In July 2012, the University of Salento held its archaeological field school in which Italian and Austrian students participated.

In the area of Fondo Casino (Zones G and I), situated near the museum entrance, investigations continued in the residential quarter uncovered during previous seasons, concentrating on room B of building G8 and the area west of building G4. The collapse of the roof of porticoed room B was completely removed. The tiles were recovered in order to be restored and then put back into place as part of the project to open the site to visitors.

The last layers were recorded, as in the previous year, by dividing the area into one-metre squares and with the use of digital photography. Below the collapse lay a floor surface (3079) composed of a layer of gravel mixed with crushed tufa, which was best preserved at the centre of the room.
Some tens of metres to the east, outside building 11, the intact tomb of a male child (3082) was excavated, comprising a monolithic stone sarcophagus covered by two overlapping limestone slabs. It contained very few osteological remains (a few cranium fragments), probably due to the soil’s chemical composition and also the inhumation of a newborn baby. The tomb group comprised a small single handled cup and a miniature jug, together with two bronze fibulae. The burial dates to the second half of the 6th century B.C. The sarcophagus was left in situ, while the cover slabs were removed.

Surface cleaning was undertaken on an area of about 100 m2, situated west of building G4, exposing walls and collapsed material which will be investigated during the next campaign.mIn the area of Fondo Casino I, zone H, investigations continued in the area north of oikos H2, a house occupied in the second half of the 7th century B.C.

Quadrants P14 and R14 were examined. A structure of elongated stones emerged in R14, probably relating to a collapsed wall from a house of the same date. The structure, probably dragged down by ploughing, will be investigated in coming seasons.

The remains of walls relating to 6th century houses constructed in stone blocks (badly preserved) came to light in quadrant P14. In this case also, the structures were only exposed and will be excavated during future campaigns.