Summer ’25 with the Centre, I

As every year, right after a relaxing May weekend, the team from the Center geared up once again to conquer the Balkans in the white road cruiser, towing behind them a trailer full of archaeological equipment and hopes for spectacular discoveries. The first stop on our tour is, traditionally, the charming country of Albania. After a smooth journey across several national borders without any unforeseen adventures, the team – Bartosz Wojciechowski, Janusz Recław, and Adam Jarych – reported to Mjedë, a quiet town near the Illyrian site in Bushat, which has been under investigation for several years. Awaiting them there were our good friends – Albanian archaeologists Saimir Shpuza and Helidon Sokoli.

This year’s excavation campaign began with the opening of a trench in a previously unexplored part of the site – for the first time, we put shovels into the ground within the fortifications of the ancient city, in search of preserved residential architecture. Over the course of the concluding week, thanks to the efforts of archaeologists and local workers, several rather enigmatic stones hidden in tall grass have slowly revealed themselves to be part of a larger structure: a solid wall, though we have yet to locate its corners. However, the fragments of amphorae and fine tableware ceramics found so far seem to confirm the successful choice of excavation location and are fueling our archaeological imagination.

According to plan, in the second part of the research season, we will move our work to the local acropolis, where we need to complete the exploration of the massive stone platform, a task interrupted in 2019. By that time, our indispensable illustrator Agata Momot and the tireless capo di tutti capi, Professor Piotr Dyczek, will have arrived in Albania. We’ll keep you updated on new discoveries at the Bushat site, which still holds many mysteries, in the coming weeks. Don’t forget to check our website!