Intoduction

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Introduction:

In 1991, a master grid system was established for the entire site of Poggio Civitate. A baseline was created running east-west, through Piano del Tesoro and into the Civitate A and B areas of the site. In order to shoot this baseline, brush had to be cleared from Civitate B. While clearing brush, several semi-ovoid rock formations were revealed in Civitate B. Some of these formations were excavated, in order to better understand their nature and their relationship to other, known architectural features (see TT I 1991). Based on the size and shape of these rock features and the pottery found inside of the rock features, these appear to be small tombs dateable to the 6 ^th century BCE.

Additionally, in 1992, a well, also dated to the 6 ^th century BCE, was discovered in Civitate A, approximately 30 meters east of where some of the first rock formations were discovered (see MG II). The presence of this well indicates that this part of the site may have been inhabited during the 6 ^th century BCE and numerous trenches have been opened near this well in order look for houses, huts, or any other architectural features that would indicate non-elite habitation of this area of the site (see MG II).

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The rock features that were exposed and explored are all located in the northern meters of Civitate B, close to the 6 ^th century well located in Civitate A. In 2010, more trenches were

opened in the northern areas of Civitate B in order to hopefully locate and explore more semi-oval rock formations or to find evidence of permanent residences in this area, for which the water source would be the aforementioned well. Excavation in the 2010 season uncovered a depositional lens of archaic architectural materials, as well as an organic deposit (see ARR II, FGT I). The 2011 excavation season intends to shed further light on these elements as their significance and relationship to other known features on Civitate A and B remain unresolved.

Furthermore, the entire Civitate B area is located at a higher elevation than both the Civitate A and the Piano del Tesoro areas. As such, it is impossible that the materials recovered during previous excavations of Civitate B or surface finds located during an initial walk through of the area in 2010 eroded to these locations; instead, such ancient material had to be intentionally deposited in Civitate B, indicating that this part of the site was inhabited by the ancient residents of Poggio Civitate.

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CB 46, long with CB 45 and CB 47, will be opened for the following reasons:

1. CB 46 will be opened to further understand possible intentional rock formations, hopefully proving whether or not such formations actually are archaic period tombs.

2. To search for evidence of non-elite habitation on the western side of the hill, for which the water source would be the well, located in Civitate A (see CA 42). \xa7

3. To better understand and explore an area of the site that has not been excavated. In addition to hopefully revealing new architectural features, CB will yield important stratigraphic and topographic information that is currently lacking

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