This small open area excavation was opened in order to clarify the stratigraphy in the zone situated west of the “large oak” at the centre of the so-called Bosco dei Fontanassi. In this zone, one of the sondages dug in 2014 (n. 39) showed the presence of a level with abundant lithics (US 6) below the humus and overlying the layer that originated during the Last Glacial Maximum (US 8).

An area of 4 m2 was opened and a grid of 50 cm squares set up. As part of the recording process, each individual find visible during the excavation was positioned using a total station. The sediment collected in each quadrant was dry sieved in order to recover the smallest finds.

The sequence confirmed what was seen in trench 39 in 2014 and comprised three layers: US 5, a greyish, friable organic horizon containing abundant micro vegetal remains in various stages of decomposition, corresponding with the surface layer; US 6, a medium density silty layer with organic substances, skeleton of abundant small cobblestones and calcareous concretions; US 8, clay-silt layer containing calcium carbonate inclusions, and incorporating some yellowish-grey moderately coarse sand, datable to the Last Glacial Maximum.

The presence of lithic artefacts was documented starting at US 5 and the top of US 6, where they were associated with various modern materials, particularly brick fragments, but they appeared to be concentrated towards the base of the last layer and the transition with US 8. This transition appeared gradually as part of US 6 progressively became greyer in colour. In fact, there was a concentration of peaty organic material at the top of US 8. The latter was investigated for the first 3-4 cm only in quadrant Q. A moderate number of finds were still present, contrary to what was documented in sondage 39, where the layer was defined as sterile. As the season ended, it was not possible to continue the further investigation of the situation or check whether these artefacts represent a second occupation phase or whether bioturbation and the processes of pedogenesis had caused them to move down from the layer above.

Overall, the excavations led to the recovery of 262 lithic artefacts and sieving led to the retrieval of 247 more. A first analysis confirms the attribution of the site’s occupation to the Mesolithic period, more precisely to the late phase (Castelnovian). This is the first deposit from this period to be investigated stratigraphically in the Veneto plain, although over a limited surface area to date.