This excavation is the result of a chance discovery. The site comprises a series of ancient riverbeds which must relate to the ancient river Auser (Serchio), the course of which moved progressively northwards partly due to a series of floods. The earlist traces of frequentation on the river bank date to between the 6th to 5th centuries B.C., after which a series of floods (to date five have been identified between the 2nd and at least the 7th centuries A.D.) deposited the relics of at least 21 boats in the river bend, some of which are amongst the best preserved from antiquity. (Andrea Camilli)