The excavation of the Roman villa at Piano della Civita di Artena recommenced following cleaning, restoration and the setting up of an archaeological area, operations which took place between 2005 and 2007 and which in 2009 also led to the opening of the “Roger Lambrechts” civic archaeological museum (Director Dr. M. Valente)

The 2009 campaign concentrated on the area immediately outside the western perimeter of the peristyle where, in 2004 trial trenches brought to light the remains of walls of diverse construction and thickness on various levels. A deposit of animal bones and three coins of Valentinian III were also found. Below a late wall, crossing the area on a right angle, was a tank circa 2.50 × 3.00 m and 0.80 m deep, faced with opus reticulatum. Its size and position, together with the presence of a large lens of lime and a red earth surface in the immediate proximity suggest this was related to a craft working/industrial structure. The excavation of the tank, which was only partial due to the late wall which cut it, produced not only a large amount of pottery but also a number of quadrangular and hexagonal elements from a limestone floor and a dolium fragment bearing three different stamps.