Dajti Castle
Encyclopedia
Dajti Castle is a 1.12 hectare archaeological site
in Albania
, comprising the ruins of a Roman fortification and several dwellings. It belongs to late antiquity
, probably having been built over Illyrian foundations. It lies at 1200 m (3,937 ft) altitude on top of a hill, west-side of Mount Dajti, close to Tirana
. It was discovered in 1963 and eventually was inscribed in the list of the Cultural Monuments of Albania. In 2008 a three year restoration project began, aiming to conduct further archaeological searching and surveys and to improve the nearby infrastructure for visitors and tourists.
in the 6th century. Procopius of Caesarea in his panegyric
work Buildings of Justinian writes that the East Roman (Byzantine) Emperor
Justinian I
(r. 527–565) "…built 32 castles and reconstructed 26 others in Epirus Nova, in order to protect it from the Slavic
attacks". He also mentioned the castle Tirkan, the probable origin of Albania
capital's name Tirana
, dating back to 1st century BC and laying on Dajti's mountainside, which might be Tujani Castle, on a much lower altitude than Dajti castle.
The castle was discovered in 1963 by the historian and archaeologist Neritan Ceka
. Soon afterwards it was declared a Culture Monument of 1st category on January 15, 1963, by the Rectorate of the State University (today University of Tirana
).
The castle overlooks the whole western Albania and offers an impressive panorama, since it has a high relative altitude of 1100 m (3,608.9 ft) from Tirana
and its plain. The port city of Durrës
and the Adriatic sea
can be clearly seen. From this strategic position a very wide range of territory from northwest to south could be observed.
method, is realized with large quadrangular stone blocks, binded together without any mortar
, suggesting of an earlier Illyria
n castle. The other phase of the walls is done through unworked smaller stones binded with mortar and belongs to the later Roman
period.
The archaeological site has an overall area of 11200 square metre. The castle's walls that follow the sloppy terrain have a triangular shape, with a perimeter of 550 m (1,804.5 ft). The northern wall is 150 m (492.1 ft), the eastern is 190 m (623.4 ft), whereas the southern wall of the castle is 210 m (689 ft) long. A transverse
wall divides the northern part of the fortification, thus creating a small acropolis like structure. The width of the walls is 2.3 m (7.5 ft).
The main architectural elements of the fortification are its towers, located in each of the vertices of the triangle. The southern tower of circular shape has an outer diameter of 7.3 m (24 ft) and 1.15 m (3.8 ft) wide walls. A small 0.85 m (2.8 ft) wide entrance leads towards it.
(r. 578–582). Interesting is an 18 cm (7.1 in) iron
tool in the form of a knife. Inside the castle and on the flat terraces several ceramic
fragments were found. They were of an almost pure clay
, well-baked but without any paint. The found ceramics were mostly parts of typical Roman roof tiles and fewer pottery
objects and everyday vessels. The most distinctive ceramic is a tile fragment with figures stamped on it, resembling the Illyrian decorative motifs. Slag
from the process of ore
smelting
has also been found, suggesting that the locals were familiar with this process. Mount Dajt
is rich in bauxite
and still today there is a bauxite mine near the site. A vessel with flutings
and the remains of a profiled loom
are evidences of the introduced Roman
culture in the site.
i commune and Dajti National Park were cooperators within this project.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, comprising the ruins of a Roman fortification and several dwellings. It belongs to late antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, probably having been built over Illyrian foundations. It lies at 1200 m (3,937 ft) altitude on top of a hill, west-side of Mount Dajti, close to Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
. It was discovered in 1963 and eventually was inscribed in the list of the Cultural Monuments of Albania. In 2008 a three year restoration project began, aiming to conduct further archaeological searching and surveys and to improve the nearby infrastructure for visitors and tourists.
History
According to the archaeological material, construction and the analysis carried on site, the castle of Dajti is thought to date back to the late antiquityLate Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
in the 6th century. Procopius of Caesarea in his panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
work Buildings of Justinian writes that the East Roman (Byzantine) Emperor
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
(r. 527–565) "…built 32 castles and reconstructed 26 others in Epirus Nova, in order to protect it from the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
attacks". He also mentioned the castle Tirkan, the probable origin of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
capital's name Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, dating back to 1st century BC and laying on Dajti's mountainside, which might be Tujani Castle, on a much lower altitude than Dajti castle.
