Introduction

In the 2023 excavation season, three trenches, CA93, CA94 and CA95 were opened to investigate the potential presence of non-elite habitation at Poggio Civitate in the Civitate A property zone. Civitate A is located north of the main road leading towards the Piano del Tesero, occupying a large section of the north slope of the hill west of the Archaic Complex. CA95 is located approximately 50 meters to the east of the well at CA43 (LS I and JBB II).

Excavation of the Civitate A area was first undertaken in the 1960s (CA15 [PS I]), and again in 1988 (CA20 [JB I] and CA32 [JB I]) due to the location of Civitate A in the general vicinity of the enormous volume of excavated materials associated with the destruction of the Archaic Period Complex (BH II, BB I, and EN I).

CA33 (excavated in 1990) included evidence of burned material in a roasting pit or oven (JB I and JB III). CA 36, (excavated 1991 and 1993) included a likely 8^th century BCE deposit, capped with small stones and contained full-profile examples of coil-made pottery and a bronze fibula (JB IV and TT IV). CA 37 (1991) included a deposit with full coarse ware and impasto vessel profiles (TT I). The 1997 season revealed an Archaic well (JBB II, LS I, and MG II). Work in 1998 revealed an Iron Age deposit with a diamond shaped capping of stones (CA42n [MG II]). The excavations undertaken in 2000 sought further evidence for habitation and/or industrial production, but did not yield significant results (CA46 [SJG I]).

Further excavation of Civitate A in 2007 included CA55, CA57, CA58, CA59, and CA60 (see AMA/CGM I, AMA/CGM III, AWB/JEM I, DBB/KMH I). CA55 was located directly west of CA36, and the two units shared the same carbon rich soil and small stone cappings. A decorated handle fragment from CA55 (20070251) joined to another fragment (19930049) in CA36, indicating the likelihood of a single deposit spanning both trenches (see CO II).  CA61 (CO III) contained a lighter sandier soil containing no artifacts, and thus marked the limit of the carbon-rich deposit of CA55/CA36 deposit; the distinctive traits of that deposit did not continue east or south into C61.

In 2009, CA 62 (AEG I) revealed fragments similar to those in CA 36 (20090016 and 1990168) and CA 55 (20070251 and 19930049). These joins indicate that the deposits of CA36, CA55, and CA 62 were likely contemporary. The deposits map into a straight line running diagonally southeast to northwest.

The 2010 season opened trenches CA 63 (CO IV), CA64 (AEG II), and CA65 (AJC I), to look for further evidence of habitation, production or intentional deposition. CA64 confirmed Iron Age usage with coil made pottery and lithic technology, with later materials from the Medieval period. No further evidence of habitation, ovens or roasting pits, or stone cappings was indicated.

Evidence for the domestic habitation of the Civitate A property zone was again sought in the 2012 and 2013 field seasons, when thirteen trenches were excavated (CA70 [AAF II], CA71 [CGL I], CA72 [AEG VI], CA73 [ARR IV], and CA74 [CAC I], CA76 [LHS II], CA77 [EC X], CA78 [AJC V], CA79 [EMO IV], CA80 [CLP I], CA81 [MLL I], CA82 [RDC I], and CA83 [KRK VI]). A linear rock feature in CA70 and CA71, likely a load bearing wall, was discovered, which inspired further exploration in the vicinity. CA72, CA73 and CA74 were placed adjacent to the eastern and western edges of CA70 and 71 in order to more fully reveal the rock feature spanning those two units. The remains of a light-frame building were uncovered, including a substantial wall and five insubstantial lines of parallel rocks which may have demarcated spatial areas within an adjacent structure. 

These thirteen trenches from 2012 and 2013 revealed two small rectilinear structures including stone foundation walls. The more recent and better-preserved structure included a partitioned secondary structure attached to the western wall.  The main rectilinear footprint overlay the earlier and more poorly preserved building. A still earlier, curvilinear structure underlay both rectilinear ones.

The suggestion of light-frame architecture indicates that non-elite people most likely used such structures. A domestic scale of production is suggested by the presence numerous artifacts in CA70, including slag, terracotta, spindle whorls, rocchetti and an antler hammer among others. Slag and vitrified terracotta in CA72 also suggest small-scale metalworking spanning the transition between the Iron Age and Orientalizing periods, possibly extending to the Archaic period. The 2013 season yielded a significant quantity of antler, horn, and worked bone, indicating the prevalence of small-scale animal processing.

See the following trench books for additional information:

CA70 (AAF II), CA71 (CGL I), CA72 (AEG VII), CA73 (ARR V), CA74 (CAC I), CA76 (LHS II), CA77 (EC X), CA78 (AJC V), CA79 (EMO IV), CA80 (CLP I), CA81 (MLL I), CA82 (RDC I), CA 83 (KRK VI)

The 2014 season opened a trench, T62 (AEG VIII) south of the exploratory trenches of the 1960s revealing a circular stone well infilled with an abundance of materials including terracotta roofing tiles and Archaic decorative frieze plaques (20140107, 20140112, 20140113, 20140115, 20140116, 20140123, 2014124), and sima fragments (20140094, 20140111, 20140114, 20140121, 20140122, 20140127.) T62 (AEG IX) was reopened in 2015. The second excavation found additional terracotta, bone, metal, weaving implements, and Archaic decorative architectural features. The well contents strongly suggest that the area between Civitate A and Tesoro West was a high traffic zone used by small scale industry.

Additional trenches were dug in the Civitate A property zone in 2017 (CA85 [AJM I], CA86 [KRK XI], CA87 [AJM II], CA88 [KPH II], CA89 [KPH III]) and again in 2022 (CA 91 [CAU/KMF I], CA 92 [CAU/KMF II]).  The vast majority of the 2017 and 2022 trenches have yielded inconclusive results, and/or completely failed to meet the goals of identifying non-elite architecture contemporary with the structures found in 2012 and 2013 excavations. Among those trenches which were partially successful in answering research questions we have CA87 and CA89 (both from 2017) which included evidence of some domestic use (e.g a rochetto fragment made of non-local stone in CA87), and linear stone features in possible association spanning both units, consistent with non-elite architecture and possibly aligned with structural elements from the successful 2012-2013 excavations nearby. Furthermore, there is a possible floor surface in CA 89.  However, there is only one datable ceramic fragment in either unit (a bifurcated handle fragment in CA89, possibly dating to the 7th century BCE), rendering the conclusions tentative.

The excavations in 2022 were even less informative. Only CA92 yielded a charcoal rich deposit and some associated in-situ artifacts (not placed by erosional activity) suggesting a refuse deposit and confirming human activity in the area. 

Therefore, CA95 has been opened with the following goals:

1) To search for additional examples of non-elite habitation at Poggio Civitate.

 2) To further explore the relationship between non-elite domestic space and industry.

 3) To broaden our understanding of the stratigraphic region affiliated with the Civitate A property zone.