This season a number of trenches were opened a short distance from each other. Following deforestation and clearance operations undertaken to expose a stretch of the megalithic walls of the southern side of the curtain facing the Matese mountain, attention was concentrated on the gates in this side: the ‘Postierla del Matese’ and the ‘Porta Medioevale’. In both cases the structures were surveyed and recorded, in the first case using a laser scanner and UAV, in the second case using direct recording which was then checked by laser scanning and photogrammetry.

The use of UAV technology made it possible to make a complete graphic reproduction of the long stretch of ancient wall, highlighting its line, overall construction technique and the accurate and careful preparation and positioning of the stones. The same can be said of the medieval walls abutting the internal face of the ancient wall. These walls ran towards the hill summit on a north-south alignment and were joined by a series of narrower walls at right angles. It is suggested that they define a series of rooms arranged in a row and sharing the same rear wall, but further excavation will have to be carried out in order to confirm this.

The second trench was put in on the south side of the so-called turret. Excavation was undertaken here as this is the summit area, in other words an area that was probably an acropolis in antiquity and still a public zone in the medieval period. The turret is known in literature; however the few previous studies lack a adequate plan and elevation drawings at a useful scale. Moreover, the 2013 excavation revealed new evidence regarding its construction and the system anchoring it to the terrain. This new evidence suggests that this structure was not, as thought until now, a public reception structure and watch tower.

At the south front of the turret and on the summit area the excavation revealed a series of walls and rooms whose size and double wall thickness, on at least two sides, suggests they were public buildings. A trench situated to the west of the turret exposed what appeared to be the perimeter walls of a modest house.

Excavation and digital recording to integrate what was begun in 2012, was undertaken inside the church of S. Martino located on the far western edge of the hill summit, just inside the Porta dell’Acropoli that opens in the ancient walls. (Maurizio Matteini Chiari – Valeria Scocca)