 Basal deposits composed of poorly sorted gravel of subrounded to subangular stones of varying lithologies,

supported in a loose sandy matrix. The overall thickness of this unit is unknown, although in excess of 1

m within the test trench. This unit is likely to represent the former distal extent of the Holocene littoral

zone. The current sea level is 1.2 m below the top of this unit.




(a) (b)

^ "

(d) ^"^^^

(e)

(f) 0 3 CM

fig. 7. Middle Bronze Age lithic material recovered from Unit 2:

(a,j) flakes; (?>) blade fragment; (c, d) per?oirs; (e) knife.



6 FRANCIS ET AL.

fig. 8. Middle Bronze Ceramics from Unit 2: (a) body sherd with impressed decoration;

(b, c) rim sherds of open vessels, dark brown and reddish grey in colour.

truncated or everted; bases are generally flat; handles, in the form of strips with more or less oval profiles, are positioned vertically or horizontally. Only a few fragments are decorated,

including a large long-necked vessel decorated around the body with vertical and horizontal

kanelyra, and another decorated on the surface with small impressed holes of the same size, in a random pattern. The character of the ceramics suggests that the material dates to the last

phase of the Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. The lithic finds are represented by limestone and flint flakes, only two of which show any signs of retouch.

The lower half of Unit 3 is characterized by four post-holes, with over 1 kg of pottery and

740 g of animal bone recovered. Seventy-three manufactured limestone flakes, some blades, and two cores were also recovered. Most of the ceramics from this layer consist of body sherds and appear to be local, although comparative information on the pottery forms is limited. There are, however, a number of body-sherd fragments coated on both surfaces with bitumen; similar pieces have been recovered from Iron Age sites in Albania dating from the eighth seventh century BC (see Papadopoulos et al 2007). One rim fragment of an open vessel is decorated with impressions made by interlinked fingertip impressions, and dates stylistically to the early Iron Age (see Papadopoulos et al 2007; Lera et al 1996 for comparisons).

The upper cultural layers within Unit 3 contain a hearth feature overlain by 14 post holes.




FIG. 9. Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age ceramics from unit 2: (0,7, I) handle fragments; (b) rim sherd

and incised rim sherd of open vessel; (c-e) rim sherds of open vessels; (j) rim sherd of casserole; (g) rim sherd of bowl; (h) profile fragment of plate; (i) painted body sherd; (k) vessel lug with black slip.



8 FRANCIS ET AL.

Nearly kg of pottery was recovered, the majority of the ceramics being imported forms with

the few local examples, which are of good quality and wheelthrown, suggesting a transfer of

technologies from larger, more developed regional centres. This local pottery assemblage manifests characteristics of the late Iron Age, c. seventh-sixth century bc. The imported ceramics are predominantly painted finewares (cups, kotylai, skyphoi, kylikes, etc.) and

mainly Corinthian and Cyrenaican. Most of them are decorated with slip (brown, light brown, dark brown, red-brown, and red in colour), covering parts of the vessels of the whole surface

(see fig. 10). The painted decoration is mainly represented by parallel horizontal lines or

bands below the rim and more rarely by vertical lines and representative of the Archaic period (c. sixth-fifth century bc).

The remaining lithostratigraphic unit (Unit 4) contains a record of fairly continuous

cultural deposits spanning the Classical to Late Antique/Medieval periods, although

stratigraphie integrity was often compromised by high levels of disturbance within this upper

deposit. A number of high quality ceramics dating to the fifth and third centuries bc were

recovered, including numerous Hellenistic skyphos bases, vernice nera (black slip ware)

fragments, amphora- and hydria bases, and bitumen-coated ceramics of Apollonian

production, dated to the third century bc. Imported pottery is mainly represented by table

wares, in most cases decorated with black slip. A quantity of tile was also recovered; their

profiles suggesting a fourth-third-century date. Nine small stake holes with largely sterile fills

and three hearths, one of which was encircled by several limestone cobbles, were also

recorded and broadly dated, given the depositional irregularity of this unit, to the fourth and

third centuries bc.

Kanalit: Setting and Excavation

The Kanalit rock-shelter is located within a concavity along the foot of a small limestone cliff.

