Butrint, Archaeological Site
The
city of Butrinti (Bothrota) is one of the fragments which form the fabric
of Albania's ancient cultural landscape. Nestling in the highlands in the
far south of the country and surrounded by dense vegetation, Butrinti was
doubly protected by nature and by the fortifications which its inhabitants
built in ancient times. However, this was not sufficient to isolate the
city from the rest of the world. Less than ten kilometers from the island
of Corfu, Butrinti was linked to the Mediterranean by the Vivari canal,
which ran from the Butrinti Lake to the Ionian Sea.
The
sight of the fortifications alone, which date from the 6th century B.C.,
evokes the military and economic
potential of the city at that time. The hill on which the acropolis
stands is encircled by a wall built of huge stone
blocks. In places this wall is two meters high and 3.5 meters wide.
The
amphitheater, dating from the 3rd century B.C., bears witness to the cultural
riches of the city. The stone banks of seating, of which twenty-three rows
have been preserved, would have held an audience of 1,500. The theater
is situated at the foot of the acropolis, close by 
two
temples, one of which is dedicated to Asclepios, the Greek god of medicine,
who was worshiped by the city's inhabitants. Approximately thirty inscriptions,
almost all in ancient Greek, carved the western facade of this temple,
and another hundred or so found on a tower which was rebuilt in the 1st
century B.C., are the only examples of writing discovered in Butrinti.
These
inscriptions are mainly concerned with the liberation of slaves.
Excavations
have brought to light many objects - plates, vases, ceramic candle sticks
- as well as sculptures, including a remarkable "Goddess of Butrinti,"
which seems to completely embody, in the perfection of its features, the
Greek ideal of physical beauty.
For centuries, the walls faithfully defended Butrinti, but no wall is
invincible, and these huge blocks of stone finally ceded to the assault
of the Roman legions which landed on the Adriatic and Ionian shores in
the 2nd century B.C. Under the rule of 
the
occupiers, Butrinti was to fall slowly into decadence. In spite of this,
three monumental fountains, three public baths, a gymnasium decorated with
mosaics, and especially the aqueduct constructed during the reign of Augustus,
prove that the site was not completely abandoned. Augustus also oversaw
the reconstruction of all the ancient city walls and the erection of new
fortifications.
Christianity brought new life to Butrinti. The palaeo-Christian period
admired the city with two basilicas and a baptistery, which is among the
most beautiful in the Mediterranean region. Sixteen granite columns, forming
two concentric circles, support the roof of the main hall. The floor is
paved with a magnificent mosaic representing the Tree of Life and decorated
with medallions embellished with animal motifs.
Barbarian
incursions and Norman raids in the eleventh century, catastrophic earthquake
in 1153, conquest by the Venetians in 1386, the subterranean infiltration
of water and the subsequent epidemics completed the ruin of the city and
forced the inhabitants to flee. Butrinti was buried in silence and oblivion.
Throughout the occupation by the Ottoman Empire, from the 15th to the 20th
centuries, the city remained in deep slumber. The waters covered Butrinti
in mud, and abundant vegetation completely hid the remains from view.
It
was not until the beginning of the 20th century that systematic excavations
were carried out at Butrinti by the
Italian archeologist I. Ugolini, followed by his compatriots P. Marconi
and D. Mustili. Between 1928 and 1941, the ground was cleared and the ancient
city gradually began to reveal its hidden treasures.
Following the liberation of Albania in 1944, Albanian archeologists
undertook more ambitious excavations. In turn, the ramparts, the acropolis,
the agora, the amphitheater, the temples, public baths and private residences
re-emerged into the light of day. The entire city arose, almost intact,
under the fascinated gaze of the archeologists. The mud and vegetation
that covered Butrinti had protected it from the natural and human ravages
of time.
Today, this rediscovered city represents a unique cultural treasure
whose value far surpasses national frontiers. The importance of Butrinti
can be gauged from its inclusion in 1992 on UNESCO's
World Heritage List.
