Introduction

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Introduction:

In 2010, the remains of a deposition pit filled with architectural terracotta roofing elements from the 6 ^th century BCE Archaic Complex and other associated materials was found in the trench Civitate B 39 ( ARR II ); CB 39 is located approximately 200 meters west and 70 meters south of the southwestern-most corner of the Archaic Complex and therefore is quite a far distance from the 6 ^th century building. Work continued in CB 39 and its environs in 2011 and in 2012, excavations were conducted in the northernmost area of Civitate B and the southernmost area of Civitate A, roughly midway between the southwest corner of the Archaic Complex and the deposition pit in CB 39, in order to search for any architecture, either elite or non-elite, that may have stood between the Archaic Complex and the deposition pit uncovered in CB 39.

In 2012, two soundings, CA 70 ( AAF II ) and CA 71 ( CGL I ), were opened in the southeastern corner of Civitate A, just to the north of a dirt road that runs through the site of Poggio Civitate, in order to search for evidence of elite and non-elite architecture that dates to the 6 ^th century BCE. Approximately 30cm below surface, a linear

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arrangement of medium-sized rocks was uncovered in both trenches; these rocks were oriented along the same axis and it appeared likely that they would connect, and so the area between both soundings was excavated. When it became apparent that the rock features uncovered in both CA 70 and 71 formed a single line of stones, both trenches were extended and three more trenches, CA 72 ( AEG VI ), CA 73 ( ARR IV ), and CA 74 ( CAC I ) were opened adjacent to the eastern and western edges of CA 70 and 71 in order to more fully reveal the rock feature first uncovered in CA 70 and CA 71.

By the end of the 2012 season, the architectural remains of a light-frame building were uncovered. Exposed remains include what appears to be a wall, which is composed of a robust line of rocks with integrated tile running roughly North-South in CA 72 and into CA 73, five more lines of parallel rocks that are too insubstantial to be load bearing but may have partitioned the interior space of this building, and an apparent cobbling of small stones to the north of the parallel lines of rocks; this cobbling lies directly to the east of exposed bedrock and the bedrock and cobbling together likely mark the northern extent of this new structure. Additionally, a rock and tile packing was

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uncovered in the northeastern area of this structure, and this packing, as well as the areas in between the slight, parallel lines of stones, contained high quantities of iron slag, as well as a number of forno, bellows, and crucible fragments; this assemblage suggests that this new structure was associated with metalworking, specifically with the smelting of copper and iron ores. Additionally, materials recovered from the interior of this structure date from the late 8 ^th through the first half of the 6 ^th century BCE, making it difficult to date this newfound building.

Excavations will continue in this area of Civitate A in 2013 in order to better reveal the full extent of this new structure and to locate any permanent features associated with it, such as a forge used for the smelting of copper and iron ore. Additionally, the 2013 excavations will hopefully clarify the dating of this structure. The majority of trenches opened in 2013 will be located to the east of CA 72 and CA 73, as the largest assemblage of materials came from these trenches, and to the south of CA 70 and CA 72, as the southernmost extent of this new structure has not yet been revealed. However, additional trenches will be opened to the west and north of the 2012 excavations.

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CA 83 will be adjacent to the southern border of CA 70 and the western border of CA 81, just to the north of the dirt road that transverses the site, and will be opened for the following reasons:

1. To fully reveal the southern extent of the structure first found in 2012.

2. To explore the area located to the south of the structure found in 2012 and specifically, to search for evidence of a forge, in which the slag found in 2012 was produced.

3. To find definitive chronological evidence for the usage span of this structure.

4. To search for evidence related to the architectural construction techniques of this building and its roof and how the insubstantial, parallel lines of rocks found in 2012 may relate to the building's architecture.

5. To better understand how this new structure relates stratigraphically to the dirt road located to its south and to Civitate B, which is situated on the opposite side of the road.

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