Archaeological Excavation Reveals Lost Settlement Beneath Medieval Church
The mystery remains. What did the «large building characterized by simple construction techniques» represent, and what functions did it serve over time, whose foundations have been uncovered during restoration work on the rural church dedicated to Saints Fermo and Rustico? «It is currently impossible to define the nature of the settlement,» state architect Paolo Corradini, who oversaw the restoration project, and Dr. Brunella Bruno, responsible for the work on behalf of the Superintendency for Archaeological Heritage. «The site on which the church was later built. What is certain is that the site was inhabited in Roman times.»
«From this era,» emphasizes Bruno in her report, «can be dated some artifacts (remains of architectural elements and bricks), foundation walls, and a large trench, which indicates an underground structure (foundation? storage-silo?) entirely removed in antiquity». Finds that suggest the settlement could be placed in the early medieval period, still to be precisely determined, but likely between the 6th and 7th centuries AD.»
The archaeological excavations conducted by experts (David Hoaking and Alberto Zardini) so far have identified at least three rooms: all extend beyond the limits of the current church. The presence of hearths and artifacts of domestic use (pots, basins, part of a millstone) leads experts to exclude the identification of these structures as a previous church, they stress.
Furthermore, «burrow holes, negative structures of various kinds unrelated to the first construction phase,» suggest that the building remained in use for a considerable period. Finally, the discovery, within and outside the building area, of graves—some empty or disturbed—built at an unspecified time, «clearly indicates,» according to the archaeological investigation leader, «that the structure was no longer used for residential purposes; however, there are no elements to suggest it was a place of worship.»
It has also been confirmed that the structures unearthed do not all belong, as was hastily suggested initially, to the Romanesque period, but span various historical eras: from the Roman age to the 16th century, when the church dedicated to Fermo and Rustico underwent significant restoration.
The archaeological surveys have also helped interpret the foundations of the current church, which in no case exploit the pre-existing structures: «The construction of this one likely dates back to the medieval-late medieval period.» Deep excavations revealed at least five additional burials from different moments in the church’s history; «the most recent, located in front of the altar along the central axis of the nave and belonging to a clearly important individual, appears to date from the modern era.»
Beyond the highly valuable preliminary results, the investigations have raised numerous questions. Only through continued work in the hermitage area and the acquisition of new data will it be possible to obtain «a more comprehensive historical framework.»
However, funding is necessary, as the amounts provided by the Province and the Municipality are insufficient, especially since the investigations and restoration work, carried out by the company Aleandro De Carli, have significantly expanded. The association «Francesco Fontana», entrusted by the Municipality with the management and scientific and cultural coordination of the restoration project, continually promotes awareness efforts targeting public and private entities and the local population, to raise the necessary funds to deepen and interpret a chapter of history that is not only local but broader in scope.