The Archaic walls

The earliest walls at Butrint are found on the acropolis and consist of four sections of ‘cyclopean’ polygonal walling each composed of massive blocks impressively jointed together. Some archaeologists have interpreted these as part of a fortification belonging to the archaic period. This would have enclosed an area of 4 hectares at most.

However, it is more probable that the four sections of walling formed a prominent elevated terrace on the conspicuous south side of the summit. The walled area almost certainly enclosed a sanctuary of some kind situated on the eastern summit of the hill. Excavations beside the archaic wall by the Albanian-Greek team in 1989-94 produced a substantial amount of pottery, including proto-Corinthian and Corinthian wares dating from the 7th century BC and Attic pottery of the 6th century BC.

Whether this huge wall was a terrace or early fortification, the potsherds suggest that it was constructed as an outlier of the flourishing Corinthian colony at Corfu. One tract of this huge wall was buttressed in the Roman period to ensure it remained a prominent feature on the upper part of the Acropolis.

 

• Early Fortifications
• The Archaic walls
• The Hellenistic walls
• QTVR of the Lake Gate

Cyclopean masonry
The so-called cyclopean masonry is a construction technique using enormous blocks of stone fitted together without the use of mortar. The stones may be unworked or roughly worked, and are most often irregular in shape (polygonal). The aspect of the wall hence resembles a complex puzzle.
The style is particularly associated with Bronze Age Mycenaean fortifications. However, the strength and impressive aspect of the walls meant that it remained in use much longer.
The term comes from ancient Greek writers who attributed the style to the Cyclopes, the mythological one-eyed giants, arguing that only giants could have fitted the huge blocks together.