The I.D.I.P.O.S., wishing to further contribute to the archaeological cooperation between Greece and Albania and following the encouragement of Professor. P. Lera, submitted in 2008 an official application to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports for the initiation of a bilateral, interdisciplinary archaeological research on the Maligrad islet in the Albanian part of Great Prespa, in SE Albania, which is of particular archaeological interest, as traces of habitation from prehistoric to modern times had been identified on its surface. The application was accepted and permission was granted for five excavation periods with the competent implementing bodies being the State Institute of Archaeology of Tirana and the I.D.I.P.O.S.
The Greek-Albanian archaeological mission takes place in the Albanian part of the double mountainous basin of the lakes of Great and Small Prespa, in an area with an average altitude of 850 meters above sea level, where the climate is continental, with severe winters and mild summers. From a geographical point of view, the wider area of Prespa is part of Macedonia and is divided between Greece, FYROM and Albania. The basins are surrounded by imposing and inaccessible mountain ranges, which isolate them, but at the same time, create, with their natural passes, communication channels with the neighboring areas, Lake Ohrid in the North, the Korçë Valley in the West, the Monastir plain in the East and Kastoria in the South.
The Small and Large Prespa lakes are two large natural reservoirs, which favor the development and diversity of life with a multitude of species of flora and fauna, several of which are found exclusively in the area.
It is a system of exceptional natural beauty and great ecological value, one of the most important in Europe, which has been declared a National Park by the three states that share it. The Greek part is also part of the European network of protected areas Natura 2000, while since the year 2000, with the signatures of the prime ministers of Greece, Albania and FYROM and with the participation of the WWF, the Prespa Transfrontier Park, the first transfrontier protected area in the Balkans, has been established.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7932202,20.9324536,1255m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDcyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
At the same time, the Greek-Albanian archaeological mission in Prespa offers significant contributions to the field of cultural heritage through the systematic and interdisciplinary study of the human presence in the region and its interaction with the natural environment.
This is the first systematic archaeological mission in the region, and has already begun to yield significant archaeological findings and a wealth of data, covering without interruption a very wide chronological range from the Neolithic Age to the present day. The study of the data is carried out by a team of scientists that includes the specialties of archaeologist, byzantinologist, zooarchaeologist, osteoarchaeologist/anthropologist, physical-archaeologist, geologist and speleologist. The continuation of the work both in the field, in the form of excavation and surface research, and in the laboratory, and their final publication, will not only complete the archaeological picture and history of the Lakes zone, but will also contribute significantly to the historical and archaeological knowledge of the Balkans as a whole.
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272 species of birds, 60 species of mammals, 23 species of fish, 22 species of reptiles and 11 species of amphibians live permanently or pass through the area.
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