L Insediamento Medievale Nelle Colline Metallifere (Toscana, Italia) Il sito minerario di Rocchette Pannocchieschi dall'VIII al XIV secolo

This volume presents eleven years of archaeological research (1992-2003) carried out by the University of Siena at the castle of Rocchette Pannocchieschi (southern Tuscany, Italy). The remains of the medieval settlement consist of the castle surrounded by a palisade and two craft areas outside the walls. The excavations made possible the reconstruction of the sequence of activity at the site from the 8th to the 14th centuries after which it was totally abandoned. The site was associated with mining from its beginnings as a village in the 8th century, with silver and copper being mined for coin production. In common with other settlements in the Metal Hills the village became a castle in the 10th century, with the layout substantially altered in the 11th century coinciding with the arrival and investment of the Pannocchiesi family. The settlement became a commercial and economic centre with its inhabitants completely dedicated to the mining industry.