The 2007 excavation campaign on the Late Bronze Age settlement of Sorgenti della Nova investigated four sectors: Vb, VIII, X and XI, partly continuing the work undertaken in previous years.

Sector Vb, at the base of the southern slope of the rock, was reopened in order to continue investigation of a structure of considerable extension, partially explored in the 1990s. This was a long “ditch” structure (4 × 2 m), uncovered for a length of over 30 m. Previously only a 4 m length had been completely explored and its function was seen to be residential. The ditch had been intentionally filled in the Late Bronze Age. This year a second stretch of 4 m was explored, in a point closer to the western end, where one of its entrances was situated. Only the layers of collapse sealing the structure were removed and they produced a large amount of Late Bronze Age pottery.

Sector VIII, situated at the eastern end of the rock, was partially investigated during previous years. Of interest the presence of the so-called “Scala Santa”, a structure of rock-cut steps dubitatively attributed to the proto-historic period, which is thought to constitute an antecedent to a particular type of Etruscan altar. This year the excavation area was extended with the aim of discovering whether structures were present on the rock that could definitely be dated to the Late Bronze Age and how invasive the presence of medieval structures was. The latter were identified earlier during a field survey.

Starting at the edge of a medieval quarry (later reused as a dwelling) excavated between 1997 and 2001, a strip of humus, 3 m wide and 34 m long, was removed in the direction of the tower dominating the settlement, until the small plateau at its base was reached. At this point the excavation was widened. Numerous post holes and cuts in the rock were uncovered, datable to the medieval period. On the plateau at the base of the tower the foundations of a rectangular room built of small tufa blocks were found, overlying an earlier square rock-cut structure. This has yet to be explored and thus cannot be dated.

Work continued in sector XI, on the north side of the rock. Here in 2004 exploration began of a cave, with signs of proto-historic and medieval working. The investigations continued in 2005 and were concluded in 2006 having brought to light, below the medieval floor level, a layer rich in Etruscan pottery, both archaic and Hellenistic, with residual Bronze Age elements. These finds highlighted the notable analogies in plan and typology with cave 19 in sector IX which also showed faint traces of Etruscan occupation.

This year exploration was extended to the space in front of the cave entrance, constituting a sort of “dromos” or “ante-cella” to the cave itself. Meagre patches of stratigraphy were preserved only in proximity to the entrance to the main cave and date to the medieval period. A number of post-holes were present in the floor, none of which showed the signs typical of proto-historic working. No traces were found of any terracing at the front, which, if it had existed, probably eroded away naturally.

In 2002 the perimeter of a large rock-cut structure filled by a collapse of large boulders was identified in sector X on the south side of the rock. The removal of the collapse over half of the structure revealed evidence of a sporadic occupation of medieval date, comprising a rough low dry-stone wall and small concentrations of archaic majolica fragments. The floor was exposed in 2006 but without finding any evidence of proto-historic occupation. This year the floor was cleaned in the half excavated in the previous year, revealing a large number of post holes, some almost aligned so as to create internal divisions in the structure. The removal of the collapse in the other half also began, although the bottom was not reached.