cave logCave Map:
Location: Konispol
Entrance Orientation: SSW Entrance Altitude: 400m asl Cave Formation: Horizontal Main Research Years: 1989-2004 Occupation Eras and Dates: 8500-2300 (possibly Late Paeliolithic) EN-LN, BA, IA, through till medieval. Sources: Korkuti, M and Petruso, K,M. (1993) ‘Archaeology in Albania’. The American Journal of Archaeology 97, 703-716. Ellwood, B,B. Petruso, K,M. Harrold, F,B. Korkuti, M. (1996) ‘Paelioclimate Characterisation and Intra-site Correlation Using Magnetic Susceptibility Measurments: an example from Konispol Cave’: Journal of Field Archaeology 23 (3), 263-271. |
chroniclesCave Description: This is a typical Karstic cave and is 50m long and 6m high at its maximum.
Research Chronicles and Data: It was excavated by Muzafer Korkuti and Halil Shabani between 1989-1990, and by interdisciplinary teams jointly directed by Karl Petruso and Muzafer Korkuti in 1992, 1993, and 1994. The early Neolithic pottery was characterised by Impresso and Pseudobarbotine wares which are characteristic of the western and central Balkans. The middle Neolithic can be identified due to the exceedingly thick walled vessels that were found. Two different types of pottery suggest occupation in the late Neolithic. These are local and imported painted pottery of Maliq I style. The local pottery is rough and without much finish, whereas the imported pottery, although still containing sand as a temper, is competently fired and varies in colour from cream to grey unlike the local reddish colour. | ||