Indagini archeo-geofisiche nell’insediamento di Pian della Tirena (Calabria).

The authors present the results of a geophysical investigation carried out at the site of Pian della Tirena, near the town of Nocera Terinese (Calabria, Italy). Geophysical imaging is a recently developed method allowing reliable mapping of the 3D distribution of magnetic properties below ground level, and thereby an estimate of both the position and depth of buried structures. The investigated site appeared to be of archaeological interest, since the presence of two settlements, adjacent but so far distinct, was hypothesized here, one (Temesa) dating from the Hellenistic period, the other (Tempsa?) from the Roman period. Two high-resolution geophysical surveys (magnetic and electromagnetic) were therefore carried out in 2006 and 2013 to provide the archaeologists with accurate information about the shape and position of buried structures, and thereby improve the success of excavations in terms of costbenefit ratio. The 3D analysis and the interpretation of the geophysical data show several anomalies, most of which exhibit a rather regular shape and orientation, pointing to the possible presence of a welldeveloped urban plan. The surveys accurately determined the position of archaeological remains, ensuring the success of the excavation carried out here in 2013.