Sarmede, from the excavations emerges a medieval fortress destroyed by the earthquake

The discovery on the hill between Rugolo and Montaner. The Superintendency: «Surprising results». A conference in May, funds are sought to continue archaeological investigations

SARMEDE. The results of the archaeological investigations that have brought to light the remains of a tower and a medieval wall on the slope between Rugolo and Montaner, in the municipal area of ​​Sarmede, a few kilometers from Vittorio Veneto, will be officially presented in a conference. . “The company that carried out the work”, explains Mayor Larry Pizzol, “is finalizing the report, after which we will proceed with a public presentation of the work here in Sarmede”. The excavation was carried out by Dr. Flavio Cafiero’s archeology and territory studio, with the scientific direction of the Abap Superintendence for the metropolitan area of ​​Venice and the provinces of Belluno, Padua and Treviso, the operational direction of the area archaeologist Cinzia Rossignoli and the collaboration of the private owners of the area.

It all started with the discovery in January 2021 of some “particular stones”, during the deforestation works of a piece of mountain to secure the Provincial 151 from landslides, between the towns of Rugolo and Montaner. Last autumn professional archaeologists appointed by the Superintendency had started a general cleaning of the plateau. 300 square meters have been analyzed, but the defensive system still extends upstream. “The results had been surprising”, explains the Superintendency, “the accumulation of limestone blocks was what remained of a defensive system comprising a mighty square tower of over 7 meters on each side, preserved up to 12 courses in height, surrounded by a polygonal plan walls, which enclosed a rather restricted internal space. The choice of construction material, of non-local origin, responds to the need for solidity of the building, which the friable sandstone of the substrate could not have ensured. Nonetheless, the accentuated change in altitude and the current marked inclination from east to west of the masonry planes, visible at the base of the tower, could be due to a serious earthquake event and have determined the collapse, at least partial, of the fortification and its subsequent abandonment ».

As for the dating, «unfortunately no dating materials have been collected, but due to construction criteria and position it is likely that the site is related to the historical phase of the fortification and dates back to the Middle Ages. Perhaps it is precisely one of the towers built for the purpose of sighting and garrison by the powerful local family of the da Montanara-da Camino ”. “We hope to be able to continue the excavation with some other funding”, is Rossignoli’s hope, “for these excavations the funds have come from the Ministry, now we will see if there are the conditions for other sources of funding”. In the meantime, the Municipality has applied for line B of the PNRR and has foreseen a funding stream to continue the work: funding is also sought from the State to be able to carry out this important archaeological discovery.