This was the second campaign undertaken by the University of Chieti-Pescara on the site of Piano at Navelli (AQ), where in 2013 part of a necropolis of pre-Roman earth graves had come to light.
This season, the trench was extended by c. 15 × 13 m towards the north. Remains were uncovered that were attributable both to the occupation phase linked to the use of the necropolis, to the subsequent medieval and modern phases, relating to agricultural activities or the regulation of the regulation of the water regime on the Navelli plain, and to recent grave robbing.

In the necropolis, the graves were seen to be arranged in circular groups situated a short distance one from the other. Indeed, the arrangement of the 92 burials identified to date, suggests the existence of at least two nuclei (partially investigated) whose edges overlap. As far as could be seen, the groups of graves seem to be arranged around circular central spaces, left empty around a single burial that was earlier than the others and dug at a lower level. It is possible that these tombs mark the beginning of the planned layout and belong to high-ranking individuals.

Both of the central tombs, investigated this year, were those of adult females placed in large graves with rich grave goods, which have been attributed a preliminary dating of between the late 7th and early 6th century B.C. The tombs of the same phase and the later ones were in a radial arrangement, at a certain distance one from the other. This suggests that the two earliest graves were originally covered by an earth tumulus, later removed by modern agricultural activity, which would justify their shallow depth, as documented in other cemeteries in the territory of L’Aquila (Fossa, Bazzano etc.).

The other adult burials were, as in the 2013 trench, at a much greater depth, reaching 2-2.5 m. This year’s excavations uncovered seven adult male burials datable to the period between the early 6th and the early 5th century B.C., and one of the same type attributable to a later period of the necropolis, between the mid 5th and the full 4th century B.C.

Only three of the adult burials could be attributed to female individuals (as well as the two earliest tombs mentioned above) and they dated to the early 6th and early 5th centuries. The adult burials were characterised by tomb groups that included weapons (males) and personal ornaments (females), with the typical group comprising a jar and vessel to be used as a ladle placed at the feet. In some cases, single open forms placed on the legs.
The remaining 16 burials found intact were those of sub-adults (from perinatal to juveniles) in smaller graves usually only containing personal ornaments.