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ALBANIA BUTHROTUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE Engineering geological conditions and problem : • The development of Buthrotum began in the 7 th Century BC and continued until 19 th Century. At the same time the city population was estimated to have been no more than 3000 people. In the Roman period the city underwent further expansion incorporating the whole area separating the Agora from channel. In the Byzantine period, when waters flooded the lower part of the city, its uppermost and southeastern areas were much more preferable. • The archaeological site is built in a small peninsula between the straits of Corfu and Buthrotum Lake. Major causes of instability: • Foundation subsidence and deformation. • Neotectonic movements. Protective measures already performed: • During the period 1990 – 1997 years was evidenced lack of adequate protection. • The management and conservation of the site led to its inscription on the list of World Heritage in Danger in 1997 with the full support of the Government of Albania. • The Government of Albania decided in August 1998 to create an Office for the protection of the World Heritage site of Buthrotum. • Modeling of neotectonic movements and the origin of the communication of underground waters with Buthrotum Lake. Proposed protection measures : • The installation of the monitoring stations for neotectonic movements and the subsidence. References on studies already performed : • N. Ceka (2002) Buthrotum – Its History and Monuments – Cetis – Tirana • Ugolini L. M. (1937) – Butrinti il mito d’Aeneas. Gli scavi. Roma. • H. Hallaçi, Ç. Durmishi, T. Velaj, etc (2001) – Geophysical – Sedimentological – Hydrogeological and Neotectonic particularities of Butrinti Region.Tirana -ALBANIA IAEG Commission 16 - UNESCO World Heritage
