Indagini archeologiche in località Vigna del Principe - Strongoli (Kr)

In September 2022, archaeological research was carried out in the locality of Vigna del Principe, in the municipality of Strongoli. The site, densely frequented since the Iron Age, is known to archaeological studies, as suspected as the area of the monumental forum of the Roman Petelia, developed, given the morphology of the place, on sloping terraces regularized through imposing substructions. Prior to the beginning of the investigation was carried out a topographical survey of the entire area of Vigna del Principe that led to the collection of archaeological material varied and chronological inhomogeneous, but which confirmed an intense attendance of the area between the age hellenistic and late-roman. The excavation activities focused on the realization of two trench: the first, trench 1, carried out in the summit area of the hill, suspected as an upper appendace of the ancient forum, the second, trench 2, carried out in the valley area, in which previously carried out excavations, had found structures for residential use of architectural prestige. The excavation carried out in trench 1 revealed two imposing masonry structures two parallel to each other and characterized by dry-bound square blocks. In addition, the presence of a clandestine hole has allowed us to hypothesize the presence of a ‘favissa’ upset to N/WIn trench 2, a Roman dwelling was investigated, dating from the late publican age to the early imperial age, of which are visible following the excavation activities, two rooms of quadrangular shape. The investigated environment partially retains opus signinum pavement and traces of the coating along the walls N characterized by a thick layer of mortar and bricks, aimed at a better straightening of the vestments. They were finished by marble crustae, preserved only at the base of one of the walls. A second structure in the north, characterized by the presence of pillars and only partially investigated, overlaps with this environment at a time that cannot be specified chronologically. The area seems definitively abandoned during the second half of the 4th century AD. The environment investigated in essay 2, is found to have been disrupted by several burglaries of contemporary age that have caused the loss of important archaeological data as well as the partial destruction of the walls and flooring of the rooms. At the end of the excavation activities, the photogrammetric survey by "3D Research" was carried out in both essays.