This season the excavations on the Bronze Age palafitte site of Lavagnone ( a UNESCO World Heritage site) took place in two separate sectors. In sector D, a swampy area close to the centre of the basin, the mid Late Bronze Age (BM3) and Early Bronze Age (BM1) levels were investigated. The link between these two horizons remains to be clarified as the sequence may mark a break in occupation in correspondence with the full Middle Bronze Age (BM2A) period. As regards the BM1, the investigation continued of a dump of material identified and only partially explored in 2013, formed by structural timber posts, probably of the palafitte type, currently being analysed and dated. The accumulation presented several stratigraphic contexts (us 4016, us 4027, us 4026), and was characterised by abundant occupation evidence: pottery, seeds and faunal material such as food remains and charcoal. A preliminary interpretation dates the entire accumulation to the BM1 phase. In order to investigate the BM3 phase, it was decided to extend the trench towards the east, increasing the area by about 10 m2, and explore the most superficial and latest deposits, as this phase is, to date, only known at Lavagnone in sector D and with some slight traces in sector E.
In sector E, the campaign concentrated on completing the excavation of the mid Early Bronze Age deposits in the north-eastern part of the trench, characterised by a substantial zone with cobblestones and interpreted as a land reclamation intervention, so as to reach the same phase across the entire excavation area and link up with adjacent sector C. The peaty gyttja layer (mud formed by partially decayed peat) was exposed across the entire area, which deepened substantially. The heads of posts from an underlying palafitte emerged and remain to be excavated, but were observed over an area of almost 130 m2. Secondly, work was carried out on the western edge of the sector, where the excavation edge was badly deteriorated, and the section in danger of collapsing (sect. 3000). This made it possible to investigate a context of the advanced Middle Bronze Age, characterised by two lenses of yellow silt bedded on a small level of charcoal (us 3111), interpretable as residual patches of dwellings situated at ground level.