Introduction

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Introduction

Civitate A is located to the north of the medieval road, which bisects the hill of Poggio Civitate and west of the monumental buildings found on Piano del Tesoro. In 1991, several other trenches were opened in CA, two of which ( CA37 ; TT I ; CA-36 ; JB IV ) revealed features during the establishment of the master grid system for the entire site of Poggio Civitate.

In the 90s and 00s, excavations in CA uncovered an Archaic period well with an intentional fill (CA 42-JBB II ; LS I ; MG II ), as well as several roasting pits ( CA-33 ; JB I ; and JB III ) and several Iron Age lenses ( CA 36 ; JB IV ; TT IV ; CA 55 - CO II ; CA 62 - AEG I ). Excavations have continued in the surrounding area in an attempt to clarify the relationship of these features to each other and the monumental complex to the east.

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In 2012, 2 trenches ( CGL I and AAF II ), CA 70 and CA 71 , were opened in the southern area of CA, adjacent to the road and ~50m west of the Archaic complex. They uncovered a large amount of slag and a linear rock packing running across both trenches, which were explored and defined further by a series of expansion trenches, CA 72 , 73 , ( ARR IV and AEG VI ) and 74 ( CAC I ), which created an open excavation area at approx. 10 x 15 meters.

In the 2013 season excavation continued in the southern area of CA, extending to the east and west of the trenches opened in 2012, CA 74 - 83 ( CAC I , CLP I , KRK VI , AJC V , RDC I , LHS II , EC X , & EMO IV ). These trenches revealed several thin lines of distinct and separate rock features. In the east through CA 78 , 73 , 72 , & 76 a partially preserved foundation indicating a possible light framed building was found. In the west, from CA 82 through CA 79 , a possible retaining wall was also uncovered.

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Additionally large amounts of waste products from metal production & antler carving were recovered. This combination of materials and rock features has lead excavators to believe that in addition to workshop like activities in this area there may have been evidence of non-elite domestic architecture.

North of the 2014 excavation area, the original excavators of Poggio Civitate dropped several exploratory test trenches. While most of them were quickly abandoned when no substantial architecture or architectural terracotta was revealed, several of these trenches did uncover a large amount of decorative terracotta intentionally dumped into a lens ( CA 2 , CA 24 , CA 28 - BH II , BB II , & EN I ). This seems to be associated with the destruction of the Archaic period complex and the scattering of the decorative material

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from the roofing structure.

During 2014, T 60 along with other trenches will be opened to the east of the domestic architecture uncovered in 2012 and 2013 and will be located approximately 10 meters to the south of the southwest corner of the Archaic building in an attempt to further clarify an area of the hill previously unexcavated.

Therefore, the aims of excavation in T 60 are:

1) To explore the area immediately to the east of CA 72 , 73 , & 78 and reveal new architectural features, stratigraphy, & topographic information.

2) To clarify the chronological sequence of the CA and Tesoro area by recovering dateable material from a secure context to better understand the features found in 2012/2013.

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3) To ponder and explore the possibility of other intentional Archaic deposits as those found in CA 2 , 24 , & 25 .

4) To search for evidence of non-elite habitation on the western area of the hill in association with previous architecture & deposits of the area.

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