This season, Milan University’s excavations concentrated exclusively on sector D, towards the centre of the ancient basin of the Lavagnone, in an area that is usually still marshy. However, this year, as in the previous one, the environmental conditions were exceptional: a notable lowering of the water-table simplified the excavation logistics and, in particular made it possible to deepen the investigation of the stratigraphy only making occasional use of the water-scooping machine.

The aim was to complete the excavation of a cumuliform deposit (ES 4016) dating to the early middle Bronze Age. The deposit was formed by a series of thin undisturbed layers in which lenses of charcoal and ash, food remains (fauna), seeds and botanical remains, sometimes burnt, accumulations of large pottery fragments, often reconstructible, were present. In addition, there were numerous structural timber elements, in both horizontal and vertical position. This deposit can be interpreted as a series of dumps from dwellings raised above ground level. The context, entirely datable to the BM 1, differs from other coeval complexes at Lavagnone in its structural characteristics of palafitte type: structures at ground level in horizons Lav. 5-6 documented by Perini’s excavations in sector I and the materials in secondary deposition used to reclaim the area documented by Milan University’s excavations in sectors A, B and E.

Secondly, a deep trench was opened in order to check the characteristics of the lower part of the archaeological deposit and of any cultural horizons present. Although of limited size, natural was reached at c. -4.70 – -4.80 m below present ground level. Given the scarce quantity of materials found and the deposit’s characteristics, it is suggested that in this area corresponding with the shore of the ancient Lavagnone basin the first occupation documented by substantial anthropic activity dates to the BM 1, and that the early Bronze Age is only attested by sporadic materials in anaerobic levels formed by thick layers of gyttja.

This deep excavation brought to light several exceptional timber finds: two hollow oak tree trunks, interpretable as canoes, found next to each other in a vertical position among the palafitte structures. In one of the canoes, there was a plank and an oar. In addition, a complete and unused yoke was found. The exceptional nature of these finds suggests that a more extensive area should be excavated in order to acquire further elements that will aid in the understanding of this sector of the basin within the overall picture of palafitte settlement at Lavagnone.