Summary
- This survey project belongs to the overarching San Vincenzo project (1980-1998) that began with excavations at the monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno. The field survey was envisaged as a key element of the research programme from the outset. The archaeological field survey of the upper Volturno valley was conducted in 1980-81: it was designed to examine the context of the Benedictine monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno and to define the relationship between this early medieval monastery and its dependent communities. The field survey allowed for the identification of ca. 200 prehistoric and Roman archaeological sites and for the assessment of the long settlement history characterising this territory. In 1985 the survey focused upon the plateau above San Vincenzo al Volturno on Monte Mare where a possible Roman transhumance encampment was excavated.
Project Dates
- 1985
- 1980 1981
Periods
- No period data has been added yet
- 125500 BC
- 100000 BC
- 1000 AD
- 2000 AD
Survey Method
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- The 1980-81 survey covered the area suitable for agriculture in order to locate classical sites: therefore much of the limestone landscape and the tecto-karstic basins were not considered by the survey because assumed to be less favourable for classical farms. Five landscape unit types were selected based on Chris Wickham’s study (1985) which coincide with the landscape classification proposed by Ruud van Otterloo and Jan Sevinck for soil studies (1991; 1981). Between six to eight persons working in two teams covered the survey areas divided in kilometre grid squares. The archaeological data were recorded on IGM 1:25,000 maps photographically reproduced to a scale of c. 10,000. The members of the team were spaced at intervals of 15-30 m depending on the terrain conditions. The primary goal with this survey strategy was to investigate classical settlement systems. Three categories of archaeological contexts were used: scatters (off-site archaeological material), sites (artefact concentrations with high and well-defined material density) and near sites (off-site scatters that had a consistent material increase at the edge of land that could not be surveyed). In view of the subjectivity of this classification, no distinction was made in the field and each unit of collection was bagged and numbered using sequential numbers. In total 195 sites were recorded in this way and described using standardized forms. No sites of early medieval date were discovered in this territory. In 1985 the survey focused upon Monte Mare and aimed to locate archaeological and transhumance features and to identify a potential site for the excavation. A team of three people covered the area at a distance of c. 10 m and identified 74 sites dating from prehistory to the present day which were classified in 6 site types.
Research Focus
Other Comments
- Research Directors: Kim Bowes, Karen Francis, Richard Hodges; Field Directors: Peter Hayes, Frederick Baker ............................................................................................................................. This record has been produced by the Fasti Online Survey team within the framework of the KNIR student internship 2020 'Digital Field Survey Archaeology'.
- The main goal of this project is to relate the monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno to its physical environmental and early medieval settlement context. The survey aims to test the continuity in settlement occupation of this mountain environment from the classical to the early medieval period. Another important aspect of the survey was an examination of the potential of the area for agrarian settlements in the longer term.
Funding Body
- British Academy, British School at Rome, Craven Fund, Leverhulme Trust, M. Aylwin Cotton Foundation, Society of Antiquaries, University of Sheffield, University of East Anglia, comune of Colli a Volturno.
Research Institution
- The British School at Rome
Director
-
Director
- Kim Bowes
- Karen Francis
- Richard Hodges