Research focused on the late Pleistocene levels within the cave (squares 17, G8, H8, 18, J8, K8, L8, M8, H9, 19, J9, L9, H10, I10, L10, H11, H12), as well as in those on the exterior of the talus (squares Ex2 and Fx2). Some unstable areas which had in part collapsed also made this necessary. The excavation of square H11, the outermost trench located at the entrance to the cave, was extended to the adjacent H12, which had been affected by a great collapse of rubble, in order to investigate where the latter rested, and also examine possible effects of ancient earthquakes. Great masses of collapsed rubble are also found along the slope beneath the cave, geologists specialized in the recent tectonics of the Abruzzo Appennines have been contacted for the study of this phenomenon.

The general aim of the excavation was to obtain a better understanding of the area which had been repeatedly occupied during the late glacial period, and to try and correlate the internal levels of the cave with those brought to light in the external talus. The discovery of a point a cran from the deposits within the cave allows us to confirm that the Early Epigravettian is present not only in the talus, but also in this part of the site, where until now only the Epigravettiano finale had been identified, followed by the ancient Mesolithic and rare traces of the Neolithic.

The excavations this year also identified some habitation structures: a small hearth immediately overlying the collapsed levels found at the base of the archaeological fill recovered so far and therefore part of one of the earliest occupation phases of the cave; and a pit, relating to one of the latest levels of the late Pleistocene sequence. This can be interpreted as linked to cooking activities, and is similar to other examples recovered previously in another part of the cave, but in slightly earlier levels.

During this research campaign the presence of rock art was discovered on the walls at the back of the cave: a small relief of a vulva, a second small vulva whose image was depicted by modifying a natural crack, and finally a deep but short horizontal groove. The plan and the recording of these elements will be completed in 2010. The preliminary observations suggest, on the basis of the typology of the images and their height, that they relate to the occupation phases of the industry of the Final Epigravettian, for which we have a radiocarbon date of around 12.000-13.000 bp (=calibrated date of c. 12.500-13.500 BC).