This excavation involved a settlement known in the written sources from the beginning of the 11th century (it was first mentioned in a document of 1004) with the aim of discovering its pre-castrum origins and following its development until its final abandonment during the 14th century. The site’s morphology was characterized by two large defensive ditches which divided the available space in two. One of the ditches divided the aristocratic area from the “borgo”, whilst the entire inhabited area seemed to be built on artificial terraces cut during the early medieval period. Previous excavations established the diachronic evolution of the settlement which showed evidence of occupation from the 8th century onwards. At the beginning of the Carolingian period (9th-10th century) the first urban layout took shape with wooden huts on the summit area, many of which can be interpreted as deposits for the collection and preservation of food stuffs produced in the surrounding area. The settlement must have grown up around a large central hut, in part obliterated by the remains of a 12th century stone palace. This building was surrounded by service structures and flanked to the south by a circular hut with wooden floor boards, where bone and horn were worked. This part of the settlement was delimited by a wooden palisade which ran along the two defensive ditches, dug during the same phase, and by the north and east slopes of the hill. From the mid 10th century the buildings on the summit were restructured and rebuilt using a mixed construction technique. The huts had a stone base and walls in perishable material and the palisade was replaced by a wall built of stones and wooden stakes bonded with clay. From the end of the 11th century the site was transformed: the huts were replaced by stone buildings and a great enclosure wall was built which surrounded the entire castrum. It emerges from the sources that following the dispute between the Gherardeschi, the noble family who owned the territorial rights to Mirandolo, and the bishop of Volterra, the castle was sold during the course of the 13th century to a local family, the Cantoni di Pontieri. Their ownership continued until the sale to the Broccardi family in 1276 who then ceded the property to the municipality of Pontieri in 1336-1337. During 2005 the investigation concentrated on part of the summit area which probably belonged to a 9th-10th century curtis and to a part of the “borgo”. The excavation campaign of 2006 concentrated on four different areas and revealed an archaeological deposit corresponding to the site’s occupation between the 8th century and the end of the 13th century.

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During the 2010 campaign work continued on the north slope of the summit area (Area 1), in a zone up against the early medieval ditch and outside of the castle’s curtain wall. Of great interest the earliest evidence relating to a mining tunnel linked to metallurgical activities characterising the first settlement phase (7th century A.D.). The context was cut and “uncovered” by one of the two terraces identified by the north cliff, created during the period of the Frankish village/farm used for the storage of surplus agricultural produce. The subsequent period (end of the 10th-beginning of the 11th century) was attested by a masonry footing on which walls made of perishable materials must have rested. This structure may be interpreted as a fortification closing the mouth of the ditch. With the construction of the masonry castle (mid 11th-first half of the 12th century) the area was abandoned and used for dumping rubbish outside the curtain walls. In the south-western part of the castle, abutting the western access (Area 11), an early medieval sequence was identified, constituted by a hut dwelling datable to the 9th-10th century obliterating an earlier storage area characterised by the presence of grain pits (8th century). For the phases relating to the 11th-12th century castle a tower was excavated which flanked, on the south side, the gate identified during previous campaigns. The traces relating to the continuation towards the south of the curtain walls were very slight, but its line was reconstructable on the basis of the related collapses. With the final occupation phase (mid 13th century), following a substantial levelling undertaken to raise and even-up the occupation surfaces, the area was transformed into an open space. In the zone immediately above (Area 15) the investigation of the cult building identified in 2009 continued. As well as determining, on the basis of the walls, the presence of three distinct phases datable to between the second half of the 10th century and the first half of the 12th century, the excavation of the context exposed an exceptional sequence constituted by at least three early medieval timber churches (7th-mid 10th century). Investigation of the cemetery area close to the church, probably to be associated with one of the church’s masonry-built phases, continued. Lastly, at the foot of the poggio, a new sector was opened (Area 17) with the aim of defining the overall extension of the early medieval settlement. An open space was identified below a succession of levels that may be interpreted as dumps from the building site relating to the construction and rebuilding of the circuit walls (mid 11th- first half of the 13th century). This was crossed by a track that must have led to the summit area during the occupation of the first incastellated settlement (last quarter 10th century-first quarter 11th century). An area of passage, flanked by levels of dumped material, also characterised the phases attributable to the village/farm of 9th-10th century date. The earliest traces found to date in the area are from an occupation context characterised by the presence of post holes, floor levels and a hearth, perhaps relating to the phases preceding the manorial village.

