Ancient Middle Ages Settlement Discovered in Cavaion Plains, Veneto

There is a newly discovered archaeological site in La Prà, likely dating from the Early Middle Ages, recently uncovered in the Cavaion plains. The news of the find was officially announced only a few days ago, after excavation work had already been completed.

“It was a so-called emergency excavation, meaning not pre-planned,” explains Brunella Bruno, inspector of the Soprintendenza archeologica per il Veneto and head of the Verona territory. “During land reorganization work, which is cultivated as a vineyard, a layer emerged by chance, showing traces of human activity. Unfortunately, the soil has been used for agricultural purposes for ages, and the plowing over the centuries has disturbed the underlying layers.” In the surviving stratum, bricks, pottery shards, terracotta artifacts, and remains of structures were found, likely used for both agricultural and craft activities.

Findings and preliminary assessment of the site

A testament to the presence of a human settlement is also the discovery of a portion of a dry well, built with unbound stones, where archaeologists found a nearly complete ceramic olla on the bottom.

“This is a common-use container intended for storing foodstuffs. Similar items have been found during excavations at the Verona courthouse.” An interesting aspect is that it remained intact precisely because it was found at the bottom of the well, as ‘cemented’ inside the soil that preserved it whole.

Dating and significance of the studies

Studying it will allow a more precise dating of the settlement, which likely dates back to the Early Middle Ages.

“It’s a very interesting discovery because it adds another piece to the mosaic that archaeologists are piecing together to reconstruct a historical period like the Early Middle Ages.” In the Veronese area, similar excavations have already been conducted, some in the nearby Garda area, but this era remains relatively little known due to the scarcity of archaeological evidence.

The buildings were mostly made of wood and therefore did not withstand the passage of time as the monumental structures made of stone or marble from earlier classical periods, which are better studied, have.

We do not know exactly what the houses looked like, what material culture was present, or what household items were used. Each new discovery therefore contributes to a relatively recent branch of archaeology.

Supporters and future of the discoveries

The scientific supervision of the excavations has been entrusted to the Sovraintendenza di Verona, with funding provided by the landowner, who owns a wine company, to whom we are very grateful for the collaboration.

“Our municipality is rich in archaeological finds from various eras,” says Giancarlo Sabaini, mayor of Cavaion, “and we are very happy about this new discovery. Unfortunately, it is a superficial excavation, which may eventually disappear due to weathering and erosion over time. It would be wonderful to be able to bring students from our schools to visit it, as we have done elsewhere, to help them learn about another piece of our ancient history.”.