Ruins of Gjyteti – Ancient Fortress

The ruins of the raised and fortified settlement, inhabited since the Iron Age and with great intensity especially during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, the “Gradishta” of Zatriq, are located on the top of the Zatriq hill, with a maximum elevation of 1039 metres above sea level. The fortified settlement sits on a triangular terrace. From the top of the hill one can see very well the mountain range that separates the Plain of Kosovo from the Dukagjini Plain. From the Zatriq fortress the view is open towards the areas of Llapusha, Klina, Istog and Peja. To the south one can also see the plains of Rahovec, Gjakova and Prizren.

This “fortress town”, of the multi-layered settlement type, was built along a perimeter line that follows the terrain's contour lines, making use of natural protection that was integrated naturally into its defensive system. The walls of the fortress can be made out only with difficulty above the surface, which does not allow their dimensions to be determined; nevertheless, in some places technical elements of the surrounding wall have been identified. The walls were made of medium-sized stones bound with lime mortar. This masonry technique was used throughout the surrounding walls, which today are hard to distinguish above ground.
The fortification covers an area of approximately 0.2 ha, and below it there is a second triangular terrace where traces of dwellings could once be seen. Across the whole fortified area, as well as in the “Fields of Gradishta” (Arat e Gradishtës), which are terraced next to the fortress, fragments of fired clay vessels from different periods have been documented, such as the Iron Age, Hellenistic, Late Antique and Medieval.
However, what is special about this archaeological site of fortified character lies in the fact that an Italian specialist identified Rock Art from prehistoric periods, reflected in signs and symbols that are presumed to have been created by human hand seven millennia ago.