Battling Water: the Frontiers of Archaeological Excavations at Butrint (1928–2014)

Rising sea levels have significantly altered the archaeological landscape at Butrint revealing that its ancient urban center developed much later than previously believed. The Roman Forum Excavations (RFE) Project pioneered wet-site excavations, reaching depths of up to four meters below the water table in the ancient urban center. This approach challenged the traditional perception of groundwater as an obstacle and demonstrated that the lower city emerged as dryland only in the second half of the 2nd century BCE. The study highlights how relative sea-level rise has shaped both ancient inhabitants' actions and modern archaeological practices, serving as a case study for understanding the impact of coastal changes on Mediterranean seaports.

Hernandez, D. R. (2017). BATTLING WATER: THE FRONTIERS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS AT BUTRINT (1928–2014). The Annual of the British School at Athens, 112, 379–412. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0068245416000149