Cardito Vecchio Archaeological Project
Exploring Samnite Strongholds and Medieval Frontiers on the "Gustav Line"
📍 Vallerotonda (FR), Italy
The Ancient Rome Live (American Institute for Roman Culture) in collaboration with the Municipality of Vallerotonda, and under the scientific direction of Professor Michele Raddi, Andrea Ceccarelli and Darius Arya, is pleased to announce an open call for 4-6 participants for the 2026 excavation season at the archaeological site of Cardito Vecchio (Lazio, Italy).
From Samnite Roots to Medieval Castles
Perched at 1,030 meters (3,380 ft), Cardito Vecchio occupies a commanding high-altitude position that once controlled the strategic passage between Lazio and Molise. The 2025 campaign has confirmed the site as a remarkably well-preserved archaeological context, revealing a complex, multi-layered history.
Excavations have brought to light a medieval settlement centered on a mastio (keep), with surrounding residential structures and an ecclesia intramoenia (a fortress church) accompanied by a burial area dating to the 12th–13th centuries. Beneath these levels, earlier phases emerge: Samnite-era polygonal masonry and fragments of black-glaze pottery point to the site’s origins as a pre-Roman defensive outpost of the Caraceni tribes. Even deeper in time, the presence of Middle Paleolithic flint tools underscores the long continuity of human activity here, making Cardito Vecchio a rare diachronic window into the history of the Central Apennines.
Dates
Wednesday June 3 through June 24 2026
Participants should arrive in Rome on June 3 for an orientation walk and welcome dinner, and plan to overnight in Rome. On June 4, students will be shuttled to site.
Costs & Requirements
Covered:
- Orientation walk and welcome dinner in Rome
- Full accommodation and meals are offered free of charge for the duration of the campaign, from the Municipality of Vallerotonda.
- Transfer from Rome (central departure point) to Vallerotonda
- Transfer from Vallerotonda to FCO airport at conclusion of program
Not Covered:
- Lodging in Rome on June 3
- Arrival airport transfer from FCO to Rome Center
Fee: $450
An Open-Air Museum on the Gustav Line
The Cardito Vecchio project offers a rare immersion not only in deep antiquity but also in modern history. The site overlooks Montecassino, the epicenter of one of the most decisive battles of World War II, and lies directly along the historic Gustav Line. Here, excavation unfolds within a true “living landscape,” where traces of ancient occupation intersect with the material memory of 20th-century warfare. It is a place where the terrain itself tells a layered story, and where archaeology and modern conflict converge in a single, powerful setting.
Opportunities for Students and Researchers
This project serves as a comprehensive field school, providing hands-on training in:
- Advanced Methodologies: Use of satellite GPS, laser scanning, and 3D digital modeling.
- Stratigraphic Excavation: Direct experience on undisturbed contexts, offering high potential for significant primary discoveries.
Finds Processing: Laboratory sessions focused on the cataloging and conservation of ceramic, lithic, and osteological materials.
HOW TO APPLY
We invite undergraduate and graduate students of classical archaeology, and professional archaeologists to join our international team. Send your CV and motivation letter expressing your interest in archaeological studies to assistant@ancientromelive.org. We will follow up with an online video interview.
Please note participants (students, researchers, etc.) are required to provide their own personal accident and health insurance Sicurezza Rischio archeologico valid for the duration of the stay in Italy.
Deadline: April 30, 2026
Institution: Ancient Rome Live/American Institute for Roman Culture
