Nuove ricerche nell’abitato della tarda età del Bronzo di Monte Croce Guardia (Arcevia – AN) : scavi 2015-2016

New archaeological investigations in the Late Bronze Age settlement of Monte Croce Guardia (Arcevia – AN): Seasons 2015-2016 – The Monte Croce Guardia settlement (Arcevia, AN) is one of the most remarkable Late Bronze Age Italian sites. Being located on the top of a mountain (666 m ASL) it is naturally defended and overlooks a wide portion of the surrounding territory, from the Adriatic coast to the Apennine ridge.The orographic unit of the site is composed by two hills linked by a col, Monte Guardia, the highest, and Monte della Croce. The presence of archaeological remains is known since the end of XIX century, but only during the subsequent century systematic researches were conducted. Several excavation campaigns have been carried out by the Soprintendenza Archeologica delle Marche, from 1961 to 1995, under the direction of Delia Lollini and Mara Silvestrini. The results of these researches showed that Monte Croce Guardia site was intensively settled during the Late Bronze Age, and its extension reached at least 20 hectars. The archaeological investigations started again in 2015, after a long period of interruption, under the direction of Andrea Cardarelli (Sapienza – University of Rome), in collaboration with Marco Bettelli and Andrea Di Renzoni (CNR-ISMA). The first results of the new cycle of archaeological investigations, together with the thorough reviews of the previous ones, allow to better understand the complex architecture of inhabitations and other structures, together with the reconstruction of large portions of the settlement organization. In trenches 1 and 2 several rectangular huts with a gable roof have been found, and a large circular pit; the archaeological materials suggest a date in earliest phases of the Final Bronze Age, even if few pots can be dated in late phases of the same period. In trench 4 a sequence of three different huts were excavated: the earliest ones are similar in shape and dimensions to the structures present in trenches 1-2. The last hut is smaller and has a different architecture and orientation. In the archaeological layers belonging to this last structure a number of bronzes both undamaged and fragmentary have been found, together with one or two stone moulds. These elements suggest the performance of smelting activities. The presence of several small spools and loom weights, suggest also weaving activities. From a chronological point of view we have very few elements for a date of the lower hut; the second phase hut can be easily dated to early periods of Final Bronze Age; the third and last phase, represented by the smaller structure, on the basis of bronzes and specific types of pottery can be dated to a final stage of Final Bronze Age.