Archaeological Heritage Management: the case of Albania

Ols LAFE, M.A. Director

Cultural Heritage DirectorateMinistry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports1

Albania is situated on the east coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas and forms part of the Balkan Peninsula

About 70% of the country is mountainous. The coastline extends for about 450km

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Law No. 9048, On Cultural Heritage defines a ‘cultural monument’ as the object or the

construction of cultural and historical values protected by the state.

• The 2003 law, amended further in 2006 and 2008

• These amendments have allowed for a strengthening of the Regional Directorates of National Culture and the creation of the Archaeological Service Agency (ASHA)

• The Law is currently under full revision, expected period for parliament discussion and approval September 2011 3

Other definitions• “Aarchaeological park” : the area holding environmental values, on which are

preserved construction remains, discovered by excavations and protected by the state

• “Archaeological values”: monuments, historic settlements of various types, objects or parts of constructions and settlements, found from archaeological excavations, with historic and archaeological values

• “Archaeological area”: the area on which are situated monuments found from archaeological excavations or where the presence of archaeological layers has been verified

• According to Law no. 9048, material values of cultural heritage are: Centres, zones and regions, inhabited or uninhabited, of archaeological, historical, ethnological, architectonic and engineering values. As such are valued objects being in a ruinous state, over 100 years old

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9 archaeological parksButrint, Apollonia, Finiq, Antigonea, Bylis, Amantia, Orikum, Lezha, Shkodra

10 archaeological protected areasShkodra, Lezha, Kruja, Durres, Vlora, Elbasan, Saranda, Berat, Tirana, Selca e Poshtme

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Albania has over 2000 cultural monuments and archaeological sites, which can be divided into several major categories:1.Houses2.Fortresses and castles3.Religious architecture4.Archaeological sites

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Archaeology at MoTCYS

Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports

National Board of Archaeological

Parks

National Council of Archaeology

National Park of Butrint Board

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Archaeology at the Ministry of Education

and Science Ministry of Education and Science

Centre for Albanological Studies

Institute of Archaeology

Prehistory, Greek and Roman, Late Antique and Medieval Departments

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• The Institute of Archaeology (IoA) undertakes scientific research and has the right to organise excavations with Ministry of Education and Science state budget funds or based on international funding and support

• IoA has a large archive and collection with the

most important archaeological objects recovered in the country

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• The National Council of Archaeology gives the final approval for archaeological projects, whether they are being planned by the Institute of Archaeology or the Archaeological Service Agency. The role of this council is to ensure that excavations will make a concrete contribution to the understanding of Albanian heritage

• The National Archaeological Parks Board makes

decisions on strategies, annual programmes, regulations and management of all Albanian archaeological parks, except Butrint

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According to the heritage law, all research, test excavations and

archaeological excavations are a state monopoly

Also, objects found during archaeological excavations are

property of the state

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Approving archaeological projects

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1. Approval by the scientific committee of

the Institute of Archaeology, Centre for Albanological Studies.p

2. Approval by the National Council of Archaeology (which

does not approve the funding)

The co-financing by the Ministry of Education or

Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports as a normal step between

1 and 2.

Private archaeology

• According to article 46 of the Law on Cultural Heritage, the Archaeological Service Agency, trough its own structures and in collaboration with individuals or subjects licensed in this field, conducts the monitoring of archaeological values

• This is for the first time in the history of Albania, that the law provides space for the creation of a system that allows archaeologists to get a permit

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Private archaeology

• In 2008 the National Council of Archaeology approved the regulation for issuing permits to archaeologists

Two major types of permits are applicable:• Type A (individuals and firms)• Type B (underwater archaeology)

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Archaeology permits since 2009

20092010

2011total

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

2

6

2

10

11

2

4

individual permitcompany permit

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Setbacks of the law

• The highest fine for excavating without proper permission in areas of archaeological potential is about 40.000 euros

• When compared to Kosova (500.000 euros) these provisions are rather small. Greece applies only prison sentences

• Penal implications are mentioned, but rarely put to practice

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Some key issues for the future

• Create the GIS Archaeological Map of Albania

• Widening the perception of what constitutes archaeology and heritage

• Fostering the perception of cultural heritage as positive contributor to the establishment of civil society

• Strengthen the educational system

• Lack of infrastructure supporting archaeology and heritage

• Lack of adequate funding18

Use of cultural monuments

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

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