In 2007 excavations began on a rural site of Roman date situated on a small plateau close to the confluence of the river Sterza and river Cecina, at circa 400m from the latter’s southern bank. The site is situated in the locality of Monte Bono (Guardistallo, Pisa), in an agricultural area. It was identified during a field survey.

During the 2007 and 2008 campaigns an area of 5 × 10 m was explored. Below the humus layers of clay containing stones, tile and pottery were removed, probably deriving from the destruction of the farm structures. Judging from these finds the walls had stone footings constructed using the dry stone technique or bonded with poor mortar. The walls themselves were in unbaked brick or wattle and daub; the roof was of tiles and imbrices.

The diagnostic fragments found (black glaze ware, Italian sigilata, thin walled ware, coarse wares, amphorae) were attributable to between the 1st century B.C. and the 1st century A.D.. The presence of at least eight dolia suggests the working and storage of dry food stuffs. Finds of imported materials, in particular from the Iberian peninsula, attest the site’s involvement in trade routes which, through the Cecina valley, linked Vada Volaterrana and its port system with Volterra and its territory.