Lo scavo di Sant’Ilario a Port’Aurea: reperti ceramici dagli strati di superficie

The church of Sant'Ilario a Port'Aurea, located near Trajan's Arch in Benevento, dates back to the Longobard era. Shortly after its construction, a Benedictine monastery was annexed to it. The archaeological investigations in the area date back to 2000-2002 and were conducted under the scientific direction of Giuseppina Bisogno, an official of the Archaeological Superintendency, in view of the setting up of the Arch of Trajan Park and Museum. A complex stratigraphy emerged from the excavation, ranging from the Roman to the contemporary age, which yielded large quantities of artefacts, especially ceramics. The medieval archaeology team of Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage of the Vanvitelli University, which has been carrying out research in Benevento for some time, undertook the study of the excavation documentation, kept in the former convent of San Felice in Benevento. In the present work, a number of artefacts from stratigraphic unit 0 are analysed. Us 0 is of little significance for the chronology of the site as it is a superficial and unreliable layer, formed in the last phase of the site's use due to the earth poured into the area to cover the ruins of the monastery and allow agricultural activities to take place. The considerable amount of pottery unearthed, although not in primary storage, was analysed and catalogued. From this study, it was possible to obtain useful information on the living standards, food, and contacts of the monastic community, as well as information on the early medieval productions that circulated in Benevento.