The resulting vertical overhang forms an irregular elongate shelter (fig. 11, Area 1) of c.8 m

wide and c.2.5 m deep, creating a ceiling that rises from 0.8 m in the south-east to over 2.8 m

in the north-west (fig. 11). The surrounding limestone is a heavily eroded, poorly sorted

conglomerate. At the north-western end of the rock-shelter, a short, blank, sub-rectangular chamber (Area 2) is located off the back wall c.2.4 m wide, 3.5 m deep, and 3 m high. A

similar, small narrow chamber (Area 3) located outside the rock-shelter along the scarp, ?.2.8 m to the north-west, is ci m wide, 3.4 m deep, and 1.4 m high. A partial collapse of the

overhang has occurred, leaving a large section of detached limestone conglomerate in front

of the shelter, indicating the inherent instability of the immediate area. Unfortunately, this

block is likely to conceal primary rock-shelter deposits. Along the foot of the scarp, there is a

natural terrace of gently sloping ground, forming a relatively flat apron in front of the shelter

(Area 4), extending cao m outwards, and measuring c.50 m in width. The immediate area is

strewn with numerous angular boulders of varying sizes. Local soils are the typical calcic red

type associated with scrub vegetation.

excavation

The 2004 investigation was aimed primarily at investigating Cardini's claims of prehistoric,

specifically Copper Age, settlement within the rock-shelter, and to enable the detailed

recording of site stratigraphy as well as the recovery of datable ceramic and lithic artefacts.




n ^ (

I .

IV 1 g

i

(i) ? (!) ?

_^^^^^^^^^ (m)

fig. 10. Rim potsherds and other fragments of imported pottery from the upper levels of Unit 3: (a-g) rim

sherds of open vessels; {K j) rim sherds of skyphos; (i) fragment of decorated body sherd; (k-[) base sherds of flat vessels; (ra) fragment of decorated horizontal handle; ( ) handle fragment from large skyphos.



20 FRANCIS ET AL.

fig. 11. Plan of the Kanalit rocksheiter, showing the location of test excavations.

Inset photograph shows north-east facing entrance of the rock-shelter.

The investigation was also aimed at locating Cardini's trial excavations and assessing the

degree of survival and nature of deposits on the terrace and surrounding hill slope. The two smaller cavities (see fig. i, Areas 2 and 3) were found to have floors of weathered

bedrock, containing no further sedimentary deposits. Consequently the investigation focused

upon Area 1, and a 6 2 m area laid out (fig. 11, Q1-12) and deposits excavated in alternate 1 m2 spits. All archaeological features and finds were recorded three-dimensionally. A total of

25 deposits were recorded, including hearth features and a large pit. The position and extent

of Cardini's original trench was identified within quadrants four and five (fig. 11, Q4 and

Q5). A second trench was excavated outside the rock-shelter in Area 4 to examine briefly the terrace in terms of slope, stratigraphy, and archaeology. The trench measured 6 m long and




0.5 m wide, was aligned north-east-south-east (perpendicular to the rock-shelter entrance),

extending from the shelter to the break of the hillslope.

Sedimeniological interpretation

Weathered limestone bedrock sloping away from the back wall forms the base of the shelter,

upon which over 0.5 m of sediments have accumulated, forming a compact, level floor, fig.

12 (a) illustrates the sequence recorded in the north-west section presented by quadrants four

and nine (fig. 11, Q4 and Q9). A detailed sedimentological examination of excavated deposits allowed their division lithostratigraphically into four primary units immediately associated with the rock-shelter and a further two units associated with the terrace, as summarized in table 2.

The sedimentary environment here is potentially quite dynamic, with deposition upon the rock-shelter floor occurring either vertically (from shelter walls and ceiling and by percolating water from the land surface above) or laterally by the action of water, wind, and human or

animal activity (see Farrand 2001 ). Important weathering and depositional processes are likely to include freeze-thaw phenomena, sheet wash, and carbonai deposition.

Cultural Stratigraphy

The earliest stratified cultural deposits within the rock-shelter relate to a large, irregular pit feature, cut into Unit 3 (fig. 12 a), where a dark reddish-brown silty loam fill contained a few small animal bone fragments and potsherds of a Bronze Age date. The pit extends eastwards below the fallen block, so that the full profile could not be discerned. This is the only stratified

prehistoric evidence from within the rock-shelter. Pottery fragments associated with three ash

deposits and a hearth within Unit 3 are late- or post-medieval in date, while the unit is overlain

by a rough stone floor containing a grave cut dating to the Second World War.

table 2 Preliminary lithostratigraphic units recorded at Kanalit.

Units immediately associated with the rock-shelter

1 The uppermost unit comprises a yellow-grey gritty silt containing small limestone fragments and pieces. Unit contains a number of ash lenses associated with a small hearth.

