The prehistoric site of Aia del Castellare (Campagnatico –GR) was identified during the 1970s during excavation work for the construction of the Fiora aqueduct. On that occasion finds relating to an interesting lithic industry and numerous faunal remains were recovered. These finds were catalogued in the 1990s and are stored in the Grosseto Museum of Natural History. A preliminary excavation (May 2008) was undertaken in collaboration between the Archaeological Superintendency for Tuscany (Dr. Gabriella Barbieri) and Dr. Luca Bachechi (Florence University) with the aim of checking the effective presence and substance of the prehistoric settlement. In July-August 2009 a first excavation campaign took place which led to the identification, below the surface humus, of a friable grey-brown sandy-clay sediment, of a depth varying between five and eleven centimetres. The result of an accumulation of materials from the aqueduct excavations, this was a concretionary sediment rich in fauna and evidence of lithic industry. Part of the excavation presented a stalagmatic formation which in some zones (squares C-1, D-1 and E-1) was very substantial. This stalagmatic formation, necessarily formed in an underground environment, suggested that the area under investigation and now in the open air, must have been formed by a cavity whose morphology and size have yet to be determined. In the squares where the stalagmites were not covered a surface of more or less concretionary sediment was present, containing lithic industry and faunal remains. Unfortunately the time available for the work did not consent stratigraphic excavation of the deposit. However, the lithics within the deposit seemed morphologically similar to those recovered during the removal of the material covering the deposit: artefacts of generally medium-small size, without surface alterations, which typologically seem attributable to an early phase of the middle Palaeolithic period. Therefore, the 2009 excavations confirmed that the area investigated was occupied in the middle Palaeolithic and was a site where food remains and evidence of lithic industry were preserved in primary deposit. These remains will be the object of future excavation campaigns.

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.

At Aia del Castellare, the fourth excavation campaign took place between the 27th June and 16th July 2011. The team comprised members of various Italian universities and associations. Eleven quadrants were investigated, situated in the areas to the east and west of the aqueduct. In particular, the research concentrated on the part of the deposit to the east of the line of the aqueduct del Fiora (quadrants H-I-J 2, 1, 0, -1), but small trenches were also dug in the western part of the site (quadrants C-D 3, D 2). In the eastern sector, it was seen that the white, heavily concretionary layer containing abundant lithic industry and faunal remains, previously identified at about 40-50 cm below present ground level, extended into the new quadrants (H-I-J). In the same quadrants, the stratigraphy previously observed at 140-190 cm below present ground level (due to the hill slope), laying between a fine white, heavily concretionary sediment and an underlying yellow, sandy, very compact layer, seemed to become darker and more compact as it went down. At the edge of the hill slope, several stalagmitic formations attested the earlier existence of an underground chamber, as seen in the western sector last year. The deposit in the western sector examined during this campaign (quadrants C-D) appeared to present the same stratigraphy as that seen in the eastern quadrants. The trench’s limited extension prevented further observation. In both sectors, abundant quantities of lithic material continued to be found, well-preserved and without any surface alteration. The material was characterised by an ample use of the bifacial technique and the mainly medium to small dimensions, which from a typological point of view can be attributed to a very early and modestly attested period of the Italian middle Palaeolithic period. A considerable quantity of faunal remains also came to light, including bear.

La campagna di scavo 2017 a Domo è stata imperniata su tre saggi distinti, tesi all’approfondimento di aree già parzialmente indagate negli anni precedenti e all’inizio delle indagini in aree nuove. Il primo saggio è stato posizionato immediatamente a Nord dell’Ambiente 11 (ad Est del cd. “plesso Nord”), in corrispondenza dell’area – mai indagata – su cui si apre l’ingresso dell’ambiente. Le indagini, hanno rivelato l’esistenza di una serie di battuti pavimentali posti a quote costanti ma di diversa tipologia (in terra mista a frammenti di laterizi e in tritume di laterizi), probabile indizio di sequenze di interventi di asportazione parziale e successivo ripristino. L’attestazione di diversi interventi sui piani stessi è indice della possibile esistenza di diverse fasi di vita e, conseguentemente, di una certa ampiezza dell’arco di vita di frequentazione dell’area. Il secondo saggio è stato posizionato nell’area a Nord delle “Grandi Terme” e ad Est del “plesso Nord”. Lo scavo ha rivelato la presenza di una grande fossa colmata da cenere e carbone, posta in corrispondenza del varco d’accesso all’ipocausto delle terme ed il cui riempimento appoggiava ai muri del “plesso Nord”. Notevole interesse riveste anche il rinvenimento di un muro non pertinente a nessuno dei due grandi plessi e forse indice dell’inizio di un’altra nuova struttura. Il terzo saggio è stato invece posizionato in corrispondenza degli Ambienti 15 e 16. L’area presenta una serie di ambienti pertinenti alla prima fase di vita del sito, poi rasati e probabilmente trasformati in un’area aperta in occasione della strutturazione del complesso termale. Le indagini hanno permesso di identificare ulteriori ambienti posti ad Ovest, quanto rimane dei piani pavimentali originari, gli interventi di scasso antichi e la strutturazione del piano di calpestio della nuova area all’aperto. Sono state inoltre identificate ulteriori tracce di frequentazione di età medioevale negli strati di abbandono delle strutture romane (piccole buche circolari, probabilmente riferibili a coltivazioni). Rilevante risulta l’acciottolato identificato nell’Ambiente 15: un piano regolare ottenuto con ciottoli piantati obliquamente e che probabilmente fungeva da basamento/vespaio al pavimento vero e proprio dell’ambiente. Da sottolineare il rinvenimento di numerosi frammenti di tegole e coppi, in gran parte ricomponibili, dagli strati pavimentali degli ambienti 15 e 16; di un frammento di orlo di dolio con bollo dall’acciottolato dell’ambiente 15 e di diversi frammenti del piano