The excavation is situated on the southernmost outcrop of Capo S. Elia in the territory of Cagliari. The area is formed by a plateau at 138m a.s.l. Archaeological material dating from the 6th-5th millennia B.C. has been recovered in various zones such as the Grotta di S. Elia (Early Neolithic), the grottoes of Bagnale Penale (middle Neolithic), S. Bartolomeo and I Colombi (Early Neolithic) and the open air sites of Marina Piccola (Early Neolithic) and Il Poetto (Middle Neolithic). A “domus de janas” is present in the area of S. Bartolomeo. Bronze Age material was found in the above mentioned grottoes and sporadic nuragic material was found although no remains of megalithic structures emerged. The area under excavation is characterised by evidence which dates from the Phoenician-Punic period to the present. The remains of a temple dedicated to Astarte in the Punic age and to Venus in the Roman period contain elements of a water supply system ( a large system datable by typology to the Punic era, a demijohn-shaped cistern of Punic tradition but also present in Roman contexts at Cagliari and a water supply system whose components are not yet clearly defined). The medieval period is attested by the ruins of a Pisan coastal watch-tower dating to the 13th century. The ruins of the church of S. Elia date to a later but undefined period. The church, known in the 11th century and in ruins in the 17th century was probably built above part of the temple. In 2005 surveys were undertaken in the area in order to define the extension of the site in the area of the temple of Astarte/Venus and related structures. These led to the identification of a massive footing in opus caementicium of uncertain date situated near the Pisan tower, of a group of walls in the area between the church ruins and the Punic cistern, which were probably part of the temple placed on the declivity, and of a spread of pottery characterised by black glaze pottery, late-Punic commercial amphorae and fragments of coroplastic terracottas. (Alfonso Stiglitz)

In 1861, Filippo Nissardi found a Punic inscription (3rd cent. B.C.) with a dedication to Astarte at Capo S. Elia di Cagliari, which was published by canon Giovanni Spano. Between 2002 and 2008, a series of surveys documented the site’s extension, revealing its importance. Preliminary bibliographic research had shown that no archaeological work had been undertaken in the area where the inscription was found. In 2008, the first excavations took place in an area where walls were present. Although it is not certain that the walls belong to the medieval church of S. Elia, the presence of a cult structure at least renders plausible the church was built stood in the area previously occupied by the temple of Astarte, perhaps reusing, completely or partially, the pre-existing building. This hypothesis is supported by the presence, in the thickness of the walls, of the surviving structures of what is thought to be a chapel built of massive limestone ashlar blocks, but which could relate to the pre-existing Punic temple. While the vegetation and turf were removed from the excavation area, a surface survey of the entire hill began (ongoing). This investigation identified a series of elements of great interest: 1) about ten quarry faces on various sizes, situated in diverse sectors of the hill. At present neither their exact dating nor the use made of the quarried materials can be established; 2) clear cart tracks running in the same direction as the present road used by the military, but whose origins can plausibly be attributed to the Punic period; 3) a wall c. 60/70 cm wide, of which only one course was visible, that ran for 200 m parallel to the track at about 2 m from it; 4) pottery fragments attributable to the Republican and early imperial periods found in the area of the ex Stabulario and on the western slopes of the part of the hill were the Fort of S. Ignazio stands; 5) stone cists (quadrangular and circular) of c. 1 m in width, whose structures recall Punic tomb types.

The second excavation campaign began in 2009 and concluded in 2010, continuing the investigations started in 2008 in the area where walls perhaps belonging to a medieval monastic complex were present. The excavation revealed a vast area (30 x 6 m) paved with mortar occupying the zone north-east of the walls. Although some patches were missing, the floor was well-preserved. It appeared to be stratigraphically connected to a stretch of wall, of which three large blocks remained, that continued on from the long channel that drained water into the so-called ‘Roman cistern’, already identified in Spano’s time. The floor also appeared to be divided into at least three rooms, of which traces of the walls were visible. The floor had also been cut in several places by holes of various shapes and sizes, whose use is at present unknown. Another floor level, at about 20 cm lower than the first, was visible in the section created by the old excavations in the area immediately south of the walls of the so-called ‘chapel’. Therefore, it appears that there were two occupation phases, but this will need to be confirmed by further excavation. Lastly, south of the walls there were several large blocks just visible above the ground that appeared to be _in_ _situ_ and perhaps belonging to the Punic temple.

