In the summer 2022, a five-week wetland excavation took place in Lin/Albania as part of the ERC synergy project EXPLO. The campaign aimed to explore potential sites for a more extensive excavation next year. In doing so, we could base our work on drillings from 2020, which indicated interesting cultural layers at various sites in Lin Bay. The campaign was a cooperation between the IAW Bern, the Albanian Institute of Archaeology, and the University of Pristina. We were able to explore three locations with test trenche. With the first two sondages, we could record a former riparian zone, with alluvial material from the neighbouring settlement of the later Middle Neolithic, already known from the underwater excavations. The third sondage revealed apparent settlement features that could possibly be associated with an earlier phase. The excellent preservation of organic material, especially wood and bone, was impressive. In addition, a presumed house floor was revealed, indicated by a smoothed and burnt clay layer.
We were able to continue and deepen the well-established cooperation with our Albanian colleagues in the spirit of a European project. We also received a very warm welcome from the local residents, whose generous support made our work much easier. The data is now being analysed (also from the Oxford project partners), but it is already becoming apparent that the results are very promising for a large-scale continuation of the work in Lin on land and water.