The eleventh excavation campaign took place between the 29th August-28th October and reopened areas begun in previous years. The excavation on the northern slope of Area 1, up against the early medieval ditch, was extended so that it joined Area 14. The excavation of Area 11 was extended towards the south and east, by the gate opening in the west side of the castle’s defensive walls, to join Area 15. The latter was extended in order to investigate the western part of the plateau. Lastly, work continued in Area 17, situated outside of the circuit walls, at the base of the hill in correspondence with its eastern boundary. The excavation strategy was to dig the entire context, including areas outside the castle, a strategy which produced excellent results for the understanding of the diachrony of the population in the early medieval period. The results from the last campaigns dated the first occupation of the hill to within the 7th century A.D. (period VIII). Originally, this was a centre based around iron-ore mining and iron making activities. In particular, the development of the mining area on the northern slope was better defined. An actual mining system was documented, comprising, at present, a main tunnel from which a shaft opened containing a mechanism for raising the mined ore and a sort of chamber “facing” onto the main gallery, from which at least one secondary cuniculus was accessed which develops in Area 14. A perfectly preserved, semi-rock cut hut was identified in the western part of the settlement. The excavation also produced further data regarding its development into a rural complex during the 8th century (period VII), with the identification on the south-eastern part of the hill of a vast storage area for dried foodstuffs, surrounded by a palisade. The zone is probably to be associated with the presence of the wooden church excavated in 2010 and situated immediately east of the area with the grain pits. In the 9th-10th century, the settlement saw urban restructuring and changes in its economy (periods VI-V). The 2011 excavations clarified some of the suggested working hypotheses, showing the presence of structures related to this phase in Area 17, situated at the foot of the hill. Overall, the evidence attested a well-organised early medieval settlement with a population superior to that present from the 11th century onwards, as if, in reality, “incastellamento” represented a recession in the demographic history of the site, this specific aspect to be linked to changes in productive strategies and control over the peasant families.

La dodicesima campagna di scavo ha avuto la durata di otto settimane (3 settembre - 26 ottobre 2012) e si è incentrata su aree già avviate negli anni precedenti (Aree 1, 11, 14, 15 e 17), cui se ne è aggiunta una nuova all'interno della cinta muraria sul versante nord (Area 18). Per la fase del castello in muratura (seconda metà XI – XII secolo), sul versante sud-occidentale si è individuato un ulteriore breve tratto di circuito murario, mentre nell'area ai piedi del poggio si è interamente indagato un _ateliér_ metallurgico. Sul versante settentrionale, al lato interno delle mura si appoggiava un edificio in muratura di notevoli dimensioni finora solo parzialmente scavato e forse da interpretare come sede della guarnigione militare. In particolare, si tratta del rifacimento di un edificio simile in vita già durante la fase del primo insediamento incastellato a cavallo fra X e XI secolo e realizzato su zoccolo in muratura con elevati in legno; un altro edificio abitativo, dello stesso periodo e realizzato con la stessa tecnica ma di dimensioni molto minori (ca. 6x3,50 m) si è individuato sui terrazzi più settentrionali del poggio: si tratta della prima evidenza di questo tipo individuata esternamente alla cinta muraria del castello in pietra, a ulteriore conferma di una contrazione dell'insediamento che avviene nel corso dell'XI con la realizzazione del castello in pietra. Dai versanti settentrionali esterni alla cinta provengono anche tutte le tracce riferibili al villaggio/azienda curtense di IX-X secolo scavate nel corso di questa campagna, fra le quali spiccano alcune evidenze riconducibili all'organizzazione dell'area sommitale (la chiusura orientale dell'allargamento della palizzata effettuato in funzione dell'area di immagazzinamento delle derrate alimentari e, al suo interno, una probabile struttura adibita a tessitoio). Più complete sono le evidenze relative al villaggio di VIII secolo. In particolare, sul versante sud-occidentale del poggio si è completato lo scavo della vasta area di insilaggio già indagata l'anno scorso, individuando fra l'altro nuove fosse granarie, uno spazio aperto con attività agricole e la chiusura meridionale della palizzata che racchiudeva interamente questa porzione del sito. Sul versante nord, invece, una limitata zona di insilaggio e una probabile officina di fabbro sono da mettere in relazione con una capanna “distintiva” scavata nelle scorse campagne. Tutti questi dati confermano l'economia sostanzialmente agricola del villaggio e contribuiscono a delineare un'immagine piramidale delle gerarchia sociale che connota l'insediamento. Infine, le indagini sono proseguite anche all'interno dell'area cimiteriale dove, relativamente allo spazio indagato, si sono raggiunte le inumazioni più antiche, con ogni probabilità da mettere in relazione alla prima chiesa in muratura (tardo X secolo) e all'ultima fase della chiesa in legno (IX-X secolo). (Marco Valenti)

