As part of the project to develop the archaeological area of Vaste, two excavation campaigns (June-July 2007, November-December 2007) were carried out in the Fondo Melliche, covering an overall area of circa 150 m2. More than thirty post-holes came to light, in part excavated in the earth and in part rock-cut. Inside each one the lower layers contained animal bones, whilst the upper layers produced Iron Age pottery, mainly geometric and sub-geometric Salento productions (8th-7th century B.C.) and impasto. Furthermore, pieces of baked clay cooking stands, ash and charcoal remains were also found in the post-holes. The pottery vessels were mainly locally produced _pithoi_, kraters with mushroom handles, jars, jugs, small jugs, small jars and _skyphoi_. There were also numerous Greek imports, in particular from Corinth, and from eastern Greece. Almost all of the post-holes were closed, as it were “plugged”, by a thick layer of crushed tufina and gravel. In some cases stone circles were present beside the holes. Some of the stones had holes in them. The archaeological data collected from the area with these deposits suggested that it had a cult function, in fact, it appeared to have been used for religious ceremonies and ritual practices of a Chthonic nature. The same sector also produced evidence for the successive periods. In particular two votive deposits of archaic date were excavated, both placed inside partially rock-cut holes. The deepest contained a number of pouring vessels, including a Bolsal type Attic cup dating to the third quarter of the 5th century B.C., a lekane, a jug and a miniature vase, together with ashy soil with an organic matrix. Overlying the pit was a small tumulus of stones. Beside this was another hole containing an impasto jar, a Corinthian _kotyle_, a ladle and a _hydria_. The excavation also uncovered structures relating to the Hellenistic occupation, including a rock-cut cistern, over 4 m deep, for rainwater collection. The fill was constituted by large local limestone blocks from the demolition of buildings, tiles and pottery dating to between the 4th and 3rd century B.C. (black glaze ware, plain ware, banded ware and brown glaze ware). The presence of numerous fragments of _pithoi_ and _louteria_ was of particular interest. Furthermore, a cylindrical hole, dug into the natural clay, produced a dump of ash in which there were several black glaze vases, miniature vases and iron agricultural implements. Another hole, an incomplete well, produced a large number of cooking pots and casseroles, together with jugs and _lekanai_.

Excavations continued in the same area as the previous year (sect. A) and in an adjacent area on the north side (sect. B). In the area of the Iron Age deposits (sect. A), excavation of all the identified post-holes was completed. The holes presented the same typology and fill as documented for the others. The deposits were constituted by Iapigian and impasto pottery, as well as the remains of cooking stands and animal bones. A Hellenistic midden was also excavated which produced pottery, tile and architectural materials probably from the demolition of a number of buildings that stood in the immediate vicinity. During the excavation the remains of Iapigian hut, only just intercepted by a previously dug trial trench, were examined. As regards area B, the excavations uncovered a Hellenistic cult structure. So far this seems to have comprised an enclosure built of squared blocks and a large cistern. The latter has not been completely emptied, but the excavation of the first layers produced very little pottery but a large quantity of bones belonging to large animals. The enclosure comprised two adjoining spaces, delimited by walls made of large squared blocks. The excavation found no traces of roofing. At the centre of one of the spaces there was a hearth, whilst immediately outside there was a votive deposit with a small buried lekane containing a small upside down cup. Nearby there was a substantial dump of sheep/goat bones, at present being studied by the archeozoology department of Salento University. A terracotta disc found in the enclosure provided further evidence of the sacred character of the complex, also indicated by the presence of the cistern. The structure finds precise typological and functional parallels in other buildings identified in Vaste itself.

