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  • Rocca Calascio
  • Calascio
  • Rocca Calascio

    Credits

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    Monuments

    Periods

    • No period data has been added yet

    Chronology

    • 1100 AD - 1500 AD

    Season

      • Archaeological investigations began in 1998, in concomitance with work to restructure and consolidate the terrace of wall-houses situated along the northern side of the castle. Stratigraphic excavation was only undertaken on three vaulted roofs, a fill used to raise the floor level of a service room and the collapses of the same three rooms at floor level. Worthy of note, for the study of the spatial organization within the complex and for the analysis of the occupation phases in the sector examined, was the discovery of a passageway situated between two housing blocks, with a barrel vaulted bridge. The access to the bridge, via a very low depressed arch, was completely obstructed by the collapse of the surrounding buildings. In a corner of the passageway itself there was a small bread oven for public use. Moreover, fragments of prehistoric pottery emerged from some of the layers of dumped material next to the passageway, thus confirming a much earlier occupation of the territory. In September 2000 a further excavation campaign was undertaken within the Rocca di Calascio in the four buildings of the north-eastern part of the terrace of wall-houses. The rooms were excavated down to basement level, probably the animal stalls or storerooms of the houses, removing substantial layers of collapse relating to the perimeter walls of the houses themselves. In all of the buildings investigated the floor level in mortar or cobbles was present below the collapse. Some of the structures preserved internal dividing walls and service structures constituted by stairs and arches linking various rooms. One door jamb preserved traces of the wooden frame for the door. Overall it may be confirmed that the excavation brought to light that section of the late medieval settlement in the castle area, constituted by articulated structures staggered over several levels, which exploited the natural slope of the rock. As well as prehistoric pottery fragments of medieval pottery were found together with special finds, including a steel and bronze “misericord” (dagger) dating to the 14th-15th century.

    Bibliography

      • F. Redi, 1999, Gli scavi nel castello di Rocca Calascio e nella grancia di S. Maria del Monte di Paganica. (L’Aquila), in S. Patitucci Uggeri (a cura di), Scavi medievali in Italia: 1996 – 1999; Atti della Seconda conferenza Italiana di Archeologia Medievale, Cassino 16-18 dicembre 1999, Firenze.
      • F. Redi, 1997, L\'incastellamento nel territorio aquilano: primi dati per una ricerca archeologica, con Appendice di L. Tognocchi, in Archeologia Medievale XXIV, Firenze.