The excavations were undertaken between the 10th September and 15th October. The work involved interventions in three different sectors: SAS IX situated in the ‘Castello-Carrare’ zone, in an underground funerary structure in the zone of the ‘Grotta Poesia Grande’, partially explored at the end of the 2007 campaign, and in the area of ‘Grotta Poesia Piccola’, where new trenches were opened (SAS XVIII-XIX).

Excavations begun in earlier campaigns were completed in SAS IX and new data acquired regarding the Recent Bronze Age phases and the development of this part of the settlement up until the Final Bronze Age 2.
The predominantly cult use of the area was confirmed, with evidence of the celebration of animal sacrifices, the deposition of fully fleshed quarters of large animals and of communal feasting, all of which has provided precious information regarding the beliefs and rituals of the indigenous populations in the 2nd millennium. Just as important was the discovery in this trench of a vast quantity (over 2000 fragments) of Aegean type plain ware pottery.

An interesting underground structure was found in the area of the two karstic cavities known as ‘Poesia Grande’ and ‘Poesia Piccola’, about 200 m south of the prehistoric settlement. This area had been freed of recent dumped material during the 2007 season. The structure comprised two communicating ‘grotticelle’ preceded by a short dromos. The vault of the first was partially collapsed. Excavations confirmed that this was a funerary structure, the first monumental burial of the prehistoric community at Roca. The tomb, only partially investigated, seemed to contain the remains of tens of individuals; the small amount of material found to date suggests a generic dating to the Bronze Age.

Two large trenches (XVIII and XIX) were opened to the west and south of the ‘Grotta Poesia’. In SAS XVIII a rock-cut ditch was investigated and identified for a length of circa 100 m. It was circa 2.50 m and 2 m deep. As regards the dating, the uppermost part of the fill (circa 50 cm) mainly comprised material dumped at the end of the 4th century B.C. when the ditch was already full of earth mixed with stones and containing fragments of late archaic pottery.

Excavations in trenches XVIII and XIX also provided important new data on the life of Roca during the 4th-3rd century B.C. The remains of buildings and enclosures came to light together with a stretch (circa 80 m) of a wide road on an east-west alignment, with two side roads flanked by buildings. In the same area 22 tombs were identified and excavated, containing single and multiple burials, also datable to the 4th-3rd century B.C.