Below the sports fields of Vivo d'Orcia clandestine excavations revealed a rock shelter at the base of a steep cliff, at 763 m. above sea level. This shelter was occupied for a long period, beginning in the paleolithic. Annual excavations over the last four years have brought to light several sectors with undisturbed stratigraphy, which can be attributed to the Upper Paleolithic. The find of a post hole is particularly interesting. There are also traces of a lithic industry difficult to date with precision, while the dating by radiometry of organic samples suggest the final Epigravettian. Mesolithic material, which is particularly important for the prehistory of the catchment of Monte Amiata, comes exclusively from the earth disturbed by the clandestine excavations, which also yielded fragments of impressed "Pienza" type pottery, belonging to the early Neolithic.

The final excavation campaign, undertaken in 2005, put in a trench to examine the stratigraphy in the area outside the grotto. This revealed a layer still in place resting on the early/evolved Epigravettiano level, which at present is undergoing radiometric dating.