Twelve burials were excavated at Vagnari in 2008, in two trenches (nos. 39 and 49) completing the excavation of these 8 × 8 m trenches (work in Trench 39 had begun in 2006, and in Trench 49 in 2007). Of these, nine were “a cappuccina” in which the skeleton was covered with tiles set obliquely in the form a roof; and two were covered with tiles set horizontally, and equipped with a pipe for libations. In eleven cases the body was laid in the normal supine position. In the remaining burial the individual was laid semi-flexed in a simple pit. Ten of the individuals were adults, the others were a child and an infant.

Some of the skeletons were poorly preserved, especially in cases where the burial structure had been damaged, but others were in better condition and will provide good material for the ongoing osteological analysis.

All of the burials contained some grave goods, and six were particularly well equipped with utensils of bronze and iron. Until the restoration and study of the artefacts has been completed only a provisional date for the burials can be given. They seem likely, however, to be broadly contemporary with those already excavated in this area, i.e. predominantly of the 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD.

A small excavation was also carried out near the SW corner of a large orthogonally planned complex of buildings in the north part of the site, with the aim of checking some details of the plan derived from a resistivity survey carried out in 2006 by John Hunt. It confirmed the presence of two of the walls of the 2nd century AD, and also uncovered evidence of reuse of this part of the site in the Late Antique period in the form of a midden deposit which contained numerous animal bones and fragments of pottery. Overlying this there were traces of the foundations of a building of the 5th or 6th century AD.

The final report on that phase of the excavations is in preparation.