Why do archaeological discoveries on development sites so often seem fortuitous or entirely unexpected? What is wrong with planning-led archaeology in Italy?

The paper discusses both theory and practice in the application of the Italian domestic law, which has applied since 2006 to any kind of public new construction or to the modification of existing structures. The author argues, based on two of his own projects, BREBEMI and EMPTYSCAPES, that there are both shortcomings and new opportunities within Planning Led Archaeology. Projects from the last decade, in Italy and elsewhere, have demonstrated the potential effectiveness of new approaches to pre-development evaluation in the operation of the current legal and scientific framework that may make it possible to overcome some severe limitations in current practice. That said, even the most advanced diagnostic strategies need further improvements that can only occur through a concrete scientific commitment, the collaboration between research and conservation institutions and forever abandoning useless ideological positions and out of date approaches.