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  • Loreto
  • Loreto
  • Teanum Sidicinum
  • Italy
  • Campania
  • Province of Caserta
  • Teano

Credits

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Periods

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Chronology

  • 300

Season

    • In the locality of Loreto a rescue excavation was carried out during the summer in the area of the third terrace of the large sanctuary that was partially excavated by W. Johannowsky at the beginning of the 1960s. The preliminary geophysical investigations undertaken by the British School at Rome revealed the presence of a temple structure on a north/south alignment. The excavation which followed (three trenches) brought to light a peripteral temple _sine postico_, on a north/south alignment built in _opus incertum_. On the west side the building stood on a high podium faced with tufa blocks, whilst on the other sides the foundations were built against the terrain. Moreover, behind the temple, the parapets and part of the basalt surface of a road were uncovered together with the cuts relating to a stairway leading to the upper level of the sanctuary’s third terrace. Continuation of the excavation then revealed the existence of an earlier structure on a different alignment: a _sacellum_ built of grey tufa blocks with a platea on which a rectangular altar stood. Little is known of the upper sections of the building as only fragments of the trabeation and Corinthian tufa capitals, fragments of cyma and antefixes, a few patches of _opus signinum_ floor with white limestone _tesserae_ and decorative motifs in coloured _tessera_ remained. All of these elements were datable to the 3rd century B.C. A pit situated immediately up against the temple’s eastern foundations produced pottery and a terracotta female head datable to the beginning of the 5th century B.C. Fragments of terracotta female statues, life size or slightly larger, of the type carrying a young boy on the shoulder, were also found. No evidence of alterations to the structures dating to the Roman period were found, whilst use of the site was attested by a fragment of marble statue of the female Borghese Hera type. The area seemed to have been abandoned in the 4th century A.D. See also http://www.fastionline.org/micro_view.php?)item_key=fst_cd&fst_cd=AIAC_137
    • Between January and February 2003 a geophysical survey was undertaken of an area equalling circa seven hectares of the site partly occupied by the sanctuary. Entire quarters of the town were identified, confirming that it was densely occupied right up to the sanctuary, separated by a road, with monumental structures of great visual impact. In particular an elliptical arena was identified (longest axis 45 m), which may have belonged to an amphitheatre, or to a _ludus_, considering that an amphitheatre is already known at Teano on the western slope of the hill of Villino S. Antonio. The structure could also be identified as a market, a sort of _forum Boarium_, whose position in the eastern zone of the town, not far from the road going east to _Allifae_ and the Apennines, would seem rather appropriate. Situated on the long axis of the elliptical arena was an enclosure with a building that may be interpreted as a temple. At least one other monumental building and a cistern complete the picture produced by a non-destructive and exceptionally productive analysis which also provided many starting points for further research. See also http://www.fastionline.org/micro_view.php?)item_key=fst_cd&fst_cd=AIAC_137
    • In September and October 2006, on the plateau in the locality of Trinità, geophysical investigations continued the project begun in 2002, contracted out by the Superintendency to the British School at Rome and carried out by the University of Southampton. The survey covered a large area of the so-called lower town, situated south of the entertainment district. The results confirmed the terrain’s _optimum_ response to geophysical methods of investigation, which revealed an area of the ancient _Teanum Sidicinum_ occupied by at least four _insulae_. These were delimited by two roads on a north/south alignment, one with an axis slanting north-east/south-west, the other north-west/south-east, whilst a third road, on an east/west alignment, linked the first two. Amongst the numerous structures identified, a _domus_ with _atrium_, situated in the south-eastern part of the area investigated, was of particular interest. Its _fauces_, open towards the west, the rooms around the _atrium_ and further traces, perhaps attributable to a peristyle, were visible. See also http://www.fastionline.org/micro_view.php?)item_key=fst_cd&fst_cd=AIAC_137

Bibliography

    • F. Zevi 2004, L’attività archeologica a Napoli e Caserta nel 2003, in Atti del XLIII Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia (Taranto 2003), Taranto: 853-923.
    • M.L. Nava, 2006, L’attività archeologica a Napoli e Caserta nel 2005, in Atti del XLV Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia (Taranto 2005), Taranto: 583-661.
    • S. De Caro 2003, L’attività della Soprintendenza archeologica di Napoli e Caserta nel 2002, in Atti del XLII Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia (Taranto 2002), Taranto: 569-621.