The campaign took place between the 7th September and 13th November. Excavations were undertaken inside the prehistoric fortifications in SAS IX where several sectors of the settlement situated in the proximity of the inner front, in particular to the north of the gate, were investigated. The aim was to look at the prehistoric levels in order to check the stratigraphy and collect new data relating to the sequence uncovered during previous campaigns (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).

The sequence was characterised by occupation levels from at least seven distinct phases, dating to between the Recent Bronze Age 1-2 and the Final Bronze Age 2. The 2009 excavations examined the phases from the end of the Recent Bronze Age 1 to a transitional horizon between the Recent Bronze 2- Final Bronze 1 (phases 1-V).

The excavations aimed to add further detail to the picture of the spatial organisation in this area, both in order to confirm its cult function and its residential function in the phases pre-dating BF2, when the so-called “hut-temple” was built. In the Recent Bronze 2 levels the remains of articulated animal skeletons were present, the result of sacrifices followed by ritual deposition. These were associated with large quantities of pottery, both impasto and Aegean type plain ware. Of note, the low fragmentation and dispersion and the fact that most if the vases were largely reconstructable.

The underlying layers, apparently datable to a late horizon in the recent Bronze Age 1 and an early moment in the Recent Bronze Age 2, were characterised by the presence of dense and thick ash lenses associated with metal artefacts, malacological remains, botanical remains, faunal remains with butchery marks and almost completely reconstructable pottery containers.

Exploration of the inner front of the fortification produced new data regarding two construction interventions pre-dating the final Bronze Age 2. The earliest was documented by long stretches of a scarp faced wall, dry-stone built with parallelepiped blocks of local calcarenite. The later intervention was attested by a vertical wall built of similar material, in a slightly more advanced position. The occupation levels abutting these walls were investigated and produced abundant local impasto and Aegean type plain ware pottery which dated the two interventions respectively to the Recent Bronze Age 2 and a transitional phase between the Recent Bronze Age 2-Final Bronze Age 1. Of note among the local material, numerous impasto vases with grooved decoration which finds parallels in productions typical of the “Terramare” area, thus providing further evidence of the importance of this site in the trade network linking the Aegean to the northern Adriatic.