Results

 

 

 

 

Potentia aerial view with crop marks.

Potentia aerial view with crop marks.

 

It is not an easy task to summarize results of more than 10 years of integrated geo-archaeological field survey, excavation work, material analyses and historical studies in the Potenza valley. For an overview of all publications produced by the PVS team we refer the reader to the page with  References. Here one can also download the reports with results of the main survey campaigns  (published in the journal BABESCH) and a selection of crucial articles. Furthermore, for a full catalogue of the 140 found and studies archaeological sites in this part of Central Marche we refer to  the book published in 2006 by the Direzione regionale per i beni culturali e paesaggistici delle Marche: E. Percossi, G. Pignocchi. & F. Vermeulen (eds.), 2006, I siti archeologici della Vallata del Potenza, Ancona. This publication is still available on request at :

http://www.marche.beniculturali.it/

A full monographic publication and synthesis of the project is in preparation. Here, we summarize briefly some of the main results obtained so far.

 

As stated, the main aim of the PVS Project is the study of the urban and rural occupation patterns in the valley of the river Potenza (province of Macerata), from prehistoric times into the Middle Ages, with a special focus on the period between Iron Age and the Early Middle Ages. The intensive surveys of the Potenza valley include full coverage aerial photography in the whole ca. 400 sq km large valley area between the Apennine hills and the Adriatic coastline. Furthermore systematic archaeological field walking and detailed geo-archaeological field studies have been undertaken in three well-chosen sample zones, spread between the upper valley and the coast. Apart from these predominant rural surveys over large areas, intensive intra-site fieldwork has also been carried out on some of the main protohistoric (Bronze and Iron Age) centres in the valley, as well as on the four Roman towns located in the Potenza corridor.

 

Potentia image of magnetic surveys.

Potentia: image of magnetic surveys.

A particular feature of many rural and at least some of the proto-urban and urban settlements of protohistoric and Roman times is that they have been partly or completely abandoned since the early Middle Ages and were never build up afterwards. It is therefore not surprising that many of the archaeological sites in the Potenza valley have reasonable to excellent potential for surface survey. Because of the small scale of archaeological excavation work in this still reasonably rural area of the region Marche, much can be learned from an integrated survey approach. The surveys are designed to improve general understanding of the topography of protohistoric and early historic settlement in this part of Italy and to deepen our knowledge of the evolution of human settlement and land use in Marche. They are meant to integrate the results of non-destructive survey methods, such as active aerial photography and air photo-interpretation, geophysical surveys, geomorphological surveys, detailed topographic measurements and classic field walking. The results of small-scale, previous or on-going, excavation work on these sites and of artefact studies of survey materials and excavation finds are integrated in this picture, as they progressively become available.

 

The many years of intensive field survey give now the opportunity to assess the differentiation of all landscape types in the area of the Potenza, with regards to systems of human settlement. They comprise, among others, from source to mouth: the narrow Apennine valleys, the woodlands and higher grasslands of the mountain areas, small intermediate basins, the undulating rich agricultural land of the middle valley and the lower hill-slopes and widening coastal plain near the river mouth. Here the Potenza stream lies only some 15 km south of the dominating and attractive coastal promontory of the Monte Conero, near Ancona. This location partly explains why the Potenza valley was, during the whole protohistory and early histotical times, an important corridor for political, economic and cultural contacts between both sides of the Italian peninsula.

 

Survey results in the Upper Potenza Valley

Survey results in the Upper Potenza Valley.

As only few settlement structures have been discovered till now, most knowledge about the Bronze and Iron Age cultures in Marche derives from funeral sites. The surveys procured however some insight into the protohistoric settlement system of the area before the slow Romanization of the 3rd and 2nd century B.C. Important here are first a series of hilltop sites (Monte Primo, Monte Pitino, Monte Franco, …) dispersed along the valley. They become the focus of settlement concentration from the Middle Bronze Age onwards (circa 1500 B.C.) and in the course of the Iron Age (9th-3rd century B.C.) these sites, now more and more dominated by elite groups within Piceni society, remain crucial for the control over the valley.

 

Piceni, Iron Age burial site near Treia revealed with active aerial photography.

Piceni Iron Age burial site near Treia revealed with active aerial photography.

The upper valley area, for example, is dominated by the site on Monte Primo, which overlooks the  crucial passage of the Potenza-river valley through the Apennines. Possibly this large defended hilltop site was only one part of a dual system, dominating a society based on pastoral activities and forestry. From this high hilltop plateau, where security and probably common religious activities were major factors, parts of the surrounding countryside were certainly cultivated. This resulted in a second part of the settlement scheme, with a range of very small valley and lower hill-slope sites, of Bronze and Iron Age, intimately bound to water supplies, such as the Potenza river and ancient natural springs.

 

Monte Primo: Bronze and Iron Age settlement structures are visible near the top.

Monte Primo: Bronze and Iron Age settlement structures are visible near the top.

Monte Primo: Bronze and Iron Age settlement structures are visible near the top.

 

Another of these elite sites, called Montarice, is situated on a plateau of some 4 ha, located near the river mouth with an excellent view over valley and coastline. Spectacular aerial photography results and field surveys have revealed its fundamental role of control and defence from the Middle Bronze Age up to the coming of the Romans. Particularly interesting is the identification of defensive structures, buildings and other settlement features, suggesting an evolution towards proto-urbanisation in the valley, possibly as a result of contacts with Greek merchants. Together with the already known Piceni cemeteries and the many Piceni rural settlements discovered in all parts of the valley, these central sites demonstrate the vitality of the Iron Age in Marche.

