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  • Roman House at “Sh. Beja” street
  • Durrёs
  • Durrachium
  • Albania
  • Durrës County
  • Bashkia Durrës
  • Bashkia e Durrësit

Credits

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Monuments

Periods

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Chronology

  • 10 AD - 346 AD

Season

    • During construction work carried out in the “Sh. Beja” street, in the modern city of Durrёs, (ancient Dyrrhachion), were discovered the ruins of a roman building. Afterwards a rescue archaeological excavation was undertaken which revealed three construction phases of the building. The first construction phase is represented by two chamber rooms, build up with the Opus Latericum technique (the bricks dimensions are 0. 3 - 0. 32 x 0. 07 - 0. 08m). The first chamber has a rectangular shape, measuring to 4. 47 x 3. 10m, and the floor is paved with limestone slabs. The second chamber room measures to 5. 90 x 4. 33 m and has a door frame made of stone. On the sides of this door frame is inscribed a figure (maybe a dolphin) from maritime mythology. The outside of the room is surrounded by a drain, while in its centre is situated a rectangular basin measuring to 4. 50 x 2. 45m. Such architectonical features suggest that this chamber room has probably been used as a latrine. The pottery founded is represented by transport amphorae; eastern sigillata B, locally produced cooking vessels and other objects that date to the 1- 2 centuries A.D. Based on this data the authors suggest that the building is constructed in the first half of the 1st century A.D. In the second phase the building is entirely reconstructed and decorated with frescos. The wall sides are painted with floral (lotus, laurel etc) and geometrical (circles and arches) motives on a white surface. These decorative features are similar to those of the provincial style of Roman frescos of the 2nd century A.D. The pottery of this phase is represented by Iberian amphorae of Dressel 20D types, Almagro 51c, African of Ia type, Red gloss table vessels, eastern sigillata B and Aegean and locally produced cooking vessels. These objects date to the 2 – 4 centuries A.D. During the third construction phase the eastern façade of the building was blocked by a wall made of stones and mortar. The construction of the wall above the floor level has reduced the function of the rooms. The finds of this phase are represented by varied types of pottery like: African and Aegean amphorae, fine vessels from north Africa and eastern Mediterranean. These objects were on the market of the ancient Dyrrhachium from the middle of the 4th century A.D. a period of time which marks the abandonment of this building. After the abandonment of the building, like every where in the town, the area was used as a cemetery. At the depth of 2 – 3.30 m graves of the medieval period were constructed. During the excavations were revealed 5 graves with an east – west orientation covered with tiles. No grave goods was found in the excavated graves, with the exception of grave number 1 where was found a bronze cross that typologically dates to the end of the 6th century A.D. and the beginning of the 7th .

Bibliography

    • Afrim Hoti, Elvana Metalla, Eduard Shehi, 2004, Gërmime Arkeologjike Durrës 2001-2003, in CANDAVIA 1: 139-163