Sotto il sale: indagini geofisiche alla ricerca della Cervia scomparsa

Recent research at the sites of Cervia Vecchia and Prato della Rosa has adopted an integrated approach combining geophysical prospection, aerial photography, historical cartography, field survey, and targeted excavation to investigate the buried landscape of the area. At Cervia Vecchia, more than 5 hectares have been explored using geomagnetic and geoelectrical methods, despite challenging environmental conditions such as high soil salinity and agricultural disturbance. The resulting maps reveal a complex and dense archaeological stratification, contributing new information on the layout of the intramural area and enriching the dataset produced by previous investigations. Work at Prato della Rosa, though more limited in extent due to spatial constraints, has provided complementary geomagnetic data acquired with manually transported equipment. These results enhance the understanding of the archaeological potential of the site and integrate the evidence emerging from the recent excavation of the basilica complex. Overall, the integrated analysis of geophysical datasets with stratigraphic, cartographic, and aerial evidence demonstrates the significant potential for reconstructing the ancient topography and site formation processes of this Adriatic landscape. The study underscores the value of coordinated methodologies in contexts where environmental and anthropic factors complicate the reading of the buried record.