Ricerche archeologiche nel castello di Casertavecchia: nuovi dati e prospettive di ricerca

Archaeological research underway in the castle of Casertavecchia (Caserta, Italy) has highlighted the considerable potential for knowledge that comes from the application of archaeological methodologies (excavation, analysis of wall stratigraphy, study of material culture, etc.). The fortress has been known from written sources since the middle of the XIII century. It was also restored many times, starting in the second half of the XX century. Even in the face of partial archaeological investigations conducted in small sectors of the architectural complex, the new approach is making it possible to pinpoint the characteristics and dynamics of attendance at the castle and the associated chronological problems with greater precision. Also, preliminary examinations of ceramics highlight the last phases of occupation of the fortress, i.e. the years between the end of the Middle Ages and the early Modern Age: among the numerous ceramic specimens found during the excavation, there are interesting fragments of tableware-covered with enamel and with polychrome decoration which adorned the tables of the noble classes who resided in the fortress. The similarities that the clay finds highlight with what is known for the Caserta area also confirm the centrality of the site within the ceramic supply networks for this sector of northern Campania, despite the absence of consolidated knowledge about the production centres during the late Middle Ages.