The third excavation campaign at Aia del Castellare was undertaken between June-July by a team of people from various universities.
This year’s excavation confirmed the exceptional importance of this Mousterian site, which through a preliminary typological examination of the lithic assemblage can be dated to a very early phase of the Middle Paleolithic, characterised by the presence of large mammals.
Seventeen squares were excavated, situated in areas both to the east and west of the water pipeline. In particular three zones of the site were examined: a sector situated east of the line of the Fiora aqueduct, which came to light following the fall of a tree (squares G-H-I 1-4); a sector in the south-western part of the site (squares C-D-E -2) and a small sector to the west of the aqueduct (squares E-F 2). In the latter sector, following the removal of a thin layer of surface deposit, a yellow sandy layer containing lithic industry was reached, but is yet to be examined. In the south-western sector the surface of a stalagmitic formation was identified, the continuation of that found in the previous year. A deposit in the eastern sector was of particular interest, here below the humus disturbed by the fall of a small tree, a compact white concretionary layer containing an abundance of lithic industry and faunal remains came to light (seeming to correspond with that identified in the previous year across most of the western sector). This overlay a yellow sandy layer, also rich in bone and stone implements and which in turn seemed to relate to that uncovered in the western sector.

All three sectors produced large amounts of lithic materials: these were generally small to medium in size, but diverse larger implements were also present. All showed a wide use of bifacial retouching. The faunal data was also abundant, including the presence of rhinoceros and, probably of a proboscid.

The hypothesis that the excavation area, which is now an open space, was once constituted by a large cavern was confirmed, as was the existence of a multilayered deposit which had formed inside the cave during a very early phase of the Middle Paleolithic period.
On the basis of the data obtained the excavation will continue with the aim of determining the exact nature of the two deposits identified to date.