This was the third campaign of excavations on the site of “Le Mure” at Jesolo, carried out by the School of Medieval Archaeology – the University of Cà Foscari, Venice. Three new trenches were opened covering a total surface area of c. 440 m2. Areas 4000 and 5000 were situated immediately south of UTS 3000 and north-east of UTS 1000, while UTS 6000, the largest area, was situated by the path dividing the excavated zone from the remains of the cathedral, and therefore south of the other areas.

The first occupation traces, dating to the 7th century A.D., were found in all trenches at c. 40 cm below present ground level. Very little of the early medieval stratigraphy was preserved due to centuries of ploughing, some of which deep. Despite this, nine more burials were uncovered (adults, sub-adults, and infants) to be added to the 35 excavated during previous campaigns. The cemetery area was large and well-organised and the terminus post quem was provided by the enchytrismòs burials in transport amphorae that were in use until the late 6th – early VII centuries. This cemetery phase can be associated with the Early Christian basilica, excavated between 1963 and 1987, and therefore the skeletal remains can be compared with the osteological sample from inside the church.

In area 4000 (partially excavated), in addition to the burials two large concentrations of building materials and ceramics were documented, deriving from the abandonment of structures used during the 5th-6th centuries. There was also a well, dating to the late antique occupation, built of reused brick/tile fragments. The fill of the wellhead contained numerous pottery fragments (in particular late antique amphorae and ARS), some fragments of white marble slabs, and a worked stone element, probably a threshold.

In area 5000, the most important evidence was a quadrangular vat with a lime-mortar floor (200 × 170 cm), sloping slightly from south-east to north-west, situated in the north-western sector of the excavations. The vat’s morphology, c. 20 cm deep, suggests the presence of a wooden structure that would have rested on top of its walls. At present, there are no parallels for a structure of this type, which can probably be associated with a specific production activity, perhaps a mixer for making the lime itself, used as bonding material in construction on the site.
However, the 2015 excavations concentrated on area 6000 where a large building with at least 12 rooms, all of similar size, was uncovered. The building is aligned south-east/north-west, like other residential structures found in other sectors during previous campaigns. Almost all of the rooms had structured hearths, constituted by a rectangular brick platform surrounded by a cordon of brick fragments placed on edge.

The commercial function of the settlement was confirmed by the numerous coins found throughout the building. The abandonment and destruction levels showed substantial and widespread evidence of fire.
Like the previously investigated late antique structures, the building technique was characterised by the presence of reused brick/tile fragments in the foundations and walls made of perishable materials. However, there was widespread use of worked stone elements, in particularly several large examples used for thresholds arranged along the building’s south-western side.
The finds and materials indicate that the building had at least two construction phases, between the 4th and 5th centuries.