The 2015 field season at Poggio Civitate and Vescovado di Murlo was characterized by a remarkable series of discoveries. Building on efforts initiated in 2013 and 2014, excavation continued in the area between the western settlement identified in 2013 and the western defensive walls of the site’s Archaic phase building.

These efforts revealed several new features occupying this position on the hill. Strikingly, excavation uncovered the remains of a new monumental structure. This building, measuring 20.5m in overall length and 7.6m in width was oriented on an east/west axis and consisted of a deep, open porch extending into a front room. The back space is separated from the front porch by short wall elements while the back room appears to be lined with small stones abutting the southern, western and northern walls. Ceramics recovered on and beneath the floor of the structure suggest it served a domestic function and stood between 700 and 675-650 BCE. Given the building’s preserved size as well its evident early date, we tentatively postulate this building was an earlier iteration of the Orientalizing phase elite residence (OC1/Residence) situated several meters to the east and dating to between 675-650/600 BCE.

South of this structure, excavated revealed a well clearly dating to the site’s subsequent Archaic phase. Like a well excavated in 1999, this well was intention infilled and closed, although the debris used to seal it consisted mainly of the terracotta sculptures associated with the Archaic phase building’s decorative program. Beneath this dense infill of sculpture, a massive, travertine altar was uncovered. The altar, which was partially damaged in antiquity, appears to have been the first object thrown into the well upon the event of its demolition.

In addition to these efforts, excavation was also carried out in Vescovado di Murlo in the town’s Colombaio district. This excavation revealed elements of a structure of impressive scale consisting of a wall employing a drainage feature along its northern face. On the interior, souther face, several examples of ceramics dating to the 4th – 3rd centuries BCE were recovered, suggesting this feature was contemporary with houses and industrial spaces excavated in 2006 immediately to the east.