Archaeologists have begun a new season of research at San Giovanni, inside the Le Cesine State Nature Reserve near Vernole in southern Italy. The 2026 campaign runs from September 7 to October 4, with work both on land and underwater.
Credit: University of Salento
The project is led by the Department of Cultural Heritage at the University of Salento, under the scientific direction of Rita Auriemma. The work is carried out under a permit from Italy’s Ministry of Culture, with support from local cultural and public bodies.
A major focus this year is a large Roman port complex lying beneath the sea in front of the former pumping station. Researchers are studying a long, straight structure extending from the ancient shoreline and ending in a wide platform.
The structure follows an L-shaped plan known from Roman ports along low, sandy coastlines across the Mediterranean. Today, much of the structure survives only as a submerged foundation.
Credit: University of Salento
The team hopes to confirm a date from the Augustan period, between the late first century BCE and the first century CE. Researchers are also testing a link to an important event in Roman history.
One possibility is that the port was where Octavian landed in 44 BCE after the death of Julius Caesar. From there, he would have continued toward Rome. The excavation will help assess whether the port’s date and layout fit this proposed event.
Much of the ancient structure lies beneath layers of sand. Archaeologists will map its full layout and study its connection with another submerged structure farther north. Researchers think this second structure could have served as a lighthouse tower. It is known today as the “Submerged Church.”
Work on land will continue as well. Excavations in 2025 showed the settlement beside the ancient shore was larger and more complex than expected. This season, researchers will focus on a large plastered basin found within the site.
Credit: University of Salento
The basin could have formed part of a Roman facility used to process and salt fish. Its location near the ancient salt works known as the Conche del sale supports this idea.
Another possibility links the basin to wine production. Archaeologists are considering whether the structure was a lacus vinarius, a basin used in wine making at a Roman agricultural estate.
A new facility in nearby Acaya will support the fieldwork. The Acaya LandLivingLab, based in rooms inside Acaya Castle, will store, catalog, and restore finds from the excavations.
The lab will also serve as a base for public archaeology. Planned activities include guided tours, open excavation days, school programs, heritage events, expert talks, and environmental awareness activities. Visitors will also have access to archaeological sites and historic places around Acaya.
The project includes several research and field partners. The Port Authority offices in Otranto and San Cataldo, along with the Coast Guard’s First Underwater Operations Unit in San Benedetto del Tronto, are supporting underwater safety.
The ArcheoSub group at the University of Salento has worked with the Coast Guard unit for years. The Politecnico di Torino is also continuing its work on topographic and photogrammetric records, both on land and underwater. Local groups and organizations are supporting the campaign as well.
The research team hopes the 2026 work will clarify how the submerged port developed and how the coastal settlement functioned. The finds will also gain a new base for study and conservation at Acaya, bringing research, site protection, and public access together.
More information: University of Salento