To the north-east of the town of Capriata d’Orba, agricultural work on a terrace situated to the right of the river below the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines exposed evidence of a long occupation sequence, datable to between the mid Iron Age and the medieval period. Two trenches were opened in the area, covering a surface of about 2000 m2. Subsequently, in collaboration with “Il Veso” cultural association of Capriata d’Orba, the restoration and study of the finds, including anthropological and paleo-botanical analyses were undertaken.

The western trench was characterised by a series of small pits, the upper parts of which cut by ploughing and therefore the related ancient ground surface was lost. The fill was constituted by charcoal, thin ash lenses and very fragmented archaeological material which however gave a date of 6th-5th century B.C. These were probably ritual structures perhaps connected with a cremation necropolis. The pottery, both impasto and buccheroid, fits within the context of the mid Iron Age in southern Alessandria area, revealing the existence of another route, beside that of the Scrivia, for reaching the Etruscan emporium at Genoa. This made use of the course of the river Orba which, via Frascaro, reached the confluence of the Belbo torrent with the Tanaro.

The nature of the Roman occupation of the area is harder to determine. It was attested by sporadic finds (an amphora stump, brick/tile fragments, a bronze lug-handle and a mirror) found on the surface or in the ploughsoil. The soil was characterised by a high charcoal content suggesting the presence of cremation burials, disturbed by agricultural activity, perhaps part of a cemetery situated along the route of a secondary road, in an area of rural settlements occupied between the 1st century B.C. and 3rd century A.D. The area’s funerary character was also confirmed by the discovery of a Roman inhumation with a pitched tile covering. The skeleton was badly damaged by the acidic nature of the soil.

The eastern trench exposed a wall, continuing beyond the excavation edge, with substantial foundations of cobbles bonded with mortar. This was interpreted as a secondary apse of a cult building, probably the church of San Nicola, cited as a baxilica in 11th-12th century sources. It was part of the town of Tolianum which was later abandoned when it became completely incorporated into the growing town of Capriata in the second half of the 13th century. A number of inhumations in earth graves were found close to the church. The burials seemed to be arranged in family groups, did not contain grave goods and were probably the tombs of inhabitants from Tolianum. Anthropological analyses of the skeletal remains showed evidence of intense physical labour, visible to substantially different degrees in the male and female skeletons.