The Field School in Medieval Archaeology and Bioarchaeology at Badia Pozzeveri
San Pietro’s church was once part of a Camaldolese monastery, which was founded in the 11th century on the shores of Lake Bientina. The medieval lake, now entirely dried up, extended between Lucca and the Arno River. The monastery flourished during the 12-13th centuries thanks to its location along the Via Francigena, a major trade and pilgrimage route, which connected France and Northern Europe with Rome throughout the entire Middle Ages. The monastery’s decline started in the 14th century and eventually led to its dissolution in the 15th century. San Pietro’s church remained as the village’s center of worship and is still in use. During the 2011 field season, the field school will explore the medieval cemetery as well as the monastery’s ruins (the cloister, well, capitular hall, church, and fortifications).
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