This season’s excavations produced significant results. The identification of numerous new structures (huts), in part presumably dwellings and in part perhaps attributable to production activities, indicate (taking into consideration what has emerged from a re-examination of the excavation results from the 1960s, 70s and 90s and last year’s results) that Monte Croce Guardia was the site of a very large settlement (at least 16 ha). The settlement appeared continuously occupied from a late phase of the Recent Bronze Age, when several settlements situated immediately downhill seem to have been abandoned, and the last phase of the Final Bronze Age (late 13th – 10th century B.C.). A preliminary examination of the 2016 finds has not confirmed the presence of Copper Age structures, a period in which the site was however occupied, as indicated by some of the finds from the 2015 excavations.

The site’s potential appears particularly interesting for what it can tell us about the internal organisation of a Late Bronze Age settlement within a territory that is of great importance for the period, also taking into consideration the vicinity of the cremation cemetery of Pianello di Genga, about 8 km away.

This season’s excavations took place in the area adjacent to those of 2015, uphill from the saddle linking the two summit areas of Monte della Croce (639 m a.s.l.) and Monte della Guardia (665.5 m a.s.l.). Two more similar structures were identified (fig. 1. Sector 2) a few metres from the large hut that was fully excavated in 2015. The first (Hut 2.2), was in a slightly different position from the one excavated last year (Hut 1.1) and aligned NW/SE. Like the hut in sector 1, it was rectangular and presented an almost completely preserved small foundation channel, apart from the short south-east side and an interruption in the north-west wall, the later perhaps relating to an entrance. A row of post holes at the centre of the hut indicate that it was covered by a pitched roof with central supporting posts. The overall size of the structure was 10 × 5 m, therefore notably shorter and narrower than the one discovered in 2015. Due to the heavy erosion characterising the archaeological deposit, no datable material was found, thus it is difficult at present to establish the relationship between the 2015 hut and the one found this year.

About 3 m to the north, the remains of another hut (hut 2.1), or at least a structure similar in shape, were excavated. Only the perimeter foundation channels of the northern part were preserved. The lack of the rock-cut channels in the southern part of the structure was probably due to the fact that the perimeter channels did not reach this area of the rock, as here the rock surface sloped west to east. This hut, on the same alignment as the one described above, measured 4 m on the short side, while the long side would probably have been about 8 m. In this case also, the archaeological materials did not provide any precise dating, however, the fact that this hut is on the same alignment as hut 2.2, suggests they were contemporary, and that perhaps a functional relationship existed between the two structures.

Significant archaeological evidence came to light in another sector of the excavation (4) situated at about 30 m south-east of sector 2. In particular, three partially overlying structures were identified. The earliest and largest rectangular structure (hut 4.1: fig. 3 green line) was attested by rock-cut foundation channels, only preserved in the uphill part, and by a row of postholes that would have supported the central part of the pitched roof. The holes stopped at about 7 m from the north-eastern corner of the hut, probably because all of the downhill part of the hut had foundation and supporting structures dug into the terrain (or were absent due to post- depositional reasons). Based on the position of the presumed last posthole along the central axis, identified at c. 10 m from the uphill short side, it may be suggested that the hut’s overall length, aligned west-east, must have been over 10 m. The width, calculated by doubling the measurement separating the north-eastern long side from the central row of postholes, can be estimated at 5-6 m. No materials of any significance were found in this hut, but the stratigraphic relationships with the chronologically successive structures are evident, and therefore it can be dated to the settlement’s earliest phases (late Recent Bronze Age).

A second hut (4.2) on a west-east alignment was identified. The evidence consisted of the foundation channels for the two long sides (north-east and south-west) and one short side (north-west), and a series of postholes which, as seen for hut 2.2, seemed to constitute the short south-east side, as well as the central position of the roof ridge (fig. 3, brown line). The short side and the first sections of both long sides were subsequently used as foundation channels for a later structure (hut 4.3; fig. 3 fuchsia line). Based on the long north side and the short west side, the best preserved, the hut must have been about 14.5 m long and 7 m wide, covering a surface area c. 100 m2. The central position of the postholes indicates that the hut had a pitched roof. The archaeological materials associated with the hut date to between the late Recent Bronze Age (handles with vertical elevated horns, decorated with grooves) and a late phase of the Final Bronze Age, with a prevalence of finds from the early and middle phases.
The final structure in the sequence was represented by a much smaller rectangular hut with an apse (hut 4.3, fuchsia line) which largely used pre-existing foundations. The uphill side to the west re-excavated, totally or partially the short western side of hut 4.2, and even the apse was created by re-excavating part of the long north side of the earlier hut. The short south side appeared to rest on the long side of hut 4.1. This hut was much smaller than the earlier ones and measured c. 6.20 × 2.50 m. The fact that this hut’s dimensions, shape, and alignment (long axis running north) were very different from all the others suggests it may have had a different function.

Numerous bronze artefacts were found inside the hut, or rather associated with the widening of the channel on the long eastern side, concentrated in two areas. The finds included a serpentine fibula with double spring, ribbed bow with double coiled spring and plain foot decorated with repoussé dots, a large pin of the “Casa Carletti” type its neck decorated with zigzag motifs, a large fragment of a small grip tongue sickle, and a fragment of a “small shovel”. Pottery fragments were found with the bronze objects, some of which were large suggesting the existence of containers that may have held the bronze objects. In addition, several ceramic reels were found, probable evidence for weaving activities.

A stone casting mould for making a knife with a curved blade and a fragment of another probable casting mould were found a distance away.
In the light of the evidence that emerged, it may be suggested that this latter structure was used for craft working activities, or had some other non-residential function.
Overall, the materials associated with this hut date the context to a late phase of the Final Bronze Age, a phase to which the serpent fibula can certainly be attributed.