The 2006 excavation at the Grotta Continenza examined the lower part of the deposit. Numerous remains of fish and micro-fauna were recovered: the remains of large mammals were found mostly in a vertical position in the spaces between the stones. Two punches, a painted bowl and several flint tools were found in a horizontal position. The find of a columbella rusticoides shell is to be noted. The whole area showed few traces of Mesolithic industry, both of the Castelnovo and Sauveterra types. The human bones come from the burials below that were disturbed by animal burrows. (MiBAC)

Excavation of the deposit involved the area within squares 4-5-6-7/BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG, where at the end of the excavation the top of a layer attributable to the Mesolithic/Sauveterrian period had been reached. In order to simplify the reading of the stratigraphy the cuts denominated 21, 21 brown, 22 and 23 were grouped under the generic title cut 1, this was also due to the uniformity of the gravel in which it was not possible to clearly distinguish individual layers. Cut 1 was almost sterile but produced a few bones, flints artefacts and pottery fragments from the “Guadone” type vases that were found in previous campaigns. In squares 4 FF/GG a heap of stones, denominated cut 1B/1, came to light. It was fairly regularly aligned in a north-east/south-west direction and was probably the result of the Mesolithic occupants freeing the area of stones in order to make space for the large hearth feature 24 F. The excavation of this layer revealed, in correspondence with its outer limit (4/5 FF), a clear change in the slope of the deposit. It remains to be seen whether this was caused by the cut of a ditch, the contact between two different layers (the exterior and interior deposits), to the crushing of the sediment caused by the accumulation of stones above it (feature 1B/1) or to a layer of large stones below. The hearth feature 24 F was excavated and the floatation of the deposit produced an abundance of charcoal. Among the finds were flint flakes, a number of pierced dove shells, an unfinished geometric, a serrated implement, a small scraper and a large burin. In 6DD, in a more internal position than the hearth, another patch of ash was excavated, perhaps relating to the cleaning/emptying of the hearth itself. Feature 25 in squares 4/5 BB and CC were removed in order to reveal the top of feature 26 across the entire excavation area. Feature 25 was only identified in the most external part of the excavation, as it was almost certainly the result of gravel which had slid from outside the cave towards the interior and had stopped by the cave mouth. Therefore, the hearth of feature 24 (Castelnovian) was directly in contact with the greyish coloured feature 26 (Sauveterrian). Of interest in square 7 DD a gravel feature of quadrangular shape with sharp corners, of circa 10 x 5 cm, with a red patch (almost certainly ochre) on two of the larger surfaces. In square 4 DD cut 1B a fragment of deer antler and two bone fragments from large mammals, perhaps belonging to the same animal, were found. Furthermore, human skeletal remains relating to the lower limbs (feet) of an individual were found in cut 2 (in the new classification for the interior of the cave), squares 4/5 FF and GG.

The 2010 campaign at Grotta Continenza (Trasacco, AQ) took place from 2nd-12th August. The excavation of the deposit contained in quadrants 4-5-6-7/BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG, continued with the removal of the roof of level 26. In this level the patch of ash (26 ash) identified in the previous campaign, seemed to extend into quadrants 4-5-6 BB and CC. The edges of this layer were marked and then its removal began: here the deposit was compact, gravel free and grey in colour, turning to black towards the edges. Below the grey level 26 the roof of level 26A began to appear in quadrants 4-5 BB-EE, which seemed to dip below a substantial accumulation of stones which occupied the strip 4-5 DD. The hypothesis suggesting the situation revealed by the trench inside the grotto (strip of quadrants GG up to the wall) was completely different to that under excavation at present, gained strength. It is probably that the trench inside the grotto had already uncovered the roof of the paleolithic deposit. In 6 DD-EE, at a depth of -423 cm, a further two ash patches appeared in quadrants 4-5 BB-EE perhaps relating to the emptying/cleaning of the hearths present near the entrance. It was decided to record and remove the accumulation of stones present in quadrants 4-5 DD. As hypothesised this revealed the roof of level 26A which was uncovered across the rest of the excavation layer following the removal of the layer of ash. Moreover, in order to check the correlation between the external and internal deposits of the grotto cleaning was undertaken in the strip of quadrants 7 DD/GG, where finally the roof of level 2, characterised by reddened stones in a black matrix, emerged across the entire area. In 6 GG part of level 2 was removed below which emerged the stones already seen in the internal trench and belonging to level 2B/3. These probably relate to the final paleolithic occupation of the grotto. Among the finds were a few scattered human skeletal remains (phalanges, teeth, a child’s rib, a cranium fragment), an abundance of micro and macro fauna and rare elements of lithic induatry (none of which diagnostic).

The 2012 excavations continued work in spit T. 26: the deposit in 5 and 6 CC mainly comprised small (< 5 cm) yellowish stones with a few of medium size in a dark brown matrix. The area being excavated was occupied by medium sized stones (10-20 cm) among which were some human bones. Once the stones had been planned and their levels taken (completing work begun in 2005), they were removed. Within this layer of stones was a residue that had filtered from spit T. 26 grey. Below the stone layer was the yellow gravel (fine to coarse) of spit T. 26. In 4 DD, there was still some residual blackish deposit from T.26 grey, overlying yellow stones (5-10 cm in size).The “step” formed by quadrant 6 CC was removed in order to create a squared, more even excavation surface. Spit T. 26, formed by fine to coarse gravel and stones, was removed. The roof of spit T.27 was exposed, from which other stones and gravel emerged, incorporated in a dark brown/black matrix. Like the overlying layers it sloped steeply towards the cavern’s interior. T. 27 presented a brown/black matrix with some fine gravel and a few small stones. Towards the base medium sized stones appeared across the entire surface of 6 CC, which sloped steeply from exterior to interior. Among the stones were numerous snail shells (at a level of -4.50 m). The roof of T. 28 was exposed in 5 BB and CC, characterised by reddened medium sized stones. T. 28 was also characterised by abundant stones and gravel and a black/brown matrix. Two Sauveterre points, some ochre, two _columbellae_, human bones and a boar’s tusk were found in 4 CC T. 26 and 5 BB T.27. All of the spits sloped steeply towards the interior, while the deposit was sub-horizontal across its width. The roof of T. 28 was also exposed in 4 BB and CC, now present in the area which stretches from the section 3/4 to the wall on the right side and, towards the bottom, as far as the section CC/DD. In 4 CC, where section 3/4 met CC/DD, the deposit is different. It has a greyish matrix with fine gravel that seemed to be the result of the crumbling of the blocks that had collapsed from the cavern’s vault. A fragment of bone punch was found in 4 and 5 AA (t. 26 and 27). The revision of the sections was also completed. There are problems over the denomination of spits T. 23-24-25, unfortunately relating to two transitions, Neolithic to Castelnovian and Castelnovian to Sauveterrian, but only in the sections BB/CC quadrants 8-10.