The Excavation of the Prehistoric Burial Tumulus at Lofkend, Albania

Download or read book The Excavation of the Prehistoric Burial Tumulus at Lofkend, Albania written by Lorenc Bejko and published by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. This book was released on 2015-12-31 with total page 1178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The burial tumulus of Lofkend lies in one of the richest archaeological areas of Albania (ancient "Illyria"), home to a number of burial tumuli spanning the Bronze and Iron Ages of later prehistory. Some were robbed long ago, others were reused for modern burials; few were excavated under scientific conditions. Modern understanding of the pre- and protohistory of Illyria has largely been shaped by the contents of such burial mounds. What inspired the systematic exploration of Lofkend by UCLA was more than the promise of an unplundered necropolis; it was also a chance to revisit the significance of this tumulus and its fellows for the emergence of urbanism and complexity in ancient Illyria. In addition to artifacts, the recovery of surviving plant remains, bones, and other organic material contribute insights into the environmental and ecological history of the region.