The University of Tuscia, in collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendency for Lazio and South Etruria, began a series of archaeological investigations following surface and geophysical surveys on the site of San Valentino (Soriano nel Cimino, VT), situated on promontory overlooking the Tiber valley. Once the excavation area had been identified, the layers of collapse covering the entire surface of a church (20 x 8 m). The building’s perimeter was exposed, revealing a church with a single aisle and apse, on a north-east/south-west alignment, memory of which had been completely lost. Given the considerable size of the area, it was decided to only deepen the excavation in half of the building, choosing the sector towards the apse. The removal of the layers of collapse revealed what must have been the floor level (the paving was not preserved), which was used from the structure’s origin for burials, one of which still _in_ _situ_. This was an earth grave, without grave goods but in primary deposition. It can be associated with a larger cemetery that is visible around the building itself and delimited by an enclosure wall inside which there are numerous monolithic sarcophagi. The deepening of the excavation uncovered enough of the perimeter walls to make it possible to document the construction technique. Observation of the wall provided further confirmation of what the plan itself indicated regarding dating. The size of the building and the construction technique correspond with those used in the Romanesque period in the territory of Viterbo, suggesting a 12th century date. In particular, the modules used for the stone cutting, which do not exceed 27 cm in height, find parallels in construction techniques present in some examples of Romanesque churches, for example, San Pietro in Tuscania. However, small differences can be seen in our building, both in the working of the blocks and in the way they are positioned in some parts such as the apse and the perimeter walls, which certainly indicate the use of different builders; and a long period of use, as documented by a late 15th century document. On the other hand, the first cleaning of the area in the immediate vicinity of the building revealed traces of the rooms abutting it, evidence of the long occupation of the site. Furthermore, there are numerous “pestarole” (vats/structures for pounding-crushing), single, with drainage channels, linked one to another and of various forms. It is not certain what they were used for but it probably relates to agricultural-farming seasonal or occasional activities, which involved the use of liquids. A preliminary study of the finds suggests they cover the entire chronological span, which runs from the mid 12th century to the modern period.

In 2016, the excavation inside the cult building was extended in order to clarify the function of a wall identified at the edge of the excavation. The enlargement of the trench area revealed the repair of a floor surface that probably occurred after the church was abandoned. Excavation also continued in the sector next to the apse where the discovery of a burial in 2015 suggested the necropolis levels had been reached. The removal of the layers down to natural, constituted by travertine bedrock, instead revealed the presence of at least two pre-existing walls. In fact, both in the northern perimeter and in the apse foundations two walls were identified that were different in construction technique and orientation, clear evidence of their earlier date. So far, it has not been possible to establish their form or function. The most surprising element is the total absence of burials, suggesting the cemetery area was situated exclusively outside the church and that the burial inside it was as isolated example probably dating to the post-abandonment phases of the building. The deepening of the excavation also exposed all the perimeter walls and their foundations, which is fundamental for researching the construction technique and organisation of the building site. Traces of structures abutting the church had emerged during a first cleaning of the area immediately adjacent to it, suggesting the area was used over a long period. Therefore, it was decided to excavate in a small quadrangular room, interpreted in published material as the bell-tower, in order to identify the stratigraphic sequence and the structure’s function and use. The excavation of this small area brought to light numerous sarcophagus fragments, none in primary deposition, attesting the existence of the cemetery area immediately outside the church. Interesting considerations can be made regarding the stone fragments, which a preliminary study suggests seem to substantially pre-date the Romanesque church. In particular, an inscription seems to date to a phase that is no later than the 4th century A.D. The excavation also showed walls that appear to belong to completely different phases. Although sarcophagi were found, there were no _in_ _situ_ burials, the large amount of anthropological remains recovered seem to have been disturbed and moved, presumably because of the site’s long use.

The promising results from the 2016 campaign strongly influenced the strategic choices for this season’s campaign, which concentrated exclusively on the area outside the cult building. Firstly, the excavation of the structures abutting the eastern perimeter of the church was extended and deepened (Sector II) and, given the lack of intact stratigraphy and the need to acquire information about the perimeter wall delimiting the plateau, a new trench was opened about 20 m west of the apse (sector III). The collapsed layers relating to the perimeter structures of the church, present in the extension to sector II were removed. Once the anthropized levels already identified during the previous campaign were reached, excavation continued in a uniform manner across the entire surface. The removal of the collapse layers revealed another room, rectangular in plan and with a stratigraphy that was only partially similar to that identified in 2016, in that, the necropolis level characterised by “a cassone” burials was not present below the collapse. Instead, occupation levels covered the bedrock in which a cemetery of anthropomorphic graves of the “a logette” type had been created. In particular, a burial was uncovered in which, in addition to the deceased in primary deposition, the remains of three more individuals were identified. This suggests that interventions took place in the pre-existing cemetery when the Romanesque church was constructed. The deepening of the excavations in last year’s area produced some interesting results. The removal of the “a cassone” tombs showed that they had cut a pre-existing cemetery of anthropomorphic graves. In sector II, an area was opened that was chosen based on the geophysical survey results, which showed numerous anomalies in the proximity of the curtain wall surrounding the plateau. The excavations immediately uncovered the continuation of the wall, built of small travertine blocks bonded with clay, a construction technique that appeared much later in date than that already visible. At about -0.50 m, the travertine bedrock began to appear. It had an irregular surface with sharp changes in height, some of which were filled and levelled with dumped soil and gravel. The bedrock also presented numerous traces of working and postholes, whose function remains to be determined. The deepening of the excavations exposed two walls, which joined the continuation of the curtain wall with which they shared construction technique and date, and seemed to form a small room. Part of a sarcophagus was found inside the room, probably reused as a vat for working the clay used during the construction of the walls. Below this level, the bedrock emerged in which more anthropomorphic graves had been cut, showing the early medieval cemetery to be quite large. This season, more finds were recovered from the excavation than last year. The preliminary study indicates a chronology running from the Classical period until the 12th century. The finds were mainly ceramics and stone, recovered from the removal of the layers of collapse and underlying levels. Some metal objects and coins also began to appear. As in the previous campaign, sector II produced a large quantity of stone and ceramic material, in addition to numerous architectural elements in the collapse. In the same sector, intact stratigraphies emerged attributable to the occupation phases of the Romanesque church, as attested by pottery, coins and metal objects datable to the 11th-12th century. None of the burials contained grave goods, probably because they were robbed at the time the church was built. Sector III produced a smaller number of finds, almost exclusively pottery, but confirmed the long occupation of the area between the Classical and Modern periods.