The castle was discovered in 1963 by the historian and archaeologist Neritan Ceka
Neritan Ceka
Neritan Ceka is an Albanian archaeologist and Professor of Archaeology. He has actively participated in politics since 1991 and was a presidential candidate and is now leader of the Democratic Alliance Party....
. Soon afterwards it was declared a Culture Monument of 1st category on January 15, 1963, by the Rectorate of the State University (today University of Tirana
University of Tirana
The University of Tirana is a public university located in Tirana, Albania.-History:UT was founded in 1957 as the State University of Tirana through the merging of five existing institutes of higher education, the most important of which was the Institute of Sciences, founded in 1947...
).
Location
Dajti castle is located within Dajti National Park at an average altitude of 1200 m (3,937 ft) above sea level. The ruins of the castle and of the dwellings beside it lie on the top of a hill formation with a saddle like form on the western side of Mount Dajti (highest peak 1612 m (5,288.7 ft)). It is 25 km by road from Tirana city center, or it can be reached through a 4.2 km long cable-car route (which takes approximately 15 minutes) and then travelling by car or feet from the cable car terminal for 2500 m (8,202.1 ft). At the end there is the climbing of the sloppy part within the forest.The castle overlooks the whole western Albania and offers an impressive panorama, since it has a high relative altitude of 1100 m (3,608.9 ft) from Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
and its plain. The port city of Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
and the Adriatic sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
can be clearly seen. From this strategic position a very wide range of territory from northwest to south could be observed.
Architecture
From the walls' analysis, two main construction phases can be ascertained. The first phase, a typical dry stoneDry stone
Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking...
method, is realized with large quadrangular stone blocks, binded together without any mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
, suggesting of an earlier Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
n castle. The other phase of the walls is done through unworked smaller stones binded with mortar and belongs to the later Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
period.
The archaeological site has an overall area of 11200 square metre. The castle's walls that follow the sloppy terrain have a triangular shape, with a perimeter of 550 m (1,804.5 ft). The northern wall is 150 m (492.1 ft), the eastern is 190 m (623.4 ft), whereas the southern wall of the castle is 210 m (689 ft) long. A transverse
Transverse
Transverse may refer to:*Transversality, a concept related to the intersection of manifolds in topology*Transverse City, an album by Warren Zevon...
wall divides the northern part of the fortification, thus creating a small acropolis like structure. The width of the walls is 2.3 m (7.5 ft).
The main architectural elements of the fortification are its towers, located in each of the vertices of the triangle. The southern tower of circular shape has an outer diameter of 7.3 m (24 ft) and 1.15 m (3.8 ft) wide walls. A small 0.85 m (2.8 ft) wide entrance leads towards it.
Archaeological material
The most important findings on the site were several coins of the Byzantine emperor Tiberius II ConstantineTiberius II Constantine
Tiberius II Constantine was Byzantine Emperor from 574 to 582.During his reign, Tiberius II Constantine gave away 7,200 pounds of gold each year for four years....
(r. 578–582). Interesting is an 18 cm (7.1 in) iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
tool in the form of a knife. Inside the castle and on the flat terraces several ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
fragments were found. They were of an almost pure clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, well-baked but without any paint. The found ceramics were mostly parts of typical Roman roof tiles and fewer pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
objects and everyday vessels. The most distinctive ceramic is a tile fragment with figures stamped on it, resembling the Illyrian decorative motifs. Slag
Slag
Slag is a partially vitreous by-product of smelting ore to separate the metal fraction from the unwanted fraction. It can usually be considered to be a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. However, slags can contain metal sulfides and metal atoms in the elemental form...
from the process of ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
has also been found, suggesting that the locals were familiar with this process. Mount Dajt
Mount Dajt
Mount Dajti National Park is situated 26 km east of the capital and 50 km east of Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa...
is rich in bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
and still today there is a bauxite mine near the site. A vessel with flutings
Fluting (architecture)
Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
and the remains of a profiled loom
Loom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads...
are evidences of the introduced Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
culture in the site.
Restoration project
45 years after its discovery and inscription in the Albanian Culture Monuments list, in 2008 the Culture Monuments Institute’s archaeologists Spiro Nika and Suela Xhyheri prepared a restoration project for Dajti castle. The project was approved and started the implementation phase under the coordinator, Prof.Dr Skënder Muçaj, from the Institute of Archaeology. The Institute of Culture Monuments, Regional Directory of Culture Monuments, the Institute of Archaeology, DajtDajt
- Seal :The seal of the municipality derives from the coat of arms of the medieval Albanian noble family of Skurra....
i commune and Dajti National Park were cooperators within this project.