Archaeological excavations at the site of Magjerica

During August and September 2017, CeRPHAAL in collaboration with the ‘University of Aleksander Xhuvani’ in Elbasan, continued the archaeological excavation at the site of Magjerica, located in the Upper Vjosa Valley, region of Përmet.

This year’s excavations at the site were aligned based mainly on the information provided by the geophysical and geochemical survey in correlation with the data obtained from the last year’s field work. Therefore, four test-pits were opened, of which three on the eastern part of the site and an additional trench on its northwestern flank.

The excavations confirmed that the area to the east of the site is most likely connected with a Roman villa, highly depending on the exploitation of the surrounding fields, as suggested by the high number of ceramic materials of the Roman Period spotted during the pedestrian survey. This area underwent important transformation during the Late Roman Period, with earlier rooms of the Roman Villa being adapted for domestic and productive purposes.

Excavations in the northwester part of the site, focused at the Byzantine house uncovering important data about this domestic structure and the transformation of the site during the Medieval Period.