2 Extremely compacted, semi-cemented dark yellow layer of angular limestone fragments within a clayey silt, confined to the eastern edge of Area 1 and extending away from the drip line of the shelter. This unit

contains a large pit of prehistoric date.

3 A similar, sterile layer of small cemented limestone fragments within a green-brown sandy matrix and

seemingly confined to the eastern side of Area 1, sloping downwards. The cementation of the deposits may relate to changing climate and wetter warmer conditions, as recorded at the onset of the Holocene.

4 Basal deposits of partially cemented limestone conglomerate supported by an orange clayey silt matrix and

relating to the autogenic evolution of the rock-shelter, and sterile of cultural material. Possibly

corresponds to cold, dryer conditions which characterized the end of the Pleistocene c. 12,000 bp. The

quantity of poorly sorted angular limestone clasts suggests the mechanical erosion of material from the

shelter roof and walls as a result of freeze-thaw action.

Units associated with the terrace

5 A thin deposit of Colluvium composed of mid-brown sandy silts, containing frequent small-medium limestone clasts, fining downwards. Along the edge of the terrace, this unit is darker in colour and more

organic, reflecting deeper soil development. 6 Basal deposits similar to Unit 1, consisting of a highly compacted layer of weathered limestone within a

silty clay matrix, overlying the bedrock.



22 FRANCIS ET AL.

East Cardini Trench

East

(b)

fig. 12. (a) North-west facing section through excavated deposits within the rock-shelter, showing division of lithostratigraphic units defined in this study, (b) North-eastern portion of section

through the terrace, showing lithostratigraphic units and position of Mesolithic artefacts.

The most significant cultural assemblage came from the terrace edge within the base of

Unit 6, where 125 knapped flints were discovered (see fig. 13). A breakdown of the

assemblage composition by artefact typology is given in table 3, although it should be noted

that the full extent of the assemblage was not mapped. There were 16 bladelets with an

average size of 3 cm in length. Some of these pieces had been retouched to form scrapers,

per?oirs, and burins. The largest (fig. 13 g) has retouch at the distal end, forming an end

scraper. Medium-sized flakes up to 3 cm in length formed the largest category, with 36

examples. A number of the smallest struck flints (microliths) were manufactured on flake

blanks, often displaying fine retouch. Two core fragments, a number of retouching flakes, and some d?bitage were also recorded, suggesting that flint-working may have taken place on the

edge of the terrace nearby. All of the pieces found were unrolled and unpatinated and of an

extremely fresh appearance, suggesting that they had not been eroded or accumulated from

elsewhere on the site. No associated animal bone assemblage was recorded. The assemblage is best described as Mesolithic, bearing similarities to industries from the open air coastal site

of Kryegjata in the Fier District c.20 km to the north (Runnels et al 2004).

Discussion

Deposits recorded from Himara and Kanalit indicate the presence of prehistoric human

activity dating as far back as the Mesolithic period. At the coastal cave site at Himara, it seems

plausible that the basal gravels (Unit 1) were deposited during the mid-Holocene sea-level

transgressive maxima, c.6500 bp (Jing and Rapp 2003; Ciavola, et al 1995) and that existing




(k) (I) (m) (n)

fig. 13. Selection of Mesolithic flint blades recovered from the terrace edge (Unit 6): (a-b) cores;

(c) flake ? knife; (d) notch; (e) combination tool; (/) burin/sidescraper; (g) endscraper; (h-i) per?oirs; (j); burin (k-n); microliths.

table 3 Lithic assemblage composition for Unit 6.

Category Number

Core 2

Flake 36 Blade 16 Retouched piece 11

D?bitage 41 Sidescraper 2

Endscraper 2

Burin 2

Per?oir 2

Notch 2

Combination tool 1

Microlith 8 Total 125



24 FRANCIS ET AL.

deposits accumulated within the cave would have been flushed out by the rising sea. This is

unfortunate, since evidence of Upper Palaeolithic exploitation of the coastal plains, recorded at a number of sites to the south (see Runnels and van Andel 2003) may have been lost. A more precise age estimate for the deposition of these basal gravels remains problematic, since

tectonic influences also need to be taken into account and no obviously diagnostic cultural

material recovered. At Kanalit, rising Holocene sea-levels would have resulted in the steady transformation of

the low-lying, distal portion of the Dukat Plain into a coastal embayment, of which Lake Pasha

Limani represents a remnant phase (see Mathers et al 1999). The change in local environ ment within the valley to encroaching coastal wetland would have afforded new subsistence

opportunities along the valley margins. The flint assemblage at Kanalit is indicative of active

flint-knapping, with the objective of the reduction strategy to produce small bladelets, used as

blanks for the manufacture of retouched tools. The location of the site forms a natural

vantage-point, sitting on the edge of the elevated terrace overlooking the valley bottom, and

may well have formed a strategic location for the exploitation of new resources.

