JOINT SEDIMENTOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT BUTRINTI ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, ALBANIA

Butrint is a worldknown archaeological site. It is ancient city of Epirus, located at one of the hills of Ksamili peninsula, close to the lake with the same name. Firstly, data for the Butrinti came from Hekaten (end of 4th century BC). It has been a part of Kaone community and later of Epirus State. During J. Caesar' s ruling, it turned into a Roman colony and after that it followed the destiny of Roman and Byzantine Empires; later on, Venice (1690-1797) concurred it, until Albanian ruler, Ali Pasha Tepelena possed it. Throughout its long history, Butrint had an interactive relationship with its hinterland and the even-changing coastline, to its relationship with farming and fishing communities that supplied the urban population.The ancient Butrint and Butrint lake area is in the focus of general opinion for its heritages and tourist potential as well as had action plans for ecosystem, afforestation, habitats etc. from World Bank project. Results obtained from field observations on sedimentology, archaeological excavations and geophysical studies indicate for land subsidence occurred during recent times. Joint sedimentological and geophysical investigations of Quaternary deposits evidenced both the sedimentological evolution and its relationships with archeological developments during the Pleistocene times. During this time occurred sea, lacustrine and fluvial depositions. The neotectonic structure of ancient Butrinti and around area comprises a horst - graben. Depositional environment and Lake Formation during Holocene had determined the infrastructure of the Butrinti area.