Valle Giumentina is an open site dating to the ancient and middle Palaeolithic periods, briefly excavated in the 1950s by Prof. Radmilli of Pisa University, in collaboration with geologist J. Demangeot. Seven archaeological levels were uncovered within an overall lacustrine context, on the side of a deep cut that has eroded the Pleistocene deposits, to a depth of 25 m.

As part of the École Française de Rome’s five year project (2012-1016), multidisciplinary research continued on the site with the aim of defining the stratigraphic chronology, determining the nature of the lithic industries present and the types of occupation on the site.
During the first mission, in 2012, a core sample was taken from the quaternary deposit to a depth of 45 m, and the first blackish palaeo-soil, situated at over 3.5 m in depth, was excavated over a 1 m2 area. This revealed the first industries in a stratigraphic context found during the new research programme. The section was cleaned to a depth of 7 m. The second mission in 2013 had three objectives: the excavation of the first palaeo-soil over a larger area (a platform of over 40 m2), obtaining chronological and palaeo-environmental data starting with the stratigraphhic section (down to about 16 m in depth), the definition of the calcareous basin of the Valle Giumentina and the geometry of the deposits using resistivity. In 2014, the archaeological and geo-chronological research continued the work begun the previous year. The excavation of the first palaeo-soil (levels ALB and LDP), situated between 3.80 and 4.30 m in depth, was extended. Samples were taken for Ar/Ar dating and 30 sediment samples were taken for malacological study. In 2015, the archaeological levels within the latest brown palaeo-soils, ALB and LDP, were excavated across the maximum area possible, corresponding with 51 m2. One hundred and seventeen archaeological artefacts, including lithic industries and bone, were uncovered.

This season, the main objective was the excavation of the level below ALB-42 and LDP-41 that is level LABM-40. Elements of bi-facial working were found here that were not seen in the preceding excavations. A bi-facial flint and various flakes from bi-facial working of four different types of raw materials were uncovered. Various flake tools were also present. A total of 395 were found and one faunal element. Core samples were taken by hand in the upper layer of red earth, in order to determine the morphology. Moulds were made of various flakes and bi-facials while in situ so that the traceology study could be carried out without altering the surfaces.