In July 2008 the first excavation campaign took place at the Scogli di Apani within the territory of the Nature and Marine Reserve of Torre Guaceto. The Scogli di Apani are situated at circa 2.5 km south-east of the Torre Guaceto promontory and circa 400 m from the coast, covering an area of less than 2 ha. Paleo-environmental studies indicate that in this period the sea level was at least 3-4m lower than at present. Such conditions suggest the reconstruction of a context in which the present wide bay, south of the promontory of Torre Guaceto, would probably have been an extensive and lush coastal plain, with numerous pools of water fed by the Reale and Apani channels and with the islets (Torre Guaceto and the two forming the Scogli di Apani) being joined to the mainland. The excavation looked at two different areas (circa 60 m2) revealing the presence of structures and materials belonging to a Middle Bronze Age village. Dwellings were indicated by post holes and abundant wall plaster, as well as by numerous fragmented impasto pottery containers on the floor surfaces. These huts, inside which numerous clay, bone, flint and semi-precious stone artefacts were also found, had been destroyed by a fire whose effects were clearly visible in the baking of the wall plaster, the presence of carbonised vegetal material and the re-firing and deformation of several pottery vessels. Hut 1, of which only a small area (circa 3x3 m) was excavated in sector 1 of Trench A (quadrants D8/9), produced numerous impasto containers, mostly closed forms, fragmented in situ beside a large hearth slab. This had been renewed several times with the use of layers of pottery fragments and/or cobbles covered with a layer of clay. This evidence, associated with a small accumulation of carbonised acorns suggest that this space was destined for food conservation and/or preparation. The remains of hut 2 occupied the whole of Trench B (quadrant G10), although the structure itself was certainly larger. Evidence of the hut comprised accumulations of plaster which had formed following the burning of the timber supporting structures, the presence of a beaten floor surface in which there were 5 post holes and, lastly, a large quantity and variety of artefacts found on the floor itself. The many impasto pottery vessels were mostly small and medium open forms used for food consumption. A number of bone spatulas and punches, bone and pottery spindle whorls, several flint implements and a number of semi-precious stone implements (hammerstones, millstones, small grindstones, small axes and a few objects of personal ornament) completed the finds. Two hearth slabs with a foundation layer of broken pottery were found side by side in an area that was perhaps marginal to the structure. A few metres to the south/south-west of hut 1 a stretch of what was possibly a cobbled pathway was uncovered running along the inner side of a dry-stone wall, presumably a defensive structure on the land side of the settlement. Today this wall is preserved for a length (north-west/south-east) of circa 15 m, has a maximum width (N-NE/S-SW) of just under 10 m and a maximum height of circa 3 m from foundation level. The remains of this structure can also be seen on the other islet of the Scogli di Apani.

In July 2009 the second excavation campaign was undertaken on the Scogli di Apani within the Nature Reserve and Protected Marine Area of Torre Guaceto. The excavations were undertaken at the same time as Trench B/2008: this sector (quadrato G10) was extended to cover an overall area of 90 m2 with the aim of obtaining a completer reading of the plan, structures and function of the so-called Hut 2. Once the trench had been laid out and the 2008 excavations uncovered, the surface layer and humus below were removed. The excavation of the underlying archaeological levels provided a check on the stratigraphy identified during the 2008 investigations and immediately brought to light several post holes and a moderate amount of pottery, probably relating to the occupation and collapse of Hut 2. These deposits were particularly evident along the north (sectors B11, B12 and B16) and east (sectors B21, B23 and B24) of the