In May-June 2006 and 2007 excavations continued on the Hellenistci necropolis of “Buche delle Fate”, south-east of the Poggio del Molino, conducted by the University of Milan’s department of Pre-Roman Archaeology in collaboration with the Archaeological Superintenedency of Tuscany.

A superficial clearance was undertaken over the area of the promontory already investigated, in order to check the presence of other burials at a lower level. This revealed a further eight tombs: two cremations in “wells” and six inhumations in earth graves (one empty) most of which disturbed or only partially preserved.

In particular, tomb 23, robbed in antiquity, contained only a few fragments of amphora and black glaze vases, but its complex hypogean structure was still legible: a short narrow dromos with two high steps cut into the natural and a flat section sloping slightly downwards, led to a small sub-circular chamber, partially cut into the bedrock. Further, the spring line for the collapsed pseudo-dome could be seen; a small sub-rectangular pit of unknown function opened on the south side of the chamber.

Tomb 27, on a north-south alignment, was covered with large slabs wedged into place with a series of irregular shaped large stone chips. The tomb had partially collapsed but presented a large tomb group, placed directly along the right side of the deceased. Two table amphorae constituted an unusual find for the part of the necropolis documented to date. Unfortunately they had been smashed by the collapse.

The excavation was extended to the zone immediately north of the terrace facing the sea, where the narrow pathway leading down to the “Buche delle Fate” and continuing towards Cala Buia, climbs steeply to reach the ancient Via dei Cavalleggeri. An intact tomb was found (t. 25), in line with a disturbed structure, found in 2004 (t. 12). This was a hypogean structure with a short entrance on the long side of a sub-rectangular chamber. Collapsed slabs from the covering were found inside the entrance. The numerous grave goods, some particularly precious, were placed along the left side of the deceased and in part inside a small quadrangular pit excavated in antiquity in the tomb floor. The assemblage comprised vases in black glaze ware, coarse wares and plain buff ware, some of which painted. Of particular interest an omphalos patera from Cales with a complex stamped decoration. Also of interest, but in a very bad state of preservation, a bronze disc with a bone frame.

The discovery of the remains of a cremation in a pit burial and traces of a second, as well as the remains of a biconical urn in secondary deposition, confirmed the presence in this area of a Villanovan necropolis. This was in a precarious state due to interventions in the Hellenistic period and the activities of tomb robbers. However, it provided new elements of great interest, particularly as it is hypothesised that the lower stretch of the city walls, still of uncertain date, from as early as the Iron Age, followed an earlier suburban boundary delimiting groups of burials.

As regards the Hellenistic phase (3rd-2nd century B.C.), the excavated tombs confirmed the extension of the cemetery area discovered close to the sea, partially coeval with that known at a higher altitude. It remains to be seen, as the new data would seem to suggest, whether there was continuity between the two sectors. In this sense the importance of the presence of burials along the slope above the rocky cliff, in an area closer to the chamber tombs of the “Buche delle Fate”, must be stressed.