Geometric microliths, like the few distinctive tools found at Kanalit (fig. 13), are known

from just a handful of sites in Albania, including Vlush? in the south-east (Korkuti and

Petruso 1993) and Konispol Cave, close to the Albanian-Greek border (Harrold et al 1999,

369). The latter site is dated by radiocarbon to within several centuries before 6000 cal bp

(ibid.). Another site, Kryegjata B, has recently been discovered as a result of survey work and

excavation carried out close to the ancient city of Apollonia to the north. Early Holocene

activity at this open air site, which comprised almost 1000 Mesolithic artefacts manufactured

from flint of local origin, is dated slightly earlier to between c. 10,000 and 8000 bp (Davis

2004). Both Konispol and Kryegjata occupy similar coastal zone environments to the Dukat

Plain.

bronze age himara

The radiocarbon dated layers from Himara provide an independent chronological marker for

the MBA-LBA transition, adding to a growing regional chronology emerging from sites such as Soyjan in the south-east of Albania (see Petrika and Touchais 2003). The period coincides

with an apparent increase in anthropogenic activity throughout the central Mediterranean, recorded within number of pollen records from north-west Greece, showing a marked

decrease in woodland and increased instances of soil erosion from 4000 bp (Willis 1992 a;

19926). Similarly, the pollen sequence from the Bronze Age and Iron Age settlement at

Soyjan indicates a major shift from a fir-dominated to an oak-dominated forest at c.4000 bp, coincident with an increase in cereal pollen and other herbaceous indicators of agricultural

activity (Allen 2002). At Himara there is tentative sedimentological evidence for changing environmental

conditions towards the end of the Bronze Age, possibly induced by climatic fluctuations

leading to wetter conditions (Unit 3), although changes to the local hydrology such as

increased erosion and slope run-off through deforestation need to be considered. The

interaction between climatic fluctuations, hydrological, and anthropogenic factors is likely to

be subtle and complex (see Brown and Ellis 1995). The Bronze Age ceramics at Himara show a predominance of local fabrics; it is not until

the onset of the Iron Age and the beginning of the Archaic period that imported wares




dominate, indicating that by this time the area was very much part of regional trade networks.

A technological shift to wheelthrown pottery production is also observed locally. The lack of

earlier Mycenaean influence is interesting, although not altogether surprising, as a similar

lack of Mycenaean presence is recorded on Corfu (Wardle 1997). The local Bronze Age coarsewares with finger impressed and incised decoration share many similarities with

regional (Epirote) pottery from sites such as Dodona in north-western Greece (see Wardle

1977). While it is potentially unwise to regard the ceramic assemblage at Himara as typical, since cave sites are often ascribed functions that may colour the assemblage, no evidence to

suggest specific usage outside general domestic habitation has been found.

Conclusion

The preliminary investigations at the cave site at Himara and the rock-shelter at Kanalit in

south-west Albania represent a rare opportunity to evaluate the survival of prehistoric remains

within a region where systematic prehistoric research has been sporadic. Evidence for the

Mesolithic exploitation of coastal lowlands surrounding Kanalit reinforces an emerging

regional trend recorded from sites to the north and south (e.g. Konispol and Kryegjata),

adding to the small number of documented Mesolithic sites in Albania.

Geographically, the region has always been of strategic importance, often forming a

crossroads of cultural influences, particularly from the east and south, and the ceramic

evidence from Himara forms a useful indicator of regional connections to trans

Mediterranean trading routes from the early and middle Bronze Age. The predominance of

well-made local ceramics suggests the region was relatively insular in terms of trading contacts to the south, at least until the beginning of the Iron Age.

CgMs Consulting KD. Francis

Normanton-on-Trent, Newark, Notts.

Institute of World Archaeology DJ. Bescoby University of East Anglia

Instituti i Arkeologjis? I. GjiPALi Sheshi Nene' Tereza, Tirane

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Documents

A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF TWO PREHISTORIC CAVE SITES IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA