Archaeological Field School: Unearthing a roman villa in Satricum (Italy) Latium Vetus in the Imperial Period (1st – 5th AD)

Project description and backgrounds
Satricum (nowadays Le Ferriere) is the ancient name of a Latin settlement that was situated ca. 60 km south of Rome in the present-day Italian province Lazio. Forty-six years of systematically conducted archaeological research in ancient Satricum have produced an outstandingly rich and varied archaeological record, which shows evidence of uninterrupted habitation over a period of nearly 1500
years, from the early Iron Age to the Medieval Period. Huts, houses, burial grounds, a road system with associated dwellings and votive deposits which belong to the city’s main sanctuary of Mater Matuta, represent the chief material sources that allow us to reconstruct the complex and multi-layered biography of this settlement.

In the last four years, works have focused on a segment of the lower city that revealed the remains of a Roman villa. The villa, built in the 1st century AD, remained in use until the 4th/5th century. It covers nearly 4000m2 and consists of a pars urbana and a pars rustica. The pars urbana comprises a large
communal latrine and a bath complex. The mosaic and marble fragments found in the rooms make it likely that the rooms were once richly decorated. The pars rustica is only partly excavated, revealing, i.e. various basins and a second smaller latrine. Stables, threshing floors, and storage rooms are assumed in the as yet unexcavated parts of the villa. Furthermore, a huge water reservoir was
found with a capacity of some 200.000 litre that supplied the villa with fresh water. In the Middle Ages, the villa was used as a cemetery. So far, around 80 graves have been discovered among the Roman remains.

In summer 2026 the excavation activities will resume with the main goal of further understanding the architecture of the villa and its infrastructures. At the same time, we will study the deeper layers beneath the villa. In recent years, various indications have been found there that indicate pre-Roman habitation of the site where the villa was later built.

Prior knowledge or experiences needed?
The field work is open to BA3 and (R)MA students in Archaeology. Participants should have successfully completed their 1st and 2nd year BA fieldwork or should have prior experience in archaeological fieldwork at the 2nd-year academic or a comparable level.

Project website
https://www.uva.nl/en/discipline/archaeology/research/satricum/satricum-project.html

Project leader
Emeritus Prof. Marijke Gnade (University of Amsterdam/ Senior Fellow at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome)

Internship period
The campaign starts off at the 6th of June and closes the 11th of July 2025, running for a total of 5 weeks.

Credits
6 ECTS (5 weeks)

Type(s) of fieldwork planned, as well as relevant activities
During this Field School, participants will take part to the excavation and find processing activities, which run for the whole day with two breaks. In the afternoon, the activities will concentrate on the material excavated and kept in the storerooms next to the site.
Activities will include:

• Excavating in an open area and smaller trenches
• Documenting, and interpreting archaeological features and/or layers
• Documenting and recording archaeological data
• Finds recovery, processing and documentation (database entering, scale- drawing, digital illustration and photographs)
• Writing daily reports, which include personal observations and critical evaluations of methods, of results and their effects on fieldwork tactics.
• Type(s) of professional and personal skills to be obtained by students during
  fieldwork. You will acquire insights in how to carry out archaeological fieldwork and the necessary skills connected with an archaeological excavation. You will learn the strategies and procedures proper to the stratigraphical method (open area excavation) and to use a range of digging equipment. You will also get acquainted with the documentation protocols needed to record archaeological features, both in writing and drawing. During the afternoons you will familiarize with the material culture recovered from the villa spanning over more than four
  centuries, further sharpening your knowledge in artefacts and ecofacts analysis and processing. More generally, you will gain first-hand understanding of how to work in an international team and improve your communication, language, and soft skills.

Provided facilities
The accommodation of the Dutch team is located in the village center of Le Ferriere (Latina), at the excavation site. The building hosts all students, bedrooms may accommodate up to 4 people, and all other facilities are shared. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included and prepared by a local cook.

Costs involved for students
To take part to the project you will have to partially contribute to the lodging and board costs (€75,00 a week); your insurance during the field work will be covered by the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome (KNIR), but travel insurance is mandatory. KNIR offers participants who successfully complete the course a travel cost reimbursement of up to €100 (or up to €125 if the entire trip is by train), provided they are affiliated with one of our NWIB partner universities. Students must independently cover: travel costs between the Netherlands and Rome (but see above).

Number of students requested
Max. 10 interns

Health and safety precautions/regulations
To be admitted on the excavation site every student needs to be vaccinated against tetanus: check how much time has passed from your last shot, as every ten years additional doses are recommended to maintain immunity. In addition, you will have to wear safety shoes (those used at building sites, see examples here) and long trousers. Mind that temperatures in June and July can easily soar to over 30 degrees, so hats and sunscreen are necessary.

Application
Students should apply by sending an email to: secretary@knir.it with m.gnade@uva.nl in cc, with “Application Fieldschool Satricum 2026” in the subject, including 1 PDF file with the following information:
– a relevant fieldwork CV
– your most recent list of grades
– motivation letter (max. 1 page)

Deadline
17 April 2026. Selection will take place before the 30th of April. Please note that the decision of the selection committee is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

More info
For more information regarding this Field School, please send an email to prof. Marijke Gnade: m.gnade@uva.nl