excavation area where specific pottery closed and open forms, also partially reconstructable, were identified. Numerous fragments of plaster from the hut were often situated in correspondence with the edges of accumulations of stone which may represent what remained of possible masonry footings. As regards the deposits, the evidence collected along the east and west sides of the new excavation showed continuity with what had been uncovered in 2008. In the western strip the excavation of numerous medium to large closed pottery containers was completed, which probably formed a small storage area inside the hut. Other sporadic material relating to small to medium sized open forms (cups, bowls and ladles) was also recovered. In sectors B17 and B18 a hearth slab was almost completely excavated. This comprised a clay slab, of sub-circular shape (circa 60 x 80 cm) surrounded by a raised clay cordon decorated with deep transversal impressions, overlying a layer of pottery fragments. Although such structures are rather common in regional prehistoric contexts the particular decoration suggests that this is unique. Further, the slab itself (another example was found and partially excavated in 2009, sectors B13-B14, and two were identified in 2008, sectors B1-B4) was partially covered by a number of large plaster fragments and surrounded by large quantities of carbonised acorns (perhaps stored in containers of vegetal material such as baskets or sacks). This may suggest the intensive use of this spontaneous “fruit” in the diet of the period and, more specifically that this slab (and perhaps what surrounded it) was used for processing this food stuff. Among the stone artefacts found were a number of small cobbles showing clear traces of wear (these may be interpreted as small strikers and/or burnishers) and several flint flakes and implements. Several small bone punches were also found, often in association with localised accumulations of marine mollusc shells (especially murex, mussels and limpets) suggesting their use in the opening and consumption of shellfish. A preliminary morphological and typological analysis of the pottery from the 2008 campaign (Hut 2) and an initial examination of the finds from this campaign show a persistence in the vase repertory of some characteristics clearly relating to the Apulian proto-Apennine _facies_.

Nel 2010 a causa del venir meno della gran parte dei finanziamenti previsti non è stato possibile svolgere la campagna di scavo programmata a prosecuzione delle indagini svolte nel 2008 e 2009 nell’area dell’insediamento dell’età del Bronzo degli Scogli di Apani. Nel periodo compreso tra il 19 luglio ed il 7 agosto si sono tuttavia svolte presso il Laboratorio di Archeologia della Riserva di Torre Guaceto alcune attività volte a dare continuità al programma di lavoro sul sito. Un primo intervento è consistito nella realizzazione di una breve e mirata campagna di trattamento conservativo preliminare, schedatura ed inventariazione di una selezione di materiali archeologici relativi alla campagna di scavo 2009. In particolare si è operato su un nucleo di materiali ceramici ad impasto provenienti dalla Capanna 2 la cui documentazione consente di ampliare la conoscenza relativa ai caratteri tipologico-formali e funzionali di questa produzione, integrando dunque il precedente insieme ceramico già processato l’anno precedente. È stato possibile inoltre svolgere alcune attività di revisione ed elaborazione della documentazione e dei dati scavo relativi alla stessa campagna di indagini 2009 finalizzate all’ampliamento della pianta di fase della stessa Capanna 2 ed all’implementazione dell’analisi spaziale dei rinvenimenti effettuati al suo interno. Contestualmente si sono anche svolte alcune attività di rilievo topografico sul sito volte al completamento della documentazione generale d’area; la presenza del gruppo di lavoro sul maggiore degli Scogli Apani ha consentito inoltre lo svolgimento di alcune operazioni di controllo delle coperture dei saggi di scavo e di mappatura dei materiali archeologici presenti in superficie a causa del dilavamento dei depositi archeologici portato dall’azione erosiva degli agenti meteo-marini.

