Investigation
The village of Castiglioncello Trinoro is nowday composed of houses arranged along a road that surrounds the highest part of the hill on which stands the settlement. The highest part was covered by the survey of archaeological interest. This is an area of about 20 x 30 meters occupied by grasses and shrubs and the ruins of a modern building. During the first campaign (9 March - 17 April 2009), have been identified masonry structures related to a small forecastle divided into a medieval tower, perimetral walls and a cistern, in use between the end of the XI century to the XIV century (for more precision on the chronological steps identified to date, see the section "Working Interpretations").
Pointing out that the investigation should not be considered concluded we think we are faced with a complex medieval village extended over the entire hill, with phases of construction and attendance much more ancient, and early medieval or Etruscan (in the collapse and the resulting materials are present residual fragments, including the remains of open forms of black glazed pottery dating from III-II century BC). With the second campaign (18 January - 12 February 2010), the excavation will focus on two areas and two different moments, the first week, maybe even half of next will complete the investigation of the palatial complex identified in the first campaign. We can trace deposits relating to any earlier settlement on this hill. In the second period the survey will cover the spaces in front of the building, trying to better understand the articulation of the late medieval complex and identifying spaces and homes linked to it.
With the third campaign (12 April - 4 June 2010), the investigated area will be expanded, in order to dig in open area the entire top zone of the castle, to clarify the extension and the chronology of the late medieval settlement and to identify possible traces of an earlier frequentation of the site. In the beginning of this third campaign, in none of the rooms earlier signs of life have been found. Simultaneously with the excavation the web site updates and the 3D survey will continue.
With the fourth campaign (15 november - 10 december 2010), (with 10 archaeologists working on the site), our goal is to the end the excavation of the partially digged sectors to allow the restoration and consolidation works of the structures. In the next campaign we will be starting the excavation of the south part of the hilltop to understand the complete extension of the settlement.
Simultaneously we begin covering with the 3D laser scanner the whole hill and archaeological remains will achieve a realistic three-dimensional relief precise to the millimeter, manageable in CAD or GIS. Finaly with the second season of excavations to begin provide more content for the reconstruction of Trinoro and reconstruct its ancient history.
Every day the results of the archaeological intervention will be published in these pages.