TIRANA, Aug. 4 – A well-preserved archaeological artefact believed to date 6th century has been discovered in southeastern Albania during construction works for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline bringing Caspian gas to Europe through Albania.
“The find is a 40cm limestone column capital, decorated with engraved floral motifs, and is believed to have been part of a significant religious monument in the region. TAP’s Cultural Heritage experts’ preliminary assessments conclude that the artefact dates back to the 6th century AD and belongs to an early Christian monument,” the TAP consortium said in a statement.
The discovery was made during the rehabilitation of an access road in the Skrapari area, southern Albania.
Initial investigation on site showed that the object was an isolated find, not part of a larger archaeological context. Nonetheless, the discovery offers new evidence on the region’s important role in the diffusion of Christian religion as well as Christian monuments in late antiquity, TAP said.
The column capital has been consigned to the Albanian authorities for further examination as well as establishing a new home for the artefact to be displayed.
Eugen Kallfani, the head of the Berat regional cultural heritage directorate, says such a discovery is testimony to the early Christian heritage while its shape and ornaments offer new facts on the importance of this region during Late Antiquity.
TAP which is expected to bring gas to Europe through Greece, Albania and Italy will generate one of that Albania’s largest FDI projects, with important benefits for a number of industries, including manufacturing, utilities and transport, experts say.
Since mid-2015, when the construction of access roads and bridges was launched, TAP has already turned into a driver of economic and social development in the country by improving infrastructure access for rural communities which also benefit from the long-term land lease.
The pipeline in Albania will be approximately 211 km long, starting at Bilisht Qendà«r in the Korça region, southeastern Albania on the border with Greece. TAP’s landfall in Albania will be located 17 km north-west of Fier, up to 400 metres inland from the shoreline. The offshore section in Albanian territorial waters will be about 37 km.