The 13th excavation campaign on the site of the castle of Miranduolo (Chiusdino, Siena) concentrated on extending existing trenches and the opening of a new sector (Area 19): - Area 11 (south-western part of the hill) was enlarged to the east, exposing the line of the curtain wall dating to the end of the 12th century and a series of occupation layers relating to the “incastellamento” phases in the centuries of the mid and late medieval period. - The extension of Area 14 towards the west (northern part of the hill, outside the curtain wall) continued excavation of contexts relating to the 12th century castle and a 8th century A.D. blacksmith’s workshop. - In Area 15 work continued in the cemetery area east of the ecclesiastical building (Quadrant B1) in order to understand the stratigraphic deposits and therefore date the various phases of the necropolis and the occupation prior to its creation. - Excavations continued in Area 17 at the base of the hill, mainly concentrating on the early medieval deposits left unexcavated during the previous campaign, with occupation phases beginning in the 8th century and continuing without interruption until the late 10th century. In addition, excavation of the metalworking structure, dating to the end of the 11th-beginning of the 12th century, was completed. - Area 18 (north side inside the wall) was extended towards the west in order to complete the excavation of the succession of buildings in use from the late 10th to the 12th century. In the final part of the campaign a structure for the storage of dry foodstuffs, dating to the 8th century, was partially investigated. - Area 19, the only new trench, was opened in the western part of the north sector, north of the necropolis. The main object of investigation was a building dating to the late 11th-12th century probably relating to the church area as its south wall was formed by a wall delimiting the perimeter of the religious complex.

This was the 14th campaign and this year’s excavations concentrated on extending pre-existing areas. In Area 11 (southern part of the hill) the slight traces of the circuit wall, dating to the second half of the 11th century (running parallel to the late 12th century wall), were definitively identified. Several occupation phases datable to the middle centuries of the Middle Ages were documented together with a section of timber palisade that must have enclosed the entire hill during the life of the 9th-10th century village/farm (_curtis_). Area 14, situated outside the castle curtain wall on the left side of the hill, was extended to the west. The excavations uncovered the continuation of the midden used during the castle’s occupation (late 10th -12th century) and the presence of various traces of the construction site for the building of the circuit walls. The earlier medieval terraces were identified but not excavated. In 2015, excavations will begin with the investigation of the 8th century productive contexts, on which work was suspended at the end of this and the preceding campaign. In Area 15 the excavation of the cemetery east of the ecclesiastical building (Quadrant B1) continued with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the stratigraphic deposits and therefore of the dating for the various phases of inhumations. At the southern edge of this sector of the excavation, the wall dating to the second half of the 13th century under which the burials continued was removed. Area 18, situated immediately inside the curtain wall on the north side, was slightly extended towards the west to include the entirety of the buildings occupied between the late 10th and 12th centuries, most of which were excavated during previous seasons. The investigation of the early medieval phases concentrated on the terracing along the curtain wall. Postholes attributable to a hut and other structures belonging to the 9th-10th century village were identified. The excavation was completed of the 8th century warehouse in the north-east corner of the area that belonged to the blacksmith’s “quarter”, which mainly extended over the underlying terraces in Area 14. Area 19 was extended north as far as the curtain wall in order to fully investigate a building dating to the late 9th-12th century, abutting the wall and situated close to the building excavated last season. An alignment of large postholes running parallel to the curtain wall was identified, probably relating to the palisade that enclosed the hill when the 9th-10th century village/_curtis_ was occupied.

La campagna di scavi 2016 si è concentrata in quattro aree di scavo: sul versante nord della collina andando a indagare il piano compreso tra le Aree 18 e 19 a nord e 15 a ovest (area 15 quadrato B3), l’ampliamento di area 20 indagata nel 2015 intorno alla chiesa, la prosecuzione del quadrato B2 di area 18 (unendosi ad area 19), e area 21, immediatamente ad ovest della platea. In area 15 quadrato B3 lo scavo ha messo in evidenza la prosecuzione di una viabilità di XIII secolo già parzialmente scavata negli anni scorsi. Al di sotto di tale strada la geomorfologia del poggio era stata modificata tramite una serie di livellamenti di notevole spessore, che hanno regolarizzato i terrazzi realizzati tra l’altomedioevo e l’XI secolo. Al di sotto di tali livellamenti, verso nord-ovest, lo scavo ha messo in evidenza l’angolo di una casa in muratura già parzialmente scavata nel 2013 e una nuova galleria mineraria ben conservata di VII secolo. In area 20 lo scavo ha permesso di indagare circa 20 sepolture: tra queste segnaliamo in particolare una in muratura (unica a Miranduolo), localizzata sotto la soglia di ingresso della chiesa e quindi in posizione privilegiata. Un’altra tomba ha evidenziato la presenza di due _pectines_: quindi si tratta di un pellegrino di X secolo. Nel quadrato B2 di area 18 lo scavo ha messo in evidenza una diramazione della viabilità di XIII secolo già individuata nel vicino quadrato B3 di area 15. Al di sotto, abbiamo scavato una capanna di IX secolo in armatura di pali e con forma quadrata e una precedente (VIII secolo?) struttura con planimetria diversa, parzialmente tagliata dalla fondazione della cinta muraria di XI secolo. In area 21 invece, abbiamo individuato un magazzino datato al pieno X secolo, costruita con la tecnica del palo dormiente. Lo scavo ha permesso di rinvenire discrete quantità di resti archeobotanici, ceramica da conserva e da cucina e alcuni resti archeozoologici.