The ruins of Manzano castle stand on the summit of a hill overlooking the ancient Aquileia-Cividale road. They consist of a curvilinear curtain wall 14m long, with uncoursed walling in which a postern gate is still visible. Earlier excavation campaigns (1989 and 1990) had identified a rich dump of materials consisting mainly of pottery (second half 14th – first quarter of the 15th century).Renewed archaeological research beginning in 2001 aimed at identifying the line of the perimeter wall and the eventual existence of evidence for earlier settlement.
The perimeter wall followed the contours of the hill, determining an irregular polygonal conformation. During the 2005 campaign, a deep ditch was found outside the perimeter wall. Its dimensions are still to be defined.
In layers that had been redeposited early medieval pottery came to light (8th century) which demonstrates the site’s occupation in that period, but no structures have been identified which belong to this phase ( a keep?). The presence of coarseware datable to the 11th-12th century confirms the presence of a “caminata patriarchalis” (elite residence with a chimney) in a period which pre-dates the first mention of the castle.
The excavation has recovered numerous fragments of production waste of plain buff coarsewares of post-medieval date, relating to a small kiln, set up after the dismantling of the fortress. (Flavio Beltrame, Sandro Colussa)