The site of Bibbiani, situated on a hill at circa 15,000 north-west of the town of Capraia, was identified in 1989 by members of the Archaeological Group of Montelupo Fiorentino. In the early 1990s it was excavated by the Superintendency of Tuscany in collaboration with Montelupo Fiorentino’s Museum of Archaeology and Ceramics. The research uncovered a sub-elliptical hut on the summit of the hill. Inside was archaeological material dating to an advanced phase of the Late Bronze Age. Moreover, structures relating to the same occupation phase were found in several trenches, suggesting that the hill was the site of a large settlement. The excavations were interrupted in 1992 and began again in 2006. Below the humus a deposit was reached containing occasional fragments of majolica, relating to sporadic occupation in the late medieval period and numerous but minute fragments of impasto pottery attributable to the Late Bronze Age settlement. Considering the disposition of the materials and the varied nature of the sediment, this deposit was interpreted as colluvial soil, which suggests the presence further north of another prehistoric site. Below this level was another layer interpretable either as the “roof” of a sunken structure, or as further colluvial sediment which had filled the break in the slope caused by the “hut’s” construction. The structure is of large dimensions and placed on a north-south alignment.

The site of Bibbiani was first discovered in 1989 by members of the Gruppo Archeologico di Montelupo Fiorentino. Excavations undertaken in the early 1990s by the Montelupo Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Superintendency of Tuscany uncovered a sub-elliptical “hut” on the summit of the hill. The hut contained an abundance of archaeological material all dating to a late phase of the Final Bronze Age. The finds comprised bowls with horned handles, cordoned impasto pottery, the remains of bronze artefacts and glass paste beads of the Frattesina type. There was also a large quantity of carbonised grain found in association with a large fragmented biconical vase in the south-western part of the hut. These finds are being studied in the paleobotanical laboratory at the Giovio Museum, Como. The artefacts are on display at Montelupo Archaeological Museum. A number of trenches dug in various parts of the hill localised other structures, probably belonging to the same settlement. The finds suggest that this was a vast settlement. Excavations recommenced in 2006 and at present are in the final phase of the excavation of a structure (Structure 6) situated on the northern slope of the hill. It was restructured more than once and for this reason can be dated to an earlier period than the two huts excavated previously, perhaps as early as the 13th century B.C. Structure 6 was occupied continuously, or with only brief interruptions, as documented by the numerous occupation levels and “alterations”, visible along the hut’s western side. At some time during the Recent Bronze Age major restructuring took place which meant that the structure occupied an area on a slightly different axis to the previous one. The 2009 excavations looked at the first fill of the earlier structure (US 8). This dark grey deposit with a clay-loam matrix varied in depth between 5 cm (around the edges) and 15 cm. It contained rare archaeological material and occasional charcoal. However, below this was a layer (of which an area of 4 m2 was exposed) rich in archaeological material. This layer overlay a grey loam rich in charcoal. A further excavation area was laid out (area 5), situated at the south-eastern base of the Bibbiani hill, in the narrow valley of a seasonal water course, known as the rio dell’Olmo.

This year’s excavation was undertaken in agreement with the Montelupo Fiorentino Museum of Archaeology and Ceramics and on behalf of the Archaeological Superintendency of Tuscany. The agreed objective was to continue the excavation of the building (structure 6) that was partially uncovered in 2008 and 2009. This structure, probably a house, is situated on the north slope of the Bibbiani hill. Students from the universities of Siena and Florence participated in the excavation together with members of the Gruppo Archeologico di Montelupo Fiorentino and a member of the _Cooperativa Archeologica ICHNOS_. In 2009 the fill of the earliest structure was excavated (US8). Below US8 a layer rich in archaeological material was reached which overlay a level of grey silt containing charcoal. About 4 m2 of this level was excavated. In 2010 work continued on the removal of US8 until the entire surface area of structure US9 was reached. US8 was a dark grey layer with a clayey silt matrix, present at the centre of the structure. It varied in thickness between 5 cm, along the edges, and 15 cm at the centre of the structure and contained very little archaeological material and occasional lumps of charcoal. Floatation was carried out on all the material from this layer. US9 was a horizon of silty grey sediment rich in pottery and charcoal. The level and materials were documented three-dimensionally prior to excavation. The layer produced a substantial amount of ceramic material, faunal remains and some stone artefacts, including three pierced limestone “buttons”. The floatation of the sediments from US8 and US9 recovered an abundance of charcoal and some carbonised seeds. All the finds have been deposited at the Museum in Montelupo Fiorentino.

The excavation of structure 6 continued: see the 2010 entry for a synthesis of the stratigraphic sequence and interpretation. Work continued on US9, begun in the last campaign, a horizon of grey silty sediment containing abundant pottery and charcoal. The levels of the individual finds was documented by three- dimensional positioning. Together with the pottery, the layer also produced occasional faunal remains and stone objects, including three perforated limestone “buttons”. Abundant charcoal and some carbonised seeds were recovered from the floatation of US9 in its entirety. Once the removal of US9 was completed, the materials from the edge being recorded as US9a, the contours were recorded using Close Range Photogrammetry. At this point excavation of the latest structure, cutting the archaeological deposits below, was considered complete. The suggested reconstruction of its history is as follows: On the west side of the hill of Bibbiani, at some time during the recent Bronze Age or slightly earlier, after partially terracing the surrounding area, what was probably a dwelling was built inside an artificial ditch about 14 m long and 5.5 m wide. The ditch was cut into the bedrock, constituted by sandstone with a rather friable roof. The structure was occupied continuously or with only brief interruptions, as attested by numerous occupation levels and “restructuring” visible along the western edge of the structure. At some time during the Late Bronze Age, more substantial restructuring took place involving the excavation, within the fill of the pre-existing structure, of a ditch circa 7.50 x 3.00 m and 50 cm deep. At the same time, the structure’s western margin was presumably levelled, exposing the early fills. This new ditch was on a slightly different axis compared to the other. The fills in the new ditch are interpreted as follows: US9 occupation level; US8 abandonment phase; US7 (a-b-c-d-e-f) collapse of a hypothetical containing wall uphill from the dwelling; US6, US4, US3 colluvial phases. The colluvial US3, at an undefined moment, was in turn partially eroded away, a phenomenon also involving the north-western part of the structure. US3 was sealed by US2, which was deposited no earlier than the 14th century, given the presence within it of archaic majolica.