Camerota archaeological campaign investigates Paleolithic sites

A new archaeological excavation campaign is underway in the Grotte della Cala and del Poggio in Camerota, Cilento. Running from September 14 to October 3, 2026, the research integrates archaeology, paleoanthropology, and environmental studies to investigate long-term human presence and climate changes in the region.

The project is led by the University of Siena in collaboration with the Universities of Bologna, Genoa, and Pisa, as well as the Université Côte d’Azur and CNRS in Nice. The work is conducted under ministerial concession with support from the local municipality and the Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino.

The two sites offer complementary historical records. Grotta del Poggio contains Middle Paleolithic levels associated with Neanderthals, featuring a six-meter anthropogenic deposit from a glacial phase between 200,000 and 140,000 years ago. Findings include stone tools and fauna such as straight-tusked elephants and rhinoceroses. Grotta della Cala primarily documents the Upper Paleolithic and subsequent human occupations.