During the course of the restructuring of the entrance and stair-well of Palazzo Martinengo in Via Quarda Superiore in the historic centre of Savona a record was made of the stratigraphy. In fact, Palazzo Martinengo is part of the later layout of the medieval quarter called the Quarda, one of the aristocratic contrade of Savona. From its origins in the late 12th century it developed in long blocks of tower houses, one of which is incorporated in Palazzo Martinengo, and terraces of buildings arranged like an amphitheatre on the sea-front. Below the flooring in use at present, datable to the 18th century, two earlier floor levels were identified together with a drainage system which produced 17th century material including polychrome majolica and white and blue majolica of Savonese production. An imposing layer of fill or dump was also uncovered. This had been put into place in order to adapt the post-medieval building to the differences in level originally existing between what remained of the hilly ridge on which the block stood and the line of the beach which the medieval quarter overlooked. (Francesca Bulgarelli, Giuliana Righetto)