Bulqizë archaeological discovery named Palmyra Award finalist

An archaeological discovery in Strikçan, Bulqizë, has been named a finalist for the international Palmyra Archaeological Discovery Award. The find, a monumental mausoleum, has also been nominated for a Special Award.

The discovery was made during the ‘Archaeological Research in the Bulqizë Valley’ project, conducted by the Academy of Sciences of Albania and the Institute of Archaeology. The site provides significant new archaeological, historical, and epigraphic data regarding social dynamics, local elite organization, and funerary architecture during the late Roman period.

The awards will be presented at the 28th Mediterranean Archaeological Tourism Forum (BMTA) in Paestum, Italy, scheduled for late October to early November 2026. This discovery places the site among five of the most important archaeological finds of the year globally, alongside sites in Pompeii, Egypt, and Turkey.