By Fahri Xharra. Translation: Petrit Latifi

Albanian civilization is more located under the ground than above it. In the ethnic Albanian areas in Montenegro, and above all in the Ulqin region, there are a large number of monuments of our heritage from our early history, where the ancient city of Shasi, today an uninhabited city, also takes place.

Shasi is an ancient Illyrian settlement, which rises on the mountain of the same name. First, in the ancient period, the ancient connecting road between Ulqin and Shkodra passed through here. Shasi is known in literature as: Suatio, Suaço, Savocci, Svaciao, Fshas, ​​etc.

The base of the ancient city is built of large stones, while the surrounding wall has been greatly damaged by the elements of time; this wall carries great architectural and artistic values. Even today, the two gates of the city stand there.

Shasi was first mentioned in the decree of Pope Alexander II in 1067 as a bishopric. In 1183 it was conquered by Stefan Nemanja and on that occasion the barbarians destroyed Shasi. The city recovered, but was again attacked by the Mongols in 1242, who completely destroyed it.

At the end of the 13th century, Queen Jelena rebuilt it, where it experienced its civic and commercial peak until the 16th century, when it was finally attacked and destroyed by the Turks, in 1571. From this year Shasi is known as the “dead city”. In this year the Turks also conquered Ulqin and Tivar, where the inhabitants were killed and the cities were set on fire.

However, when it comes to church activity, Shas has had churches for as long as there have been years, which is a unique case in the world, while now only the foundations of eight churches are visible, which are also mentioned by Justinian (1533) and later by Marin Bici (1610), the cathedral of the Church of Saint John, built in the Gothic style, and the Franciscan Church of Saint Mary, which are about 1300 years old.

All the churches in Shas were decorated with architectural decorations and frescoes, and in some even now traces of colors can be seen on the walls. The remaining parts of the fortress are found on the cliffs. In addition to Shas, in the Venetian period around Lake Shkodra there were also the cities of Trishti, Danja and Sarda.

The Archbishopric of Tivar (over 900 years) was the main base of Catholicism in Northern Albania, but the bishopric of Shas also played the same role for its area. In 1443, the bishop of Shas was Palë Dushman.
Even Pjetër Bogdani mentions Shas in his writings, saying that it extends to the west over the city of Tivar, to the north to Kravar and to the east ends with the Buna River.

If underwater research were conducted, even more of Shas would be found, this unexplored heritage from our side has been hidden by the Slavs for centuries. There is also evidence that during the summer, when the water level of Lake Shas is low, parts of the walls of former residential houses can be seen.

Illyrian period

Archaeological findings prove that the city of Shas, unknown until the 8th century, was actually affected by early Christianity in the Illyrian period. The Illyrianism of this culture is particularly evidenced by the typological similarity of the objects of the archaeological culture of Shas with the Illyrian-Arbër culture of Koman.

Shasi was previously transformed into a fortified area, as evidenced by its position in the struggle between the Papacy and Byzantium for control of the city in the Middle Ages. Research in the old Shasi site proves the existence of a prehistoric settlement as the basis for the city of Shasi, after the discovery of the Koman culture, which allowed the most accurate dating of sacred objects dating from the 6th-7th centuries.

This ancient settlement, in addition to its strategic importance, also provided suitable living conditions, given its location on Lake Shasi and the Buna, rich in fish, birds, wild animals and other special conditions for livestock and agriculture.

Referring to an unknown writer and his manuscript “Dulcigno secondo l’antica descrizione, it is said that “in this region was the very old city called Shasi, where traces of 365 churches can be seen 15 miles from Ulcinj….”

It is further written that “near this city are the lake, the cave, the water source and the mountain Lisinje, the Ledhet e Shasi and the gate where the Captain of Caesar died, fighting terribly against Pompeii where they are still standing today and miraculously a large pit, still unfilled…”

Medieval Shasi

There is no doubt that medieval Shasi as a developed city has been immortalized in numismatics, because it minted its own coins, which bore the inscription Suacium, as well as the one that depicts the figure of Saint Paul the Baptist, as the protector of the city, as well as the tower and the castle with the magnificent pore of this city.

Montenegrin versions of this period state that Stefan Nemanja (13th century) destroyed Albanian churches and books of the time and forcibly converted the remaining inhabitants to Orthodoxy, which is consistent with the oral tradition in Shas, where the current inhabitants of the village of Shas say that all churches were originally Catholic.

The first research of Yugoslav archaeology, dating back to the 1980s, revealed a greater antiquity than was known. It was precisely the Illyrian heritage of the Shas culture that frightened the Belgrade archaeological school. In 1985, the Serbian Academy of Sciences hastily stopped the research when they noticed that they were dealing with an ancient Albanian city. This is the Illyrian city of 365 churches, which was first destroyed by the Slavs and then the truth of its ruins was also hidden by the Slavs.

Only we, as good connoisseurs of ourselves, and by not denying our roots, can write history as it should.

Reference

https://zgjohushqiptar.com.al/2018/03/22/shasi-ilir-i-365-kishave/