CA94

BTL I

2023

Introduction

During the 2022 excavation season, three trenches, CA90, CA91, and CA92 were opened to investigate the potential presence of non-elite habitation or Iron Age cemeteries at Poggio Civitate in the Civitate A property zone. Civitate A is located north of the main road leading towards the Piano del Tesoro, occupying a large section of the north slope of the hill west of the Archaic Complex.  CA90 and 91 did not produce substantial evidence, however, CA92 revealed a possible midden within a natural bedrock area with an abundance of materials, especially bone and pottery. The pottery, while not chronologically definitive, was not worn or obviously the result of erosional processes and may have been placed there through intentional human activity.

Excavation of the Civitate A area first began in the 1960s (CA15 [P.S I]). Civitate A was next revisited in 1988 with test trenches such as CA20 (JB I) and CA32 (JB I) due to the large amount of material recovered in the early excavations that was likely associated with the destruction of the Archaic Period Complex (BH II, BB I, and EN I). In 1990, CA33 revealed a roasting pit or oven with evidence of burning that brought renewed focus to the area (JB I and JB III). Excavation at Civitate A continued in 1991. CA 36, excavated in 1991 and 1993, revealed a deposit containing full-profile examples of pottery and a bronze fibula and capped with a selection of small stones (JB IV and TT IV). The coil-made pottery and fibula suggested an early date of the 8th century. Similarly in 1991, CA 37 revealed an apparent deposit with full coarseware and impasto vessel profiles (TT I). Excavations in 1997 revealed an Archaic well (JBB II, LS I, and MG II). 1998 excavations explored the areas surrounding the well, discovering an additional, Iron Age deposit with a diamond shaped capping of stones (CA42n [MG II]). CA46 (SJG I) further explored the area for potential habitation or industrial production in 2000, although little was recovered.

Excavation resumed in Civitate A in 2007 with CA55, CA57, CA58, CA59, and CA60 (see AMA/CGM I, AMA/CGM III, AWB/JEM I, DBB/KMH I). Similar carbon rich soil and small stone cappings continued into CA55 from CA36, located directly to the east of CA55. Also found was a decorated handle fragment (20070251) that joined to another fragment (19930049) in CA36, suggesting these are the same deposit across both trenches (see CO II). CA55 and the subsequent CA61 (CO III) revealed the extent of the deposit as the burnt soil and cappings did not continue east or south into C61. CA61 revealed a clear delineation of lighter, sandier soil with no material. CA 62 (AEG I) was opened in 2009 to explore the possibility of more intentional deposits and discovered fragments similar to and joining those of the intentional deposit in CA 36 (20090016 and 1990168) and CA 55 (20070251 and 19930049).The joins demonstrate that the intentional deposits of CA36, CA55, and CA 62 were contemporary. Moreover, plotting the deposits showed a straight line running diagonally southeast to northwest, suggesting that they were made intentionally. The reasoning or purpose is unclear. CA 63 (CO IV), CA64 (AEG II), and CA65 (AJC I) were opened in 2010 to explore for metalworking, habitation, and deposits. CA64 confirmed Villonovan activity with coil made pottery and stone tool use, with use extending into the Medieval period. However, it did not confirm habitation, use of metal roasting pits, or presence of stone cappings.

  Two trenches were opened in 2012 (CA70 [AAF II], CA71 [CGL I]) to explore the possibility of domestic habitation in the Civitate A property zone, in which a linear rock feature, which appears to be a load bearing wall, was uncovered. This discovery led to the opening of a series of trenches in 2012 and 2013. Three more trenches, CA72 (AEG VI), CA73 (ARR IV), and CA74 (CAC I) were opened adjacent to the eastern and western edges of CA70 and 71 in order to more fully reveal the rock feature first uncovered in CA70 and CA71.  The possibility of light-frame architecture suggests a non-elite structure. Slag and terracotta recovered in 2012 from CA70, as well as spindle whorls, rocchetti, and an antler hammer, suggest a domestic scale of production. Slag and vitrified terracotta from CA72 suggest metalworking on a small scale, dating to the Iron Age, Orientalizing, and possibly the Archaic periods. Quantities of antler, horn, and worked bone recovered in 2013 indicate small-scale animal processing. 

Therefore, CA94 has been opened with the following goals:

-To gain a better understanding of human activity in the area from the Iron Age period; 

-To search for additional examples of non-elite habitation at Poggio Civitate, especially in the area to the east the 2007 well;

-To gain a better understanding of the use of positive or negative space surrounding the well; especially establishing an understanding of the midden found in CA92.