Name
Bolsena
Date Range
4000 BC – 2008
Monuments
Territory

Seasons

  • AIAC_1882 - Bolsena - 2007
    Between the 17th and 18th of January 2007 a geophysical survey was conducted on behalf of the Studio Cempella at the request of the Soprintendenza di Etruria Meridionale and undertaken by a joint team from the Archaeological Prospection Services of Southampton (APSS) and The British School at Rome. This one hectare magnetometer survey at Bolsena presented a series of problems for clearly identifying archaeological features: the space was limited by highly magnetic structures and surface material, which also created high readings, making more ephemeral features difficult to identify. From the results obtained, there are no striking archaeological features, rather there are just fragmentary features whose form is very difficult to make any detailed interpretation of. There is no visible trace of the Via Cassia, which was suggested might pass close to the site. Geological factors may have also added to the ephemeral nature of the archaeology; erosion and deposition may mean that the archaeological features are more obscured by topsoil that runs deeper than the machines are able to penetrate. In conclusion, the presence of archaeological features cannot be entirely discounted. Rather, the nature of the modern site, geology, and archaeology have meant that in this magnetometer survey nothing can be confidently identified in detail, with a specified form.

Media

Name
Bolsena
Year
2007
Summary
en Between the 17th and 18th of January 2007 a geophysical survey was conducted on behalf of the Studio Cempella at the request of the Soprintendenza di Etruria Meridionale and undertaken by a joint team from the Archaeological Prospection Services of Southampton (APSS) and The British School at Rome.

This one hectare magnetometer survey at Bolsena presented a series of problems for clearly identifying archaeological features: the space was limited by highly magnetic structures and surface material, which also created high readings, making more ephemeral features difficult to identify. From the results obtained, there are no striking archaeological features, rather there are just fragmentary features whose form is very difficult to make any detailed interpretation of. There is no visible trace of the Via Cassia, which was suggested might pass close to the site. Geological factors may have also added to the ephemeral nature of the archaeology; erosion and deposition may mean that the archaeological features are more obscured by topsoil that runs deeper than the machines are able to penetrate.

In conclusion, the presence of archaeological features cannot be entirely discounted. Rather, the nature of the modern site, geology, and archaeology have meant that in this magnetometer survey nothing can be confidently identified in detail, with a specified form.
it Tra il 17 e il 18 gennaio 2007 una ricognizione geofisica è stata condotta da un team dell’Archaeological Prospection Services di Southampton (APSS) e dalla British School at Rome per conto dello Studio Cempella e su richiesta della Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell’Etruria Meridionale.

La ricognizione magnetometrica a Bolsena presenta una serie di problemi di identificazione delle strutture archeologiche: lo spazio era limitato da strutture altamente magnetiche e il materiale di superficie, che generava anche molti tipi di letture, rendeva i resti effimeri più difficili da identificare. Dai risultati ottenuti, non sembrerebbero essere presenti strutture strettamente archeologiche, ma piuttosto segnali frammentari, la cui forma è molto difficile da inquadrare sul piano interpretativo. Non sono presenti tracce visibili della via Cassia che possano suggerire che la strada passasse vicino al sito. Fattori geologici possono anche essersi aggiunti alla natura effimera dell’archeologia; erosione e deposizione possono indicare che le strutture archeologiche sono oscurate dal suolo arabile che corre a profondità maggiori di quanto le macchine non riescano a penetrare.

In conclusione, la presenza di strutture archeologiche non può essere completamente escluse. Piuttosto la natura del sito moderno, la geologia e l’archeologia indicano che in questa ricognizione magnetometrica nulla può essere identificato con certezza in una forma specifica
Summary Author
Rose Ferraby
Leonie Pett
Team
Archaeologist - Elizabeth De Gaetano
Field director - Kristian Strutt

Media

  • Harris 1965
    W. Harris, 1965, The Via Cassia and the Via Traiana Nova between Bolsena and Chiusi, in Papers of the British School at Rome XXXIII: 113-133.
  • Tamburini 1998
    P. Tamburini (ed.), 1998, Un Museo e il Suo Territorio Vol. I. Dalle origini al periodo etrusco, Bolsena.
  • Timperi-Berlingò 1994
    A. Timperi, I. Berlingò, 1994, Bolsena e il Suo Lago, Roma.

Location

Ancient Site Name
Volsinii
Location
Bolsena
Easting
11.984189
Northing
42.641636