The island of Lazzaretto Nuovo has a surface area of about 60,000 m2, and lies in Venice’s north lagoon, 30 m west of the island of S. Erasmo. Its maximum height is 2 m a.s.l. Towards the north-east, a series of shelves and sandbanks that emerge at low tide suggested an ancient link with the S. Caterina marsh. This link was confirmed by the presence of submerged archaeological remains. Excavations have been ongoing since 2008, directed by Prof. Giordana Trovabene of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, coordinated by Dr. Marco Bortoletto under the supervision of Dr. Alessandro Asta of the Veneto Archaeological Superintendency.

The new campaign, with an international team, explored an area located in a central southern part of the island next to one of its two caselli _ da_ _ polvere_ (gunpowder stores). The excavation’s main aim was to investigate the depth of the stratigraphy in the area considered by the historical sources to be the oldest on the island. Overall the new excavations covered an area of about 30 m2, organised within quadrants A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4 of the new grid, as well as a new trench opened alongside quadrants 14, 15, and 16. The site identified in 2010, was extended in 2012 which exposed structures relating to the ancient quarantine building and several foundations of medieval date, probably connected with settlement on the island pre-dating its use as a lazaretto.