The research areas are situated on the summits of Monte della Croce (639 m a.s.l.) and Monte della Guardia (665.5 m a.s.l.), which are linked by a wide saddle. The summits form a single morphological context (and are thus commonly known as Monte Croce-Guardia), delimited on all sides by steep slopes, with a maximum difference in height of over 350 m, south of Monte Guardia (the side facing onto the Fosso dell’Acquasanta valley). Monte della Croce has a vast summit plateau, while Monte Guardia is characterised by a much smaller flat summit area. Monte della Guardia can be seen from the Adriatic coast to the east and the Apennine Umbrian-Marche watershed to the west. Its visibility to the south and north is limited by the presence of higher peaks. The site of Monte Croce-Guardia has been known since the early 1960s when Delia Lollini excavated there. The only published research relates to the 1961 excavations although the Superintendency dug on the site in 1963, 1968, 1973-74 and 1995. Recent research has gathered together all the available archaeological documentation and a preliminary study of the finds indicates the site was occupied between a late period of the Recent Bronze Age and the end of the Final Bronze Age. The 2015 excavations explored a structure that was partially investigated in 1995. It is situated on the Monte Croce plateau, at c. 110 m south-west of the “Lo Scoiattolo” kiosk and immediately south of the old sports ground (fig. 1). There were two reasons for choosing to work in this area: firstly, the necessity to complete the 1995 excavations, secondly, the great interest in the structural remains uncovered in 1995, which suggested the existence of a large rectangular structure. Completion of the excavation identified the foundation channels and post-holes relating to a large building (c. 85 m2). Structural features in the bedrock provided important details of the construction and supporting elements, which indicated that the building had internal transverse divisions and probably outbuildings indicated by other channels, postholes and large storage pits (figs. 2-3). This is the first completely excavated and accurately surveyed Final Bronze Age building in the middle Adriatic area. A preliminary examination of the archaeological materials, overall very fragmentary and in a bad state of preservation, confirmed the dating of the context to a full phase of the final Bronze Age (9th – early 10th century B.C.). The pottery finds mainly comprised carenated cups or necked cups with oblique ribs on the carination or shoulder, several handle fragments attributable to vertical double handles and a raised handle with truncated horns. Other important finds included the fragments of a Frattesina type comb in hard animal material, datable to a full Final Bronze Age horizon, a blue glass paste bead, an intact large bronze pin with a ‘curled’ head and an extremely fragmentary barrel-shaped amber bead. However, there are also some finds dating to the earliest phase of the Final Bronze Age (and perhaps to the latest phase of the Recent Bronze Age), while there are very few finds attributable to a later period. Lastly, worthy of note was the presence at the base of the fill in a perimeter foundation channel, of a bi-faced white flint arrowhead with tang and wings, and a fragment of a smoothed stone hammer axe found in the fill of a large circular storage pit, both probably dating to the Copper Age.

This season’s excavations produced significant results. The identification of numerous new structures (huts), in part presumably dwellings and in part perhaps attributable to production activities, indicate (taking into consideration what has emerged from a re-examination of the excavation results from the 1960s, 70s and 90s and last year’s results) that Monte Croce Guardia was the site of a very large settlement (at least 16 ha). The settlement appeared continuously occupied from a late phase of the Recent Bronze Age, when several settlements situated immediately downhill seem to have been abandoned, and the last phase of the Final Bronze Age (late 13th – 10th century B.C.). A preliminary examination of the 2016 finds has not confirmed the presence of Copper Age structures, a period in which the site was however occupied, as indicated by some of the finds from the 2015 excavations. The site’s potential appears particularly interesting for what it can tell us about the internal organisation of a Late Bronze Age settlement within a territory that is of great importance for the period, also taking into consideration the vicinity of the cremation cemetery of Pianello di Genga, about 8 km away. This season’s excavations took place in the area adjacent to those of 2015, uphill from the saddle linking the two summit areas of Monte della Croce (639 m a.s.l.) and Monte della Guardia (665.5 m a.s.l.). Two more similar structures were identified (fig. 1. Sector 2) a few metres from the large hut that was fully excavated in 2015. The first (Hut 2.2), was in a slightly different position from the one excavated last year (Hut 1.1) and aligned NW/SE. Like the hut in sector 1, it was rectangular and presented an almost completely preserved small foundation channel, apart from the short south-east side and an interruption in the north-west wall, the later perhaps relating to an entrance. A row of post holes at the centre of the hut indicate that it was covered by a pitched roof with central supporting posts. The overall size of the structure was 10 x 5 m, therefore notably shorter and narrower than the one discovered in 2015. Due to the heavy erosion characterising the archaeological deposit, no datable material was found, thus it is difficult at present to establish the relationship between the 2015 hut and the one found this year. About 3 m to the north, the remains of another hut (hut 2.1), or at least a structure similar in shape, were excavated. Only the perimeter foundation channels of the northern part were preserved. The lack of the rock-cut channels in the southern part of the structure was probably due to the fact that the perimeter channels did not reach this area of the rock, as here the rock surface sloped west to east. This hut, on the same alignment as the one described above, measured 4 m on the short side, while the long side would probably have been about 8 m. In this case also, the archaeological materials did not provide any precise dating, however, the fact that this hut is on the same alignment as hut 2.2, suggests they were contemporary, and that perhaps a functional relationship existed between the two structures. Significant archaeological evidence came to light in another sector of the excavation (4) situated at about 30 m south-east of sector 2. In particular, three partially overlying structures were identified. The earliest and largest rectangular structure (hut 4.1: fig. 3 green line) was attested by rock-cut foundation channels, only