Archaeologists working in northern Albania have uncovered the remains of a large Hellenistic temple at the ancient site of Bushat, adding an important piece to the history of the Illyrians. Researchers from the University of Warsaw and the University of Tirana made the find during their latest excavation season at a settlement many scholars believe was the ancient city of Bassania.
View of excavations. Credit: University of Warsaw
Bushat lies about 10 kilometers south of Shkodër. Today, little on the surface hints at the city’s past. For centuries, the settlement faded from maps and local memory, making the site one of Europe’s rare examples of a lost city.
This year’s work focused on the acropolis, the highest part of the ancient settlement. Archaeologists uncovered the full stone foundations of a rectangular building measuring 13.6 meters long and 9.6 meters wide. Those dimensions match the proportions commonly seen in Greek temples from the Hellenistic period.
The team believes the structure served as a temple between the 4th and 2nd centuries BCE. Its position at the top of the hill and its alignment with the cardinal directions support that interpretation. Excavations also exposed part of a defensive wall surrounding the hill. Researchers say the wall likely marked the sacred boundary, known as a temenos, around the religious complex.
View of excavations. Credit: University of Warsaw
The find stands out because no other Illyrian temple of this type has been identified in northern Albania. Archaeologists view the structure as rare evidence of religious architecture connected to local Illyrian communities. The temple’s design also points to strong Greek cultural influence in the region during the Hellenistic era.
Researchers first identified the site in 2018. Since then, surveys and excavations have revealed a large urban center hidden beneath farmland and vegetation. Studies of the landscape, combined with descriptions found in ancient texts, suggest the settlement could be Bassania, an Illyrian city whose location remained uncertain for many years.
The city appears to have been abandoned during the Hellenistic period. Activity returned centuries later. Archaeologists found evidence that the Romans built a smaller structure beside the temple ruins during the 3rd century CE. The building stayed in use for nearly a hundred years.
Its location offered a clear view across a wide area. From the hilltop, people could monitor routes stretching from Shkodër toward ancient Lissos and the Adriatic coast. The newly uncovered temple adds another chapter to the story of a forgotten city and offers fresh evidence about religion, culture, and urban life in the western Balkans more than two thousand years ago.
More information: University of Warsaw