Fasti Online Home | Switch To Fasti Archaeological Conservation | Survey
logo

Excavation

  • S. Domenico
  • L’Aquila
  •  
  • Italy
  • Abruzzo
  • Province of L'Aquila
  • L'Aquila

Tools

Credits

  • The Italian Database is the result of a collaboration between:

    MIBAC (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici),

    ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) and

    AIAC (Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica).

  • AIAC_logo logo

Summary (English)

  • The motivation behind The excavation came about due to the need to identify possible walled or stratigraphic remains belonging to the residence of Charles of Anjou, which some suggest existed on the site later occupied by the monastery.

    In area 1000, situated south of the main cloister of the complex, a bank of bedrock was uncovered which had been levelled in order to create an access to the area.

    In zone E in area 3000, situated inside the cloister, a number of post holes were found, probably relating to the construction site of the vault and arches of the cloister portico.

    In area 5000, situated in the centre of cloister S, structures from a recent period relating to the division of the courtyard were identified. On the basis of documentary evidence it may also be suggested that, prior to the division of the cloister into sectors, there existed a small chapel open on four sides to allow the prisoners to follow religious functions. Subsequently the chapel would have been demolished and closed with first phase walls.

    The excavation of area 7000, situated in the centre of the earliest cloister demonstrated that the cloister had been deeply buried. Further trenches along the cloister’s north-eastern wall brought to light three large arches. The finds suggest that the cloister originally had three storeys, with a loggia on the second and third storey, on at least three sides.

    Area 11000 was a rectangular space used as a large tank. Lined with waterproof plaster it may have been used for washing.

    Area 13000 was a barrel vaulted room on the ground floor. It had two large arches (13th-14th century) and was subsequently divided in half by the addition of a wall. The space was crossed in a longitudinal direction by a small channel, built of stone, mortar and brick, that was probably used as a drain and later as a midden. A large column drum, of unknown provenance, was used in the channel’s construction.

    Area 15000, next to area 9000, was outside the building where, according to documents and plans, there stood a small church (17th century). The excavation revealed the foundations of one of the monastery’s perimeter walls, the base of the blocking of the arches in this wall, two perimeter walls belonging to the church and a later wall.

    In area 40000 walls and floors relating to diverse functions, some of which suggested the existence of rooms in the monastery that were different from and earlier than the actual ones. The find of six stone bases and a mortar floor showing traces of the removal of a seventh base demonstrated a different spatial organisation from the existing one.

    The investigation of area 16000 aimed to clarify the function of the space (area 15000) and determine the function of the wall, probably part of a terrace of the monastic complex. In this zone a “gravelled” road of Norman date was uncovered. There was a circular cut in the bedrock below, probably a grain pit, which on the basis of chronological relationships resulted as pre-dating the 12th-14th century.

  • Cristina Iovenitti - Università degli Studi dell’Aquila 
  • Roberta Leuzzi - Università degli Studi dell’Aquila 

Director

  • Rosanna Tuteri - Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell’Abruzzo

Team

  • Carmine Malandra - Università degli Studi dell’Aquila
  • Giovanna Petrella - Università degli Studi dell’Aquila
  • Fabio Redi - Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Dipartimento di Storia e Metodologie Comparate

Research Body

  • Università degli Studi dell’Aquila – Dipartimento di Storia e Metodologie comparate

Funding Body

  • Provveditorato alle Opere Pubbliche

Images

  • No files have been added yet