The wetland settlement of Poggiomarino (locality of Longola), situated near the present course of the river Sarno, is an important centre of production and exchange. It is characterised by the presence of numerous “islets” surrounded by canals of varying capacity, partly re-modified by man or by slow moving water basins.

The investigation was undertaken by the Superintendency of Pompeii, in several stages in 2000 (Trench 1) and from 2001 to 2006 (Trenches 2A-3B ), over an area of circa 800 m2. Trenches have so far touched levels from the Roman period down to the early Iron age, revealing dwellings and workshops which have made it possible to reconstruct the geo-anthropological dynamics during the course of these periods. The islets, due to the need for dry areas, were progressively expanded using fills contained in formwork and were raised by stratified land reclamation in order to contrast the rising water level, this led to the progressive raising of the floor levels in the huts built on them.

The interdisciplinary nature of the research has made it possible to propose several hypotheses for the reconstruction of dwellings, to acquire new data on the provenance of amber and metals through the use of archeometric analyses, to elaborate a chrono-typology for the pottery. The absolute dating of the site, fixed at the moment for several of the construction phases, will be provided by the dendrochronological sequence which is in the course of being processed.