This year, students from around the United States are working on multiple archaeological sites in the Orvieto area. Led by Prof. David B. George and Dr. Claudio Bizzarri, students, faculty and alumni from all over the United States are in Orvieto participating on the excavation. From uncovering Medieval, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts in the field to photographing and cataloguing these finds in the lab, students serve an integral part in archaeological research. This summere our excavation is working on two dig sites, Coriglia and Cavita 254.

Coriglia has served as the primary excavation site for the dig for ten seasons. Located near Castel Viscardo, a town approximately 8 miles northwest of Orvieto, students and staff have discovered finds ranging from the 10th century BCE to the 16th century CE. It is believed that site began as an Etruscan healing shrine which later under Roman rule developed into a large-scale bath complex. In the World War II the area was also the site of a large battle between the Nazi’s and the Allied forces advancing up the peninsula, the remains of which are still commonly found.

The excavation will dig for the fifth year in Cavita 254, a pair of underground Etruscan structures dated to before the 5th century BCE. The function and origin of the structure still remains unknown.