The Early Neolithic of Albania in a Balkan perspective.

Prof. Muzafer Korkuti
Insitute of Archaeology, Tirana

Early Neolithic sites are spread throughout Albania. The considerable number of sites excavated gives evidence of the early and continuous settlements during the Neolithic and Eneolithic period.

The cultural evolution of Early Neolithic in Albania incorporates two phases:

a) Early Neolithic with coarse ware (e.g., Vlusha, Konispol III)

b) Early Neolithic with fine, painted and impressed ware (e.g., Vashtëmi, Podgorie I, Kolsh I, Blaz I and II etc).

The establishment of a relative chronology of the main Early Neolithic sites presents certain complexities, due to the range of different micro-zones, with different intensities of occupation. According to the established chronological sequence, Vlusha is the earliest phase, followed by Podgorie I, Vashtëmi, Kolsh I, Blaz I and II etc.

The comparison with the cultures of the neighboring countries would produce the following results:

Vlusha = Starcevo I, Sidar C, Protosesklo

Podgorie I = Presesklo (Magoulitza phase) and early Sesklo phase

Anzabegovo - Versnik I - Veluška Porodin I-II, Nea Nikomedeia

Kolsh I = Starcevo IIb, Rudnik III

Blaz I and II = Zelena Pecina III - Obre I (phase II) - Adriatico I (impresso - Cardium phase).

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