TIRANA, October 9/ATA/ The Academy of Sciences of Albania organized a scientific gathering in the field of archaeology where Prof. Albert Hafner held the open lecture on the archaeological discoveries in the settlement of Lin, the result of the joint Albanian-Swiss expedition, which led to the discovery of the oldest palafitte settlement in Europe, dating back over 8,000 years.

These discoveries were made on the basis of the LIN 3 project in collaboration with the Institute of Archeology at the Academy of Sciences of Albania and the University of Bern, Switzerland.

Attending the gathering was Chairman of the Academy of Sciences of Albania Skender Gjinushi.

Prof. Hafner argued that the new findings in the Albanian soil could revolutionize the archaeological knowledge about Prehistoric Europe, as well as the origin of agriculture. The objects found during the work with the LIN 3 project led to the discovery of the oldest palafitte settlement in Europe, dating back up to 8000 years.

Hafner considers it to be the oldest settlement of this type in Europe.

Excavations in land and underwater surveys in 2021-2024 demonstrate that this site has been inhabited for about 2000 years. From 6000 BC to 4000 BC.

Prof. Hafner is one of the most vocal personalities in Europe for the study of palafitte settlements.

The work is in progress and the results are very promising.

The results of the research of the previous years (2021, 2022 and 2023) and the laboratory analyzes carried out at the University of Bern in Switzerland, as well as those in collaboration with the University of Oxford in England, showed that the "Lin 3" is the oldest settlement of this type in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation is preparing the archaeological documentation necessary for its protection and declaration as an archaeological area. /p.s./