Miranduolo (Chiusdino -SI). Campagna di scavo 2013: nuovi dati sul villaggio di VIII secolo d.C.

This report on the 13th excavation campaign at the site of Miranduolo focuses mainly on the 8th century evidences, because of their actual major implications in terms of general interpretation of the site. In particular, on the north-eastern slope of the hill, we defined more precisely the settlement space of a farmer/blacksmith, consisting of a wooden house, a workshop where iron smelting and forging took place, a storehouse (mainly for foodstuffs) and several grain pits. The owner belongs to an intermediate social rank and occupies an area adjacent to one of the two nucleus of power of the village (specifically, the one on the hilltop). We were also able to identify a new section of the palisade that enclosed the other center of power, located in the western part of the hill and marked by the presence of a wooden church. A final matter of extreme interest is the discovery of 8th century evidences at the foot of the hill.. Even if we don't yet know whether there is a spatial continuity with the findings of the higher parts of the settlement, the existence of these traces is an important indicator which testifies a so far unsuspected dimensional articulation of the village in this period.