The data presented here were collected in the course of archaeological survey and excavation in the region of Shkodër in northern Albania, carried out between 2010 and 2014, with a follow-up visit in 2016. The Projekti Arkeologjik i Shkodrës (PASH) was co-directed by Michael L. Galaty (University of Michigan) and Lorenc Bejko (University of Tirana) and was sponsored by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF BCS1220016), The University of Tirana, Millsaps College, Mississippi State University, and the University of Michigan. The data presented here accompany a two-volume research report, published by the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology Press (Galaty and Bejko 2023) - Volume 1 ( https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12201317) and Volume 2 ( https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12208577)., The county (Alb. qarqe) of Shkodër is located in northern Albania. It is bordered to the south by the Adriatic Sea and to the northwest by the country of Montenegro. The counties of Lezhë and Kukës are situated to the south and east, respectively. Shkodër Lake is situated along the border with Montenegro. It is the largest freshwater lake in the Balkans. The city of Shkodër is the fifth largest in Albania. It was founded in the Bronze Age and became a Roman colony in 168 BC, following the Illyrian Wars. Several major rivers intersect at Shkodër, including the Buna, which exits Shkodër Lake, the Drin, and the Kir. The latter two rivers flow from the Bjeshkët e Nemuna, the Albanian Alps, and provide access across the mountains, to the Balkan interior, including metal-rich Kosovo. Several very important ancient sites are located to the south of Shkodër, close to the Adriatic coast: Lezhë (ancient Lissus), Apollonia, and Durrës (ancient Epidamnus, Dyrrachium under the Romans). The latter two cities were Greek colonies, founded during the Archaic period. All three became Roman colonies., and PASH was designed to investigate shifts, through time, in Shkodër towards increased social stratification and hierarchy. These shifts commenced during prehistory and are marked by two dramatic changes in the regional landscape: new settlement in defensible “hillforts” and burial in rock and earth mounds. We wondered what factors – environment, settlement, status, conflict, subsistence, trade, migration – might have allowed or encouraged these changes.
These data relate to PASH’s excavations at tumuli 099. This record contains scanned documents (excavation forms, log book, notebook, drawings), 211 .jpg images in 19 folders (labeled by date, one with candids), as well as a photolog and C14 AMS radiocarbon date data. and Chapter linked to: Eight
These data relate to PASH’s excavations at tumuli 088. This record contains scanned documents (excavation forms, a notebook and drawings), 152 .jpg photos in 17 folders (labeled by date) and a photolog. and Chapter linked to: Eight
These data relate to PASH’s excavations at tumuli 085. This record contains scanned documents (excavation forms, drawings, and notes--though these last are difficult to read), 34 .jpg excavation photos (no photolog), and time slice images of GPR data as a .pdf (raw geophysical data for this survey are not available). and Chapter linked to: Eight
These data relate to PASH’s excavations at tumuli 052.
This record contains documents (excavation forms, notes accompanied by a typed transcription, drawings), 144 photos and a photolog, seven 3D digital elevation model (DEM) images (.jpgs only), and files needed to project GPR data from T052 and Chapter linked to: Eight
This work includes a .csv database, PDF scans of artifact drawings and .jpg photos. Artifact photos are accompanied by photos of artifact bags, labeled with descriptive information about the artifact, as well as photomicrographs. Work also includes raw analytical data--laser ablation – inductively-coupled plasma – mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) and petrographic data. and Chapters linked to: Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen
This record includes photos (JPGs) and drawings (PDF of scans of originals) of small finds, e.g., glass; coins, spindle whorls, loom weights, metal artifacts; bullets; nails; etc., as well as a list of the drawings with descriptions (PDF file) and a small finds database (.CSV). The database includes all small finds collected and analyzed by PASH, although not all small finds were drawn and photographed. Grinding stones and chipped stone are located in separate records. and Chapter linked to: Seventeen
This Work includes a .csv database file and .jpg photos of artifacts. Artifact photos are preceded by photos of artifact tags, labeled with descriptive information. Also included are portable x-ray florescence (PXRF) spectroscopic data and photomicrographs. and Descriptions/data and photos of grinding stones are in Small Finds record, https://doi.org/10.7302/5j43-mc03.
Chapter linked to: Sixteen
This collection includes all of the data from auger holes and cores drilled by PASH in the vicinity of Lake Shkodra. These data are stored as comma-separated text files (.CSV). They are organized into eight different worksheets, titled: 1) Auger Hole Summary; 2) Auger Hole Sample Data; 3) Core 4 Data; 4) Core 5 Data; 5) Core 6 Data; 6) Core 8 Data; 7) Core 9 Data; and 8) PASH geological data ALL (Excel)., See readme for full description., and Chapter linked to: Chapter Two
PDFs of Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) radiocarbon reports, including calibration curves. Reports include sample type (e.g., charcoal, bone, sediment), date, date calibrated, standard deviation, etc.
Photos are of each level in each unit, and of features. Photos are labeled with the site number, date taken, and a ID number, e.g., S015-05262014-001 = the first photo taken on May 25, 2014 during the excavation of Zagorë. The photolog lists each photo taken of a site during excavation in order by photo number (site number, date taken, ID number), with a description.
The database for each site includes level and feature forms for each excavated unit. These forms describe each level or feature in detail, including soil color and texture, soil inclusions, artifact density, disturbances, pertinent measurements, etc.
PDFs of scans of miscellaneous documents related to a particular excavation, including, e.g., excavation forms, maps of units, and drawings of units and unit profiles.
PDFs of Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) radiocarbon reports, including calibration curves. Reports include sample type (e.g., charcoal, bone, sediment), date, date calibrated, standard deviation, etc.
