A water cistern has been discovered at the citadel of Drishti

Abstract

From 2011 onwards, in the framework of the research project "The Medieval City of Drisht", promoted by the Department of Later and Medieval Antiquity, Institute of Archeology in Tirana, in Drishti Castle, several archaeological expeditions have been conducted. The expedition, conducted in July 2016, with the aim of recognizing the stratography (stratification/layering) of the settlement,
focused on the opening of several trial excavation. This article will cover trail nr.5, which was opened at the northwestern edge of sector A (Citadel). Trail 5/a, size 6x2m, was initially cleared of vegetation and stones, parts of collapsed buildings of the Citadel, and then continued with the excavation in layers. Firstly, on the excavated surface there is a strip of clay soil (US 5-005), 0.60 m wide
which is attached to US 5-006 wall, a gravel layer (US 5-003), and a circular structure of stone wall (US 5-010). The gravel layer was dug up to a depth of 2 m. This layer is pure, uninterrupted and fills the space between the clay strip (US 5-003) and the circular structure (US 5-010). The clay strip runs in depth and extends diagonally from top to bottom with an angle of about 150. Since the situation is the same, and considering the risk of collapse, it was decided not to dig in further depth. To complete the general information framework, a 2x1 m trial excavation (So. 5/b) was opened on the eastern side, parallel to the wall (US 5-016), resulting in the same situation as in trail 5/a. In parallel with the excavation in the layers, it was also worked for cleaning the interior of the circular structure (filled with local limestone, part of the buildings nearby). The first row, the wall of the circular structure (US 5-010), 0.40 m thick, is constructed with average stones, slightly carved, double-sided and filled in the middle. The stones are joined with abundant lime mortar, mixed with fine sand of the river. Below this line, the wall consists of smaller stones (0.20 x 0.10 m), set
in dry (US 5-014), and reaches a depth of 6.30 m. The entire circular structure is supported on a stone slab or natural rock (US 5-000), carved deep in the middle in a semi-spherical form.