The Boqezë settlement belongs to the lake-dwelling (lacustrine) type. It covers an area of about 6 hectares and consisted of a very large number of wooden posts driven vertically into the ground, supporting a horizontal wooden platform on which the dwellings were then built.
This settlement was surrounded by a wooden fence that protected it from external dangers. Research shows that the main types of wood used as supporting piles were those of the oak, pine and maple families, which are very resistant to water. Stone and flint tools, clay vessels, weapons, stone weights for fishing nets, as well as other objects discovered during archaeological excavations, prove that the local population was engaged in agriculture, livestock, fishing and hunting wild animals. It is thought that the number of inhabitants living in this settlement during the early Neolithic period ranged from 200 to 500 people.
They were part of an organized community (community) who cooperated closely with each other to ensure the well-being of the settlement, organize daily life, and protect community members from diseases, natural disasters, or external attacks from wild animals or other communities.
Dating of the settlement, carried out using the carbon 14 (C14) method, has confirmed that, based on current knowledge, the Boqeza palafite settlement is the oldest lakeshore settlement discovered to date in Europe (8200 years ago). The settlement is part of the UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site of the Lake Ohrid Region..