 

The Monte Franco near Treia, an elite Iron Age site.

The Monte Franco near Treia, an elite Iron Age site.

      Montarice Bronze and Iron features from the air.

Montarice Bronze and Iron features from the air.

 

Iron Age bucchero pottery from Treia.

Iron Age bucchero pottery from Treia.

As could have been suspected, the human landscape of the Roman period (3rd century B.C. – 5th century A.D.) is even more visible by means of survey techniques. The phase of Romanisation started when several urban settlements developed in the valley and also the surrounding rural landscape began to change.

Roman villa found in crop marks.

Roman villa found in crop marks.

The aerial photography flights and the systematic field surveys of the PVS team resulted in the discovery of more than 100 formerly unknown Roman villas, farms and small settlements. Interestingly the situation in the upper valley, near the Apennines is quite different from the middle and lower valley areas. While the upper valley is characterised by a dense pattern of mostly smaller farms throughout the late republican and imperial phases, we see the development of much larger farms and villas in the other areas. Here, probably, the rich agricultural land and easier undulating landscape facilitated the establishment of larger estates, sometimes specializing in oil and/or wine production. Especially in the coastal sector, differentiation of rural occupation throughout Roman times is most noteworthy. We mention here the three most important categories of isolated settlements: some are located on the beach ridges and are much involved in coastal activities, such as amphora production for wine export; some are small and lie in the plain where the new Roman land division (centuriatio) seriously changed the rural landscape; some must be identified as larger villas situated on the slopes of the hills and enjoying a great view over plain and coast. This last category is often characterized by long duration (into Late Antiquity) and much higher standards of living comfort.  

Crop marks of Roman Road with funerary monuments heading towards Potentia.

Crop marks of Roman Road with funerary monuments heading towards Potentia.

However, not all isolated sites in the Roman countryside of the Potenza valley are rural settlements. The detailed surveys start to reveal many small landscape elements, such as rural sanctuaries (one was found near Ricina), several road segments (some belonging to a diverticulum of the Via Flaminia), isolated farm buildings, production sites (e.g. for pottery, amphorae and tile) and cemeteries.

Amphora workshop found near Potentia.

Amphora workshop found near Potentia.

Fragment of Roman roof tile with stamp from the Middle Valley.

Fragment of Roman roof tile with stamp from the Middle Valley.

These landscape elements become especially dense near the Roman cities in the valley, which have been a specific target of the research activities since 2005. While the small Roman roadside town of Prolaquaeum (Pioraco) is still difficult to approach, due to its covering modern occupation, the other Roman cities in the Potenza valley produced much new evidence.

Potentia aerial photo of the southern part of the city.

Potentia aerial photo of the southern part of the city.

In Potentia, a Roman colony founded in 184 B.C. near the mouth of the Potenza stream, the town’s topography was approached through a combination of survey techniques. As a result of this, many elements of its street system, public infrastructure, housing, cemeteries and suburban structures were recently discovered. They show that this coastal colony displays all features of a small newly founded city, with a regular modulated plan, circuit walls and a public centre. The town acted as a magnet for the early and deep Romanization of the whole coastal sector. In the interior, real urbanization with population centres developing near the valley bottom, dominated the settlement pattern only from the 1st century B.C. onwards.

Possible roman aqueduct near Ricina.

Possible roman aqueduct near Ricina.

Interestingly the three interior Potenza cities, Septempeda, Trea and Ricina, which probably grew near earlier Piceni elite sites, demonstrate a similar system of urban layout. They are all to be characterized as ‘road-towns’, because of their positioning on a mainly East-West oriented road, which acts as decumanus maximus for the town grid. Furthermore, the three cities are all walled and their intra muros building infrastructure, now better known thanks to aerial photography, comprises during the Early Imperial period a multitude of public and commercial complexes (temple, theatre, basilica, market, baths, shops, …) arranged along this main street and its adjoining forum. Although they are real cities according to Roman tradition, their relative compactness and their focus on the main transport corridor concords well with the centres of the former vicus/pagus system in the Piceni era. Similar as in that period they are characterized as rather small habitation centres controlling the flows of goods and ideas through the valley, while at the same time acting as service towns for the surrounding rural population.

Septempeda: crop marks of the Roman gate and the city wall.

Septempeda: crop marks of the Roman gate and the city wall.     

    Septempeda: crop marks of Roman streets.

Septempeda: crop marks of Roman streets.

 

While the success of the Potenza valley cities during the first centuries of the Imperial period is well visible, we cannot evaluate fully yet what happens with this urban network and the surrounding countryside in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. It seems at first hand that invasions and economic and demographic decline, interrupted by short periods of reorganisation, lead to a slow but irreversible abandonment of many urban centres and of large tracts of the countryside and its related habitation. Still, the scarce dating evidence from surface surveys and small-scale excavations indicates that until the early 6th century some form of concentrated habitation in the towns pertained. A very serious blow to the Roman occupation system occurred probably during the Greco-Gothic wars (A.D. 535-553), resulting in a drastic contraction of the rural and urban population and a progressive abandonment of the valley-settlement. This process becomes irreversible the moment the Lombards invade central Italy. For the valley towns this is quite disastrous, especially as the Potenza axis will be abandoned by the Lombards as a main communication road between east and west. As can be seen in other areas of Adriatic Italy the 6th - 7th century decline and the final abandonment of former Roman towns in favour of fortified centres on the hilltops prepares the valley of the Potenza for a long phase of incastellamento and for the settlement pattern of nucleated sites on the important hilltops and plateaus, which we can still see today.

 

 

Septempeda: magnetic survey.

Septempeda: magnetic survey.