Archaeology
One of the most interesting archaeological findings of the area is the Early Middle Ages site of the Mennella Walls, overlooking the borough of Mennella and crossed by an ancient fortified road, that is today part of the pathways system of the Park.
In July 1998 a joint venture between the Park Authority and the Department of Medieval history of the University of Rome “La Sapienza” started excavations in the area. .
The results were surprising from the start: the excavation sample, though small, yielded a small treasure of coins from the XV century mint of Nicola Manforte from Campobasso. In the following years the excavations continued and the results are promising. Among the findings, finely decorated pottery, decorated glass, fibulae, pendants, medallions, and flutes of carved bone.
Today the importance of the site is not in question and it is being studied in the International Study Centre for the Early Middle Ages in Spoleto.
One of the hypotheses is that these are the remnants of the ancient Castrum S. Lotheri, which included a church that is mentioned in the Chronicon Volturnense, the ancient illuminated codex written in the XII century by the monk Giovanni.
Archaeological stratigraphy analysis suggests that the settlement goes back to a period between the VI and VIII centuries. It was part of a system of fortified villages, probably protecting the territory of the San Vincenzo Abbey.
It appears that the area had been inhabited several times before, as suggested by traces of Samnitic culture like megalithic walls, tombs and black pottery.
The whole site is the object of a project started by the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise Authority, by the Comune of Filignano and by the Archaeological Superintendence which aims to establish an archaeological park. This would be achieved firstly acquiring the property of the area and then starting a systematic campaign of excavations to reveal the urban topography of the site and, above all, restoring the ancient, probably Norman, tower.
Moreover, the project involves the acquisition and restoration of farming yards and buildings to host the antiquarium for the storage and display of the findings; a school of pottery and a goldsmithing workshop for the reproduction the splendid jewellery found in the site.
The borough of Mennella, the archaeological site and other findings of anthropological interest will be related to the restoration of the so called “fortified road”, the old path protected by dry stone walls which is being worked on as well.