As we had expected, the previous day’s rains had made the Cannicci site impossible to dig once again. On day four our team returned to the Castellaraccio, but instead of working on the keep, we began fresh work on a structure on the fringes of the castle site, Area 5000. Guided by straight lines of stones which may represent collapsed walls, the team worked to clean foliage, collapse, and detritus from the site, and then began excavation under the leadership of Benedetta, Michael, and Betsy. Initial results are promising: the presence of mortar all but confirms that the stones belong to the walls of a building, though whether that building is a church, a tower, or something else remains unknown. Midday saw the return of thunderstorms, and so the day’s work was cut short. While our inability to make progress at Cannicci is disappointing, the breaking of new ground at the castle represents a fresh avenue of inquiry into the history of this area.
Interconnected Mobility of People and Economy along the River Ombrone 