False 25past horizons kullë conservation - heritage conservation network The man responsible for the creation of Butrint National Park also campaigns tirelessly for his country’s built heritage. Auron Tare’s latest efforts focus on Gjirokastra. He is working with Heritage Conservation Network ( HCN) to bring volunteers to the Museum City to help restore one of the many Turkish tower houses that characterise the city. Known as kullë houses, this vernacular form developed in the 17th century and was used for several hundred years. The houses consist of a tall cellar, a fi rst fl oor used in the cold season, and a second fl oor used in the warm season. Many of the surviving kullë also retain their original, richly- decorated interiors, with intricately painted fl oral decoration and elaborately carved beams and cupboards. Volunteers will document the buildings’ current conditions with photos, measurements and drawings, then learn and practice masonry conservation skills. HCN hopes to establish a long- term project at the site, returning with volunteers each year to continue with preservation work. The Museum City of Gjirokastra was added to the World Heritage list in 2005 and is one of just two sites in Albania on the list. It is known for its many conical, slate- roofed structures and is the setting for Ismail Kadare’s book Chronicle in Stone, his story of growing up in the city during World War II. Dates: 27 September - 11 October 2008 Cost: US$ 950 per person for 1 week, US$ 1,800 for two weeks. There is a discounted rate for people from Albania and neighbouring countries. The fee includes lodging, breakfast and lunch, insurance, materials, training and field trips to historic sites outside the city. Website: www. heritageconservation. net/ ws- albania. htm ? Old houses, both restored and crumbling Photographs byMatthew Haswell www. pbase. com/ xerius/ gjirokastra ? continued ? ?

False past horizons26 The multi- period site of Melan is located in the Drinos Valley in southern Albania, near the city of Gjirokaster. Katie Johnson of the University of Chicago fi rst encountered this site in 2006, when she was invited by Auron Tare of the Albanian National Trust to tour the area in order to gauge its archaeological potential. The long occupational history of the site — its origins are thought to be in the fi fth century B. C. — includes many traces of past cultures, such as aqueducts, walls, and building foundations. This site at Melan is part of her ongoing research into the continuity of sacred spaces and the historical relationship of the Bektashis to the region. In 2007, Katie had a very exciting fi rst season. With volunteers from several countries two large mosaics were found ( tentatively dated to the fi fth– sixth centuries A. D.) and several as yet undated burials. The mosaics archaeology - albanian national trust Top: Drinos Valley Above: Cleaning the mosaic