Introdution and Aims

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Introduction

Evidence of ancient occupation in Vescovado di Murlo is abundant through occasional excavation and sporadic finds. Tombs dating to the 6th century BCE and the Hellenistic period have been noted from the Tunoni district of town. During the 1970s the construction of the SP 34 roadway, known locally as Via Martini di Rigo Secco, traces of the ancient industrial zone were recovered and excavated in a rescue operation. This work revealed architectural elements of two furnaces along with a fragment of a wall immediately south of the apertures of the larger of the two furnaces. Pottery recovered from within the limited area of excavation pointed to a date between the end of the fourth to the beginnings of the third century BCE. It was at this site in 2006 that an exploratory excavation took place lead by the Poggio Civitate Excavation project. The excavations explored the previously identified areas of the fourth and third century BCE industrial activity (see VT1 ) and uncovered traces of an earlier furnace, as well as traces of a possible domestic space whose pottery dated to the sixth century BCE, contemporaneous and similar to fabrics recovered from the monumental complex on Poggio Civitate.

In particular the 2006 excavations discovered another forno (see VT6 ), or possible hypocaust feature, directly to the south of the structures uncovered in the 1920s. As well as this, an attic red-figure sherd, dating to c. 500 BCE, along with some bucchero and bucceroid wares from the 6th century BCE were discovered in lover strata in VT2 and VT3 directly to the south of the original 1970s excavations.

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This season's excavation aim to build upon the 2006 and previous explorations of this area of vescovado. We are going to explore an area to the west (some 5 meters) of the 2006 and 1970s excavations in what is now a Tennis court constructed in the 1980s. The tennis courts lie around 5 meters above the structures and the features uncovered previously. From the information available it appears that the area of the courts were constructed after it was scrapped and a fill was placed above on a natural slope. It is hoped that the excavation below the Tennis court foundation will reveal structures and features similar in nature to those uncovered previously.

Three trenches were opened at the start of the 2015 season: VT 7 , VT 8 , and VT 9 . A linear rock feature which may be a possible wall associated with the forno discovered in VT7 . The linear rock feature which was found appears to be meeting a large conglomerate stone in the northwest corner of the trench, partially obscured by the baulk wall. VT 10 will be opened as a two meter by three meter trench to the northwest of VT 7 . The southern baulk wall will be common with VT 7 and will be excavated as if in open excavation. Any finds from the shared wall will be included with VT 10.

The aims of excavation in VT10 are as follows:

To establish a secure stratigraphy for this area of Vescovado di Murlo. This should clarify the dating of the remains discovered in previous excavations, and consequently different phases of activity.

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To clarify the function of the previously discovered structures, in particular the nature of industrial activity and potential domestic area.

to determine the extent of previously discovered structures.

to investigate the relationship between Vescovado di Murlo during the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, and the inhabitants of the monumental structures on Poggio Civitate.

To better understand human activity in Vescovado di Murlo following the destruction and abandonment of Poggio Civitate towards the end of the 6th century BCE

To better reveal and understand the linear rock feature in VT 7 .