Features of the tumulus culture of Has

The results achieved after several years of research carried out in the field and cabinet, in 18 mounds of the territory of Kruma, Myç-Has, Mujajve, Bjeshka e Kruma, etc.

Muhamet Bela

In the Republic of Albania, Hasi is one of the well-known territories from an archaeological point of view. In completing the picture of the prehistoric and protohistoric development of the distant past of the "Alpine Dardanians" of these three, in addition to the studies of the settlements, the data obtained from the tumulus necropolises of Kruma, Myç-Has, Mujaj, Bjeshka e Kruma are of great interest. etc.

The results achieved are the result of several years of research and study work carried out in the field and in the cabinet, relying on a relatively rich and diverse subject discovered in the excavations carried out by us and colleagues in 18 mounds. Most of the excavated mounds belong to the area not far from the Drin and Kruma rivers, such as the Myç-Has and Kruma mounds, while others were located in high mountain areas, where we can mention the Mujaj and Bjeshke of Kruma.

We have the first data about their presence in 1918 from the Austrian Budaj Arpad. The published report talks about the existence of 10 mounds in the Kruma plain (B. Arpad, Regerzet Kutatas Albaniaban, Dolgozatog az erdeleye nemzeti Muzeum erem e regesegtararol Kolozvar, 1918. )

The first excavations in eight mounds were carried out in 1967 by Bep Jubani near the city of Kruma, exactly in the place where the Llakaj watershed is now located (B. Jubani, Tumat e Krumė (Kukës District), Iliria 1982, 2, Tirana 1982, p. 147. ) In July 1987, in addition to the excavations in the cave settlement of Dajçi, three of the four burial mounds of Mujajve were explored, located on both sides of the Kshtell stream, in a composite meadow environment. from the vegetation of plants and bushes (M. Bela, Iliria 1987/2, p. 243-244). The fourth mound was damaged. In 1988, above the village of Myç-Has, in the place called "Qafë e Pogaqe" at an altitude of about 700 above sea level, six mounds were excavated, while in the three other mounds that were completely destroyed, surface material was collected (M Bela, Prehistoric Researches in the Union of Drini", Tirana 2012, p. 121-149).

In August 1989, another mound was excavated in a typical mountain plateau, in Bjeshke Kruma, not far from Tuma te Mujajve, near the place called "Stanet e Peka" (the same one..., p. 149- 142). In the excavation expeditions of the mounds of Mujajve, Myç-Has, Bjeshka Kruma, along with the author of this article, the archaeologist Luan Përzhita and sketchographer Bislim Nerguti took part.

Mounds are generally hemispherical in shape. Their average height is from 0-32 m, while the diameter is from 1-50 m. They are built with soil and stone together, with a predominance of soil. There are also cases where more stone than soil was used to build the mound. Mounds usually rise above a central grave and cover one or more graves. In the mound V of Kruma, the central grave is also accompanied by the surrounding ring, this element also known in the mounds of Kosovo, Mati, etc. The graves are with or without a cover and made of stones. Burial by cremation predominates, while burial by cremation is a rare occurrence. Cenotaph graves are also present in these mounds. Such a way of building graves, covering them with earth and stones and surrounding a part of them with a stone ring is known in several other Dardanian centers, Çinamak, Kênetë, Pëbreg, Mamëz (Kukës), in neighboring Kosovo, such as in Romaja, Suharekë, Përçevo, Karagaç, etc., as well as other regions of Illyria. Ceramic fragments, metal objects related to certain ritual concepts, etc. have been found in the soil filling the mounds and at their different levels.

Parts of the walls of the ovens brought here are not missing in any mound, as it seems from the settlement. Their behavior in the mound, in our opinion, probably has to do with the profession that the deceased practiced during life, which he must continue in the underworld. In the entirety of the finds in the mounds, the main place is occupied by ceramics, weapons, and to a lesser extent ornaments. The most numerous finds have been discovered in the mounds of Myç-Hasit and Kruma. Among the main forms of vessels stand out: two-eyed vessel; single-eyed; pot; cups; bowl; dishes; kilikas, etc., which are mostly accompanied by iron spearheads and less often with ornaments.

Two-eyed and one-eyed vessels, quite preferred in the area of ​​the confluence of the two Drinas, constitute one of the most popular forms of vessels of the tumulus cemeteries of this three. They spread in the three periods of the Iron Age. The way they are modeled constitutes a well-known form in the two-eyeds of Mati, Pazhok and Drinos valley dated in the century. XII-VIII BC BC, but they spread widely especially in the VI-V centuries BC. kr, as in Kukës, Kosova, Mat, Korçë, etc. Among the decorative elements of these vessels stand out the engraved geometric motifs, where the engraving is also done with oblique lines in the shape of a fish's back, the light and frequent flutes that fill the shoulders and belly of the vessels in some cases, as well as the decoration of the shallow dimples of used in any case on the neck of the vessel etc. Pots: This type of vessel is also known in Bërnica e Poštme, Toponica e Poštme and are dated to the century. VIII before BC Cups. They constitute a rare form of vessels for the tumulus cemeteries of this area. Bowls with folded or straight rims, known in Rome and other places, and dated to the c. . VI-V BC. The dishes. Vessels of this type are quite limited.

