Season Director

• AIAC_1894 - Ostia - 2001
  Between 5th November and 17th December 2001, a geophysical survey was undertaken at Ostia Antica, by Southampton University and the British School at Rome, on behalf of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut and the American Academy at Rome. The geophysical survey at Ostia was successful in locating and mapping archaeological remains in areas within and associated with the Roman city. To the north of the excavations, structures were located associated with the harbour and river port of the town, and the ancient course of the Tiber, although the actual course of the river was not unequivocally located. Survey within the excavations clarified the nature of ground adjacent to the theatre and Piazza delle corporazioni, and a number of other _insulae_ were found outside the walls of Region IV, and in Region V. The results were most successful outside of the excavations to the south, around the Via Laurentina and villa, demonstrating the full extent of the archaeological remains across the area including access to the city, tombs, and buildings pre-dating and associated with the villa.
• AIAC_3192 - Antique city of Dimal - 2013
  During 2013, research in the ancient city of Dimal was focused on two sectors: that of the Acropolis of the city and the western gate of the fortification system. This year's excavations aimed at understanding the situation in the eastern part of the city's agora. Across the entire width of this area, a square grid was positioned, with 4 x 4 m squares (A1, B1, etc.), where a total of 14 trenches were opened. While two other trenches, obliged by the shape of the terrain had different sizes. At the end of the excavation, it was proved that in this space we have constructions that date back to the period of late antiquity. As for the earliest layers, they were found only in one of the trenches. From the preliminary analysis of the archaeological material, it seems that they date to the first phase of the expansion of the Acropolis, exactly in the IV – III B. C. In the excavation areas A8, A9 and B8, the later stages of the area's development, precisely from the century II – I B. C. were encountered. A construction which is unusual in several ways was also discovered, It apparently must have consisted of only one room with dimensions of 6 x 4 m and an L – shaped wall closes the building to the west, while on the east side the building rests on the natural rock. In front of this wall, the remains of a layer of stones and bricks were encountered, which covers the natural rock platform (0.5 m x 1.5 m). During a second phase, the structure was equipped with a second room, trapezoidal in shape (5 x 4 m), with an entrance from the west. The function of this construction is unclear. In the rest of the sector of the upper agora, a later construction was discovered, consisting of several rooms. The state of preservation of the structures makes it difficult to determine whether these rooms belong to a single large construction, or whether we are dealing with several smaller constructions. The second sector where archaeological research was concentrated during 2013 was the western gate. During the excavations in this sector, the remains of the tower of the gate and a room of the gate were brought to light. The latter, due to its location in a depression of the terrain, was covered by several meters of sediments, belonging to the post-antique layers. Based on the form of construction, the tower presents the same characteristics as its counterpart, the southern tower. The floor plan is approximately square, measuring 8.3 m × 6.7 m. The outer walls have a thickness of up to 2.1 m: we are dealing with large stone blocks, three rows of which are preserved in the southeast corner. Above the rows of stone blocks is the construction of baked brick walls (45 cm x 24 cm x 8 cm). Traces of this technique are preserved in the western part and in the southeast corner of the tower.
• AIAC_3192 - Antique city of Dimal - 2014
  During 2014, in the Illyrian city of Dimal, archaeological research was conducted during the period from July-August, and was concentrated in the extra-mural space, in the necropolis areas. Thus, an area measuring 10m x 15m was excavated and the presence of three graves was identified. Graves with no. 6 and 7 were without structure and as rite was used the inhumation. The skeleton was placed on its back and some of its bones were not preserved. The graves had a rich inventory and were found some decorative elements of clothing, two bronze rings, an iron spear, two bronze vessels, a bronze coin, an iron object, etc. Based on the data obtained from the study of the archaeological material, we think that these graves can be dated to the first half of the third century BC. Two other graves were found a few meters south of graves 6 and 7. These had a structure and a diameter about 2.8m and 4m, and belong to two different burials. Only one of these tombs was excavated and inside was identified a box composed with four tiles. Since no traces of burning were identified, the authors of the excavation think that we are dealing with a child's grave. The tomb had a small inventory: only a black-glazed jug. Two other trench were opened on a plateau outside the walls. After the completion of the excavations in these two trenches, it was possible to identify a structure that can most likely be connected to a baptistery. The structure has the shape of a cross and for its construction Hellenistic bricks were used . The baptistery bathtub measures 2.7m east-west and 2.1m north-south. Its interior is plastered with hydraulic mortar. It is thought to have had two phases of use, and most likely belongs to the fifth-sixth century AD.