Il "Progetto Ponente": storia di una ricerca

This paper offers an analytical account of the “Progetto Ponente,” an archaeological investigation conducted between 2002 and 2004 in the western Ligurian region, under the direction of Marco Rendeli and carried out in collaboration with the University of Genoa, the Archaeological Superintendency, and the municipalities of Riva Ligure and Castellaro. Aimed at exploring long-term settlement patterns and land-use strategies in the province of Imperia, the project employed survey methodologies inspired by both Italