International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Irklid Ristani
Tirana, Albania;
[e-mail]
Skënder Muçaj
Tirana, Albania;
[e-mail]
Suela Xhyheri
Center for Albanian Studies, National Institute of Archaeology, Tirana, Albania; 
[e-mail]
Kamenica, a Conserved Model of the Byzantine Village
The medieval village of Kamenica is situated in the district of Delvinë (South East of Albania), 
on the side of the mountain Mali Gjerë. The village lays on the top area of two hills, in their slope and 
the “neck” created by their join. The urban organization of the village is known from the ottoman 
cadastral registers. In the register of 1431-1432 the village was part of Vajoneta and had 267 houses. 
The urban geography of the village reflects the principles of the medieval settlements called “borghi”, 

---

103
that are built in Italy from Puglia to Piemonte beginning from IX – X century. There was a main 
quarter (Kamenica) and 4 suburb quarters (Vulur, Vragoj, Makuri, Gajda
ҫ
). During the surveys done 
in the periphery area of Kamenica, we have found three of those quarters situated in the area of 
Fiqt’ e Lape, Jominai and the modern village of Palavli. The fourth one probably is situated on the 
north side of the two hills near the modern village of Kopa
ҫ
ëz. The suburb quarters has conserved 
a church and the ruins of few houses. The main quarter Kamenica from it abandon has not been 
populated; this fact has made possible the conservation in a very good sate of the buildings (houses, 
churches, mills) and the streets. The natural condition of the terrain has influenced the structure of 
the streets and the orientation of the buildings. There can be identified two categories of streets: the 
principal and the secondary. The principal street is extended in the direction south-north and starts 
from the valley down the hills. It leads to the main plaza Qafa e Pazarit, where seem to end. There 
are found 12 churches in total, 8 in the main quarter, one in the square down the hills and two in the 
suburb quarters. The churches 1 to 10 are conserved well and are distinguished by a simple and basic 
architecture. There are found 4 olive oil mills in the main quarter all build in the central areas. The 
houses are generally oriented toward south; less toward southeast and southwest. They were built 
very close to each other, have two floors according to the steep terrain and belong to a well-known 
type called “half floor”. The access to the house was made by the secondary streets, directly in the 
courtyard. These are always surrendered by high walls build directly on the natural rock. The main 
houses are built in the central area of Kamenica (top of the two hills, Qafa e Pazarit), while the simple 
ones with fewer rooms are spread in the rest area. Two of the most interesting buildings in Kamenica 
are the residences, build on the top of the big hill (residence 1) and on the south – west of it near the 
churches 1 and 2 (residence 2). The main element of the residence is the tower made of three floors, 
surrounded by houses composed with the “half-floor” type as the rest of the village. All the buildings 
of the residence and its yards are surrounded by walls, creating small fortifications inside Kamenica.
The archaeological material mostly belongs to the XVI century, which is the last period of 
life of the village before its abandon. Some examples found in the church of Fiqt’ e Lape belongs to 
the XII century. The pottery includes examples of tableware and coarse ware. The table forms are 
represented by bowls, dishes, jugs ect. Kamenica reflects all the principles of the byzantine village: 
urban geography, urban organization and the church architecture.