This season, as part of the “Mapping the via Appia” project the trenches were extended and the field survey on the stretch of the via Appia between the modern roads via Erode Atticus and Casal Rotondo (V and VI miles) continued. The following work was undertaken:
1) Excavation immediately north of the northern tumulus, but further west than the 2017 trench;
2) Excavation to the east, west and south of the southern tumulus ‘degli Orazi’;
3) Excavation of the monumental tomb directly south of the southern tumulus ‘degli Orazi’;
4) Recording of all the archaeological remains present in this sector of the via Appia;
5) 3D reconstruction based on digital photographs.

Trench 1 mainly concentrated on the north-east side of the north tumulus and the terrain to its north, further west than in 1917 and west of the various beaten earth layers found in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The excavation of the structure built abutting the west perimeter wall of the tumulus itself, parallel to the road and sidewalk, was extended. The foundations of several rooms were exposed and the presence of water supply and drainage pipes suggest this was a shop selling water.

Trench 2 aimed to establish the precise outline, shape, and construction of the perimeter wall and dating of the south tumulus, as well as the relationship with the mausoleum to the south of it and the interventions carried out by Luigi Canina in the 1800s. To date no evidence has been found that can be used to establish a precise chronology for the tumuli.
Trench 3 revealed the remains of various funerary monuments, all rectangular but of different sizes. Two are datable to the late 1st century B.C. or the early 1st century A.D., one to the 2nd or 3rd century A.D and one to the 4th century A.D.

The work to record the archaeological remains on the stretch of the via Appia between the modern roads via Erode Atticus and Casal Rotondo (4) consisted of mapping the monuments with DGPS, photographs and drawings. The main aim is the creation of an archaeological map of the area in question, which will serve as the base for a more detailed analysis of this stretch of the via Appia in the suburbs of Rome and eventually a cultural biography of this sector. This season, the 3D documentation (5) of the monuments adjacent to the via Appia itself, and immediately behind it was perfected. This will be used to develop the GIS/SIT 3D, which forms the base of a scientific and popular visualisation of this part of the via Appia.