Archaeologists have begun excavating the upper city’s defensive walls at Butrint for the first time, seeking new evidence about the ancient city’s fortifications and urban development. The research forms part of the “Urban Topography of Butrint in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages” project, which examines the site’s evolution between the 5th and 15th centuries AD.

The team, led by the Institute of Archaeology at the Academy of Sciences and funded by the Butrint Management Foundation, is investigating one of the Acropolis’s defensive towers. Excavations have revealed archaeological layers dating from Late Antiquity through the Late Middle Ages, offering clues about the walls’ construction, use and later changes.

Architect Nevila Molla said the project aims to establish when builders constructed the upper city’s walls and understand how Butrint’s upper and lower districts developed over time. The findings will help researchers reconstruct the city’s urban layout and trace its transformation across different historical periods.