The site of Bibbiani was first discovered in 1989 by members of the Gruppo Archeologico di Montelupo Fiorentino. Excavations undertaken in the early 1990s by the Montelupo Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Superintendency of Tuscany uncovered a sub-elliptical “hut” on the summit of the hill. The hut contained an abundance of archaeological material all dating to a late phase of the Final Bronze Age. The finds comprised bowls with horned handles, cordoned impasto pottery, the remains of bronze artefacts and glass paste beads of the Frattesina type. There was also a large quantity of carbonised grain found in association with a large fragmented biconical vase in the south-western part of the hut. These finds are being studied in the paleobotanical laboratory at the Giovio Museum, Como. The artefacts are on display at Montelupo Archaeological Museum.

A number of trenches dug in various parts of the hill localised other structures, probably belonging to the same settlement. The finds suggest that this was a vast settlement.

Excavations recommenced in 2006 and at present are in the final phase of the excavation of a structure (Structure 6) situated on the northern slope of the hill. It was restructured more than once and for this reason can be dated to an earlier period than the two huts excavated previously, perhaps as early as the 13th century B.C.

Structure 6 was occupied continuously, or with only brief interruptions, as documented by the numerous occupation levels and “alterations”, visible along the hut’s western side. At some time during the Recent Bronze Age major restructuring took place which meant that the structure occupied an area on a slightly different axis to the previous one.

The 2009 excavations looked at the first fill of the earlier structure (US 8). This dark grey deposit with a clay-loam matrix varied in depth between 5 cm (around the edges) and 15 cm. It contained rare archaeological material and occasional charcoal. However, below this was a layer (of which an area of 4 m2 was exposed) rich in archaeological material. This layer overlay a grey loam rich in charcoal.

A further excavation area was laid out (area 5), situated at the south-eastern base of the Bibbiani hill, in the narrow valley of a seasonal water course, known as the rio dell’Olmo.