preserved in the uphill part, and by a row of postholes that would have supported the central part of the pitched roof. The holes stopped at about 7 m from the north-eastern corner of the hut, probably because all of the downhill part of the hut had foundation and supporting structures dug into the terrain (or were absent due to post- depositional reasons). Based on the position of the presumed last posthole along the central axis, identified at c. 10 m from the uphill short side, it may be suggested that the hut’s overall length, aligned west-east, must have been over 10 m. The width, calculated by doubling the measurement separating the north-eastern long side from the central row of postholes, can be estimated at 5-6 m. No materials of any significance were found in this hut, but the stratigraphic relationships with the chronologically successive structures are evident, and therefore it can be dated to the settlement’s earliest phases (late Recent Bronze Age). A second hut (4.2) on a west-east alignment was identified. The evidence consisted of the foundation channels for the two long sides (north-east and south-west) and one short side (north-west), and a series of postholes which, as seen for hut 2.2, seemed to constitute the short south-east side, as well as the central position of the roof ridge (fig. 3, brown line). The short side and the first sections of both long sides were subsequently used as foundation channels for a later structure (hut 4.3; fig. 3 fuchsia line). Based on the long north side and the short west side, the best preserved, the hut must have been about 14.5 m long and 7 m wide, covering a surface area c. 100 m2. The central position of the postholes indicates that the hut had a pitched roof. The archaeological materials associated with the hut date to between the late Recent Bronze Age (handles with vertical elevated horns, decorated with grooves) and a late phase of the Final Bronze Age, with a prevalence of finds from the early and middle phases. The final structure in the sequence was represented by a much smaller rectangular hut with an apse (hut 4.3, fuchsia line) which largely used pre-existing foundations. The uphill side to the west re-excavated, totally or partially the short western side of hut 4.2, and even the apse was created by re-excavating part of the long north side of the earlier hut. The short south side appeared to rest on the long side of hut 4.1. This hut was much smaller than the earlier ones and measured c. 6.20 x 2.50 m. The fact that this hut’s dimensions, shape, and alignment (long axis running north) were very different from all the others suggests it may have had a different function. Numerous bronze artefacts were found inside the hut, or rather associated with the widening of the channel on the long eastern side, concentrated in two areas. The finds included a serpentine fibula with double spring, ribbed bow with double coiled spring and plain foot decorated with repoussé dots, a large pin of the “Casa Carletti” type its neck decorated with zigzag motifs, a large fragment of a small grip tongue sickle, and a fragment of a “small shovel”. Pottery fragments were found with the bronze objects, some of which were large suggesting the existence of containers that may have held the bronze objects. In addition, several ceramic reels were found, probable evidence for weaving activities. A stone casting mould for making a knife with a curved blade and a fragment of another probable casting mould were found a distance away. In the light of the evidence that emerged, it may be suggested that this latter structure was used for craft working activities, or had some other non-residential function. Overall, the materials associated with this hut date the context to a late phase of the Final Bronze Age, a phase to which the serpent fibula can certainly be attributed.

The excavation of the upland late Bronze Age settlement of Monte Croce is carried out by Rome University in collaboration of CNR and ISMA. The 2017 campaign added a great deal to knowledge of the settlement’s internal spatial organisation. In particular, the excavation of the large rectangular hut (sector 4; hut 4.1), partially investigated in 2016, was completed. The structure was orientated north-east/south-west and presents rock-cut foundation channels and a central row of postholes, probably to support the roof. It covers a surface area of about 10 x 4.5 m (45 m2) and was flanked by a small parallel channel situated at 1.5 m to the west, perhaps for a portico or enclosure on one of the long sides. Further west another rectangular structure (hut 4.4) came to light. It was smaller (6 x 3.5m), but also had rock cut channel foundations. The lack of archaeological deposit, except for the fill in the channels and postholes, makes it impossible to establish a stratigraphic relationship between this hut and the others identified in the same sector during the 2016 season. For the same reason, the finds were also scarce. Therefore, hut 4.4 cannot be definitely dated to one of the construction phases identified in 2016, although its parallel alignment to hut 4.1, relating to the first construction phase of the succession that developed in sector 4 suggests the two structures could be contemporary. Several rows of postholes were also found in the same area of sector 4, probably relating to palisades and other structures. One of the rows can be interpreted as a long palisade, whose series of postholes is partially interrupted by the channel of the proposed portico of hut 4.1 and therefore predates it. Other alignments form squares perhaps for structures that did not have channel foundations. The archaeological deposit was better preserved towards the western part of the sector, where the excavation has not been completed. However, the archaeological materials, both ceramic and bronze, indicate a Final Bronze Age date, somewhere between the initial and the mature phase. A trench 22 m long and 4 m wide (sector 5) was opened alongside sector 4, which reached the western edge of the Monte della Guardia plateau. The excavation was not completed and will continue next season. However, a series of terraces and small walls situated about 3 m one from the other were uncovered, which relate to the structuring of the plateau’s edge. A larger wall was also partially exposed close to the plateau’s edge. Here, the deposit was constituted by a thick colluvial layer containing Late Bronze Age materials and a few fragments of coarse ware pottery, probably Roman. Below this thick layer, the stratigraphy relating to the structural evidence was constituted by a deposit attributable to the early and full Final Bronze Age. The intention for the next campaign is to clarify the nature of the structural evidence and ascertain whether it constitutes a system of delimitation and fortification for the site, or rather an organization limited to a specific part of the settlement.