In terms of shape, they are very similar to the conical plates and turbandish bowls from the cave of Dajçi and Këputa from the beginning of the Iron Age. Despite the presence of similarities with early traditions, the refinement that can be seen in the modeling of the forms and the working technique offered by the ceramics of the c. VI-V BC, with which they must be contemporary. Kiliks are of the Belsh c type, made of clear ocher to pink clay, painted with a weak black varnish on the surface with horizontal bands. Their body is deep and the mouth wide. The tumulus cemeteries of Kukës, Mati have provided the majority of typologically similar Kiliks and date from the end of the century. VI BC, and the first half of the century. V before BC Weapons. Weapons are represented by knives, spearheads, arrowheads, machetes, spades, etc. Apart from a few Mycenaean type bronze knives, all weapons are made of iron, among which the spearheads, machetes and knives used mostly in the 6th-5th centuries BC dominate. Cr. Bronze knives are quite limited in number.

In Kruma, a bronze knife was found with a curved blade on the side of the press, while on the other side it is straight. This shape resembles such a knife discovered in Greece (Deshayes, Les outils de bronze de l`indus au Danube (Ive au II e millénaire) II, Paris 1960, tab. XLV, 14 (2720). In the mounds of Myç - Two Mycenaean-type bronze knives have been found. Their back is completely straight and the blade is slightly curved at the tip. Such forms of knives have also been discovered in Çinamak (B. Dissertation).The L-shaped pieces remind us roughly of those placed on the late bronze knives of this type, but these of Myç-Has have the angle of connection in the opposite direction to those of Mat This type of placement has not been observed in other bronze knives discovered in our country. They are one of the main categories of movable archeological material. Korçë, Cologne, etc.

The mounds of Myç-Has had the largest number of iron weapons, among which over 89% were spearheads, about 90 pieces. Based on the best preserved specimens, we can define two main types: Type I; apex lanceolate with a broad blade, with a slightly pronounced median ridge, with a blade appearing of the usual width or even wider than the others. These constitute few findings. Type II; lance-tips with narrow leaves, with pronounced median ridge, are included. The languages ​​of the first and second groups have two features in common; the expansion of the sheet at its bottom and the expansion above the end of the sheet. Broad-bladed spears are, in some cases, associated in graves with wide-mouthed cups and pots dated to the c. VIII-VII BC, while narrow-bladed lances, quite widespread in tombs and outside them, are known as the most common type of Illyrian weapons, found mainly in the c. VI-V BC The daggers.

Iron machetes of various sizes have been discovered in the cemeteries of these mounds. From the best preserved objects, it can be seen that their length ranges from 34-44 cm. The daggers are with a curved back and blade, the most common and with an arched back and a straight blade, which comes and rises near the top. The handle of the machete in most cases has an arched end and is presented as a continuation of the machete's arm. In all cases, it is protected by two iron rivets placed in a horizontal line. These machetes are also known in the mounds of Kêneta (Kukës), as well as they resemble objects of this type from the mounds of Mati in Kosovo, where they date back to the c. VI-V BC The iron knives are of the type with spines and blades, where more and where less pronounced. They are usually small in size. Some of them were provided with one or more holes in the place where, apparently, the wooden handle was placed.

The tumular cemeteries show that they brought clear material of the Illyrian culture, from the end of the Bronze Age to the end of the Iron Age. There are no shortage of cases, although sporadic, when the mounds were used for burials even in the later ancient medieval periods. It is this favorable geographical position that has enabled the habitation of these three from the early times of human history to the present day, being in constant connection with the nearest or most distant neighboring areas. Through the valley of the White Drin, Qafa e Prush, etc., a direct connection was ensured with Kosovo and further with the cultures of the Central Balkans, while through the valley of the Black Drin, connections were established with Southeast Albania, first with the areas around Lake Ohrid and further east with those of Pelagonia. While through the valley of the United Drin it communicates with the coastal lowlands.

The valleys of the Kruma river, as well as the smaller arteries of the Has streams, offered fertile alluvial plains on their sides. The mountains of Pashtrik, Aplas, as well as Bjeshke e Kruma, Vranishti, Tregtani, Gjinajveet etc stand out higher, which stand out for their alpine environment. These natural conditions have enabled the development of agriculture, breeding and fishing since ancient times. This entire Illyrian region is distinguished by its numerous metalliferous assets such as copper, chrome, iron, nickel, etc., which has led to the development of bronze and iron metallurgy. It is enough to mention the fact that about 100 Illyrian weapons have been found in the mounds of Myç-Has alone. The culture of the mounds of Has in all its components, both from the point of view of the working technique, the shapes and the decoration of the ceramics, whether in terms of metal objects, as well as the characteristic way of burial in the mounds, presents features quite similar to those of the dardan cultural fund.

It also preserves many elements that are characteristic of other Illyrian provinces, especially those of northern, southern and southeastern Albania. The special performances that are observed in this microzone of the Dardanelles are of a local character and do not in any way affect the picture of the ethno-cultural unity of the culture bearers of the mounds of Has, Kukës, Tropoja, the Dukagjin Plain, etc. The tumulus culture discovered in Has of the Republic of Albania is framed in a wider ethnocultural unit, in the central Illyrian group Mat-Glasinac, whose Illyrian character cannot even be doubted. Being included in the Mat-Glasinac cultural group as a special variant of it, with local features and individual traits, this culture, with its extent, matches the territory historically inhabited by the Dardanians. The data from the excavations carried out in the western part of Dardania, especially in the largest tumulus cemetery of Çinamak or other cemeteries, such as the mounds of Kruma, Kêneta, Bardhoc, Mamëz, Bujani, Myç-Has, Mujajve, etc., prove that this culture was a constituent part of the Illyrian population. Of course, further archaeological research in this region of Dardania will provide further data, which will better complete the historical and cultural tableau of this region of Tejenda Illyria.