New discoveries from the excavations at Castelseprio
21.10.2025
Excavations continue at the Archaeological Park of Castelseprio, the ancient fortified town in the province of Varese that was destroyed in 1287 during a war with Milan. The research, carried out by a team from the University of Padua led by Professor Alexandra Chavarria Arnau and composed of faculty members and students, is bringing to light new finds that add to those unearthed last summer — crucial for dating the origins of the settlement.
For several years, the Padua team has focused its investigations on the main place of worship of the ancient settlement: the Basilica of San Giovanni.
Among the most significant discoveries is a Roman funerary inscription, reused in the Middle Ages to cover a burial and dedicated to a soldier who lived during the Imperial period. Similar finds had already been uncovered in the Park, and this new discovery will help scholars better understand the reasons for their presence in Castelseprio and the surrounding areas — a topic that has long been the subject of lively academic debate.
Archaeologists have also uncovered the remains of a 5th–6th century building with silos and traces of craft activities, predating the Lombard church. These structures provide valuable insights into the daily life of the people who inhabited the area at the dawn of the Middle Ages.
Particularly striking is the discovery of an Iron Age burial: a large pit containing an urn, fragments of pottery, and pieces of molten metal, dating back to the 6th century BC. This find confirms the ancient origins of human settlement in the area.
Together, these discoveries make it possible to reconstruct with greater precision the earliest phases of life at the site, where prehistoric, Roman, and early medieval memories intertwine in a fascinating and continuous narrative.