During the third campaign excavations were carried out to the south-east of the zone investigated in 2008 and 2009. This area is behind the Pisan tower where, among the vegetation of agave and Mediterranean maquis, part of a wall was visible. The excavation uncovered a rectangular structure on a north-west/south-east alignment. Two of the long sides and part of the short north-west side were preserved, while the short south-east wall is still hidden by vegetation and will be investigated in the future. The structure was c. 13 m long and 6.80 m wide, with a side entrance, perhaps secondary, with two steps leading to the interior. Inside the structure were the remains of a floor of square terracotta tiles and a bench running along the north-west wall. The situation on the other side is not yet clear apart from the presence of pillars, one of which _in_ _situ_ although it had collapsed across the room. The perimeter walls were preserved to a maximum of one metre in height and traces of plaster were still visible. The building had collapsed towards the south-east, as attested by the perimeter wall that had fallen outwards (but lay still intact presenting a height of 4.80 m and 4.70 m in width) and the pillar mentioned above. In the southern part of the excavation, an alignment of three large ashlar blocks and part of a lime floor surface were uncovered, which appeared to be connected with a similar situation identified further north during preceding campaigns. This may represent the organisation of the area prior to the construction of the rectangular building consisting of a large paved area delimited by a large wall that extended as far as the structure, situated at about 30 m further north. Future excavations will attempt to clarify the relationship between this floor, the large ashlar blocks and the rectangular structure which, although much later that the first two, seems to have incorporated them in some way. The rectangular building could perhaps be interpreted as part of the church of S. Elia al Monte, in its final phase of restructuring dating to the 17th century, funded by the inhabitants of Quartu Sant’Elena, and attested by a manuscript of 1720. This dating was also confirmed by the excavation finds. The manuscript also mentions the destruction of the church: “despues al año 1717 fuè d(ich)a ig(lesi)a devastada delos españoles q(ui) entraron en Caller a fuerza de armas; y non dexaron mas q(ue) las paredes…” (I. Farci, Quartu Sant’Elena. Arte religiosa dal Medioevo al Novecento, Cagliari 1988, pp. 187-188).

The work during this fourth campaign took place in two different sectors of the excavation area. The area was extended to the north-east, towards the Pisan tower, in order to clarify the plan of the rectangular building uncovered during the 2012 campaign. The excavation exposed the presbytery and the base of what was probably an altar confirming the identification of the structure (21.30 x 6.80 m), suggested in 2012, as the church of S. Elia al Monte, already known in the sources, in its final 18th century form, as confirmed by the finds that dated to this period. While the church was being excavated both the interior and exterior of a modern building were cleaned and excavated. Situated near the excavation area, this structure will become a stopping place along the visitors’ pathways on Capo Sant’Elia, presently being set up by Cagliari town council. The excavations under the building did not find any walls, but produced a large quantity of finds including numerous fragments of black glaze pottery and amphora dating to the Punic and Roman phases of the site, thus confirming the presence of a Punic temple in the vicinity. Financing of 100,000 euro already assigned for 2015 should permit the completion of the church excavations and identification of the pre-existing archaeological remains situated outside the structure. The wide extent of the remains favours excavation as the church only seemed to be built on a small part of the area. As in preceding seasons, investigations into the rock-cut water supply system will continue, both on the plateau, where a “demijohn” shaped cistern is situated, and on the slopes, as far as the large cistern. The aim is to clarify its extension, organisation, and relationship with the structures identified in the area around the church.