In June and July 2011, the third campaign of archaeological investigations took place on the Scogli di Apani within the nature and marine reserve of Torre Guaceto. These excavation concentrated on SAS b, in particular the northern strip of the trench with sectors B10, B11, B12, B13 e B14 (2x10 m) and the south-eastern corner with sectors B6, B9, B23 e B24 (3x4 m). In the first case, the excavation begun in 2009 was completed, reaching the occupation levels of Hut 2 and its floor. In the second case, a stratigraphic sondage below the floor levels of the same hut began. In sectors B10-B14, below layers US 100 and US 101 (top soil, already removed in this area in 2009), was the collapse of structure US 124. In this layer a number of small to medium sized postholes began to appear, together with accumulations, some quite substantial, of pottery and impasto, in some cases the upper sections of large parts of containers still in situ, mostly contained in the occupation level of Hut 2 (US 173) and sometimes resting directly on the floor surface (US 179). Two new hearth slabs were identified (US 197, sectors B13-B14: sub-circular form, diameter circa 70-80 cm; US 208, sectors B11-B12: circa 2.30 x 1.80 m) which, added to the three already uncovered in the same area in 2008 and 2009, makes a total of five within a context of a few tens of square metres inside Hut 2. In the same sector B12 (SW quadrant) the skeleton of a young dog, still articulated, were discovered. The way the skeleton lay and the spatial and functional context of the find spot may suggest that this was not the accidental death of animal trapped in the building at the time of the fire, but an individual destined to be eaten or perhaps used for ritual purposes. Overall, the investigation of the northern strip of SAS B has added to knowledge regarding both the plan and, above all, the distribution and characteristics of the functional areas. The opening of a sondage in sectors B6, B9, B23 and B24 below the floor of Hut 2 attested the presence of a structure, for which data is at the moment limited, but that is of great architectural and archaeological interest. Among the pottery recovered, the diagnostic elements suggest a horizon that is slightly earlier than that of Hut 2, and therefore relating to cultural elements that are more markedly Proto-Apennine.

This was the fourth campaign on the Scogli di Apani within the Nature and Marine reserve of Torre Guaceto. Work took place in trench B (investigated in 2008, 2009 and 2011) over an area of about 90 m2 where the remains of part of a hut (Hut 2) were uncovered relating to the Middle Bronze Age (first half of the 2nd millennium B.C.) village present on the site. The 2013 excavation continued the exploration of area SAS B (quadrants B6, B9, B23 and B24) where in 2011 a _sondage_ (c. 12 m2) produced clear evidence for the potential of this type of investigation. Indeed, the remains of a structure (Hut 3) were found immediately below Hut 2, identified by the presence of collapsed walls (daub and several baked clay structural elements), masonry-built footings and a large number of artefacts (including an intact impasto cup, a large flint core, several fragments of a large pottery storage vessel, and a number of bone spatulas). The trench was extended to include quadrants B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B18, B19, B21, B23 and B24, covering an overall area of c. 40 m2. The removal of the Hut 2 floor levels immediately revealed the deep layers of collapse characterized by the presence of daub showing heavy fire damage and numerous layers of burning (UUSS 195, 196, 213, 214) containing abundant pottery. Sizable portions of large impasto storage vessels (jars, vases, and dolia) were recovered from sectors B8, B9, B23 and B24. In most cases, the fragments of these containers were in primary deposition on the beaten clay floor, broken _in situ_ when the structure collapsed on top of them. A number of small, almost intact containers were recovered including two _pyxes_ with lids, a ladle/pourer, and two hourglass-shaped supports. A large accumulation of impasto storage vessels was also identified in quadrant B3 where, below a conspicuous pile of daub fragments, an impasto cooking dish was found (US 214.1). About 35-40 cm in diameter, it had four small protruding handles placed opposite each other around the rim. The surface was decorated with a cruciform motif of lightly impressed lines. Numerous artefacts of smoothed stone (including a possible “archer’s bracelet”, US 213.3), flaked stone, and bone (particularly spatulas and punches) were found. Finds made from hard animal material were also present such as a spatula made from a boar’s tusk US 195.59. A large assemblage of anthracological, carpological, and faunal remains was collected, which included numerous remains of fava beans, and a large accumulation of deer and boar bones in quadrant B23 showing the effects of contact with heat (US 195). Land and marine molluscs were also recovered. At this point in the excavation, the few postholes identified to date and the short section of masonry footing present in quadrant B6 do not provide enough evidence for a concrete hypothesis regarding the plan of this structure (or structures). Among the pottery associated with Hut 3, the diagnostic fragments identified during the excavation seem to date to a horizon that is only slightly earlier than that of Hut 2 and therefore associated with cultural elements that are more markedly Proto-Apennine.