_Settore I_ Con l’ausilio di un mezzo meccanico si è provveduto allo scavo della superficie interna all’edificio di culto risparmiata nel 2016 e, una volta individuati i livelli di crollo già documentati negli anni precedenti, si è deciso di interrompere le operazioni, anche in una futura ottica di fruizione del sito. Dallo scavo di questo settore sono emersi i frammenti mancanti della vasca in peperino già individuata nel corso della campagna 2015 e numerosi elementi architettonici della chiesa romanica che sono stati schedati e trasportati presso i depositi del costituendo Museo Archeologico dell’Agro Cimino. Inoltre, sempre avvalendosi del mezzo meccanico, è stata scavata la superficie antistante l’ingresso alla chiesa che ha consentito di individuare un livello pavimentale in lastroni di peperino. _Settore II_ In primo luogo si è proceduto a terminare lo scavo dei livelli di necropoli già individuati e parzialmente scavati nel 2017. Le operazioni hanno consentito di scavare diverse sepolture “a logette”, di cui solo una accoglieva l’individuo in giacitura primaria. Quest’ultima è l’unica, fino ad oggi provvista di un corredo consistente una fibula in bronzo, attualmente in corso di studio. Con l’obiettivo di ampliare le conoscenze sull’estensione della necropoli altomedievale si deciso di scavare una piccola superficie a sud del settore che ha restituito, in primo luogo, la presenza di livello orizzontale costituito da blocchi spianati di peperino che fanno pensare ad una viabilità di servizio all’edificio di culto. Se in questo caso le ipotesi interpretative sono ancora del tutto da verificare è certo che la presenza di eventuali tombe altomedievali sia stata cancellata dalla messa in opera della sistemazione stradale, elemento ipotizzabile anche dal rinvenimento di una sepoltura a ridosso del limite sud di questa. Anche lo scavo di questo settore ha restituito numerosi elementi scultorei appartenenti alla chiesa romanica e diversi Oggetti Scelti. La ceramica proveniente dallo scavo, attualmente in corso di uno studio più approfondito è abbastanza omogenea in tutti gli strati e non da una cronologia certa per questi. Ci testimonia soprattutto le fasi di frequentazione successive all'abbandono della chiesa, vista la presenza prevalente di ceramica comune di epoca moderna, ceramica da fuoco invetriata e non, ceramica depurata, ceramica invetriata e decorata in giallo e verde tipica della produzione di Vetralla, Vasannello e Gallese (fine XVI-XIX secolo). _Settore III_ Si è proceduto all’ampliamento della superficie di scavo con l’obiettivo di collegare il settore di scavo con l’edificio di culto e di chiarire le relazioni tra le strutture di quest’ultimo e quelle individuate nel 2017. Con l’ausilio di un mezzo meccanico è stata ripulita tutta la superficie, compresa quella retrostante l’abside e, una volta giunti a livelli stratigrafici ritenuti affidabili si è deciso di approfondire lo scavo solo nell’area attigua ai settori II e III, ritenuta la più interessante dal punto di vista delle relazioni stratigrafiche. L’approfondimento ha consentito l’individuazione di stratigrafie perfettamente integre, contenenti materiali ceramici di epoca medievale che, ad una prima valutazione, sembrano essere coevi alle fasi di vita dell’edificio di culto. Di particolare importanza, nell’area Nord-Est del settore, l’individuazione di una depressione del banco utilizzata come ossario, probabilmente nelle fasi di cantiere della chiesa romanica che ha reso necessaria la bonifica della necropoli altomedievale. Inoltre, sempre dallo stesso settore, sono emerse stratigrafie integre riconducibili alle fasi di frequentazione della chiesa romanica, come testimoniato dal rinvenimento di materiale ceramico, monete e oggetti metallici cronologicamente riferibili all’XI-XII secolo. Tuttavia, seppur il materiale è in corso di studio, l’indagine di questa piccola superficie ha messo in evidenza un intenso sfruttamento di questa zona, come tra l’altro testimoniato dal rinvenimento di una macina lungo il limite S.