In the months November 2008-February 2009 excavations were undertaken in the Fondo Melliche as part of the work to create the entrance to the ‘Parco Archeologico dei Guerrieri’. The area is situated in the northern sector of the Messapian defensive walls, at circa 100 m west of the north gate, one of the entrances to the settlement. The excavations aimed to check the line of the Messapian fortifications which in this stretch are only hypothesised. The stratigraphic excavation revealed a substantial accumulation of blocks of varying sizes, probably relating to the construction of the wall. At a short distance an imposing structure of stone blocks was intercepted, which on the basis of the construction type and position was interpreted as a stretch of the Hellenistic town wall. Further excavation revealed various construction phases. The earliest was constituted by a substantial dry-stone wall built of large irregular or partially worked stones. It was not possible to establish its width as it continued beyond the present excavation limits. In a later phase the external course of the embankment was faced by a structure of large parallelepiped blocks. The structure represented the second construction phase and three courses were preserved, one of the foundation and two of the standing wall. A third construction phase was represented by a reinforcement of larger blocks which, abutting the external row of the second phase, greatly widened the fortification. The third phase blocks were arranged in three flanking rows, placed alternately crossways and lengthways. The foundation and three blocks from the wall were preserved. Continuing the excavation to the east an interruption in the line of the wall was reached in correspondence with a sudden rise in the bed-rock. The entire wall structure can be attributed to a period that runs from the second half of the 4th to the first half of the 3rd century B.C. The accumulation of blocks found by the line of the wall post-dates the fortifications, but at the present state of the research is difficult to interpret. It may be formed by waste material accumulated during the demolition of the wall circuit to be used for subsequent construction or may be the collapse of the wall circuit that was later readapted.

Thanks to new funding from the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Puglia, researched continued on the Fondo Melliche, in an area previously examined in 2007-2008. Here, the excavation areas regarding both the Iron Age cult structure (sect. A), and the Hellenistic structures (sect. B) were enlarged. As regards the first phase, a trench placed inside the Hellenistic enclosure intercepted more pits containing votive deposits belonging to the Iron Age cult site. The pits contained impasto and matt-painted pottery, in particular Sub-geometric ware from the Salento (7th century B.C.). The latter was represented by a notable variety of forms (jars, kraters, bowls), almost all in association with proto-Corinthian pottery and banded ware of the east Greek type (kraters in particular). Miniature vases were also present, both local productions (small jars, small bottles) and Greek imports (beakers). Large fragments from cooking stands used for the preparation of the ritual meals were also found in the pits. As regards sector B, the excavation of the sacred enclosure uncovered during the previous intervention continued. The plan was defined through the identification of several ghost walls. The exposure of a number of walls on a different alignment to those of the building, suggested the presence of an earlier enclosure, also for cult use, probably of archaic date, given the presence nearby of two 5th century B.C. votive deposits (see 2007 summary). The emptying of the cistern situated next to the enclosure was completed. The fill produced more stone blocks and architectural fragments from the destruction of surrounding buildings. The emptying of the cistern, also revealed a new situation which provided interesting material on which to reflect. It was seen that the excavation of the cistern cut a pre-exisiting Messapian tomb, whose dating has yet to be established. This was the burial of an adult individual, but at the moment no grave goods seem to have been preserved.

In July 2011, a short excavation was undertaken on the Fondo Melliche, in an area divided into building plots. In recent years, investigations have taken place (see entries for 2008-2010) on a sector of the Messapian settlement of Vaste, in particular the Iron Age occupation. In fact, a cult complex datable to the 8th-7th century B.C. is attested here. The latest excavation took place in lots 10 and 11, situated in the south-eastern corner of the sector. Previously, a trial trench had been dug on the two lots but did not reveal any significant layers. Therefore, an open area excavation was started, with the aim of gaining a broader vision of any archaeological deposits present. A series of about twenty holes of varying sizes was uncovered, below the agricultural top soil, partially excavated in a reddish-brown soil and in part in the bedrock. As in previous excavations, these pits were filled with material datable to the Iron Age (8th-7th century B.C.): a substantial amount of Iapygian pottery, in particular the sub-geometric type from the Salento, and impasto vases, together with a lesser number of fragments of Corinthian imported pottery and eastern Greek banded ware and Greek transport amphora (Corinthian type A). The pits also contained animal bones and fragments of baked clay from cooking stands. Almost all of the holes, of a similar typology to those excavated in past years, appeared to relate to the same cult structure. Therefore, these were deposits of material linked to cult activities, as already documented in the adjoining area. There were two exceptions (US 315 and 333), which probably date to the archaic period, but none the less relate to cult activities. The situation revealed by the excavation confirmed the proposed interpretation based on the other evidence. Given the smaller number of votive deposits present here, and the absence of other elements denoting a sacred area, it may be suggested that this zone was marginal with respect to the structure’s central nucleus, which was probably situated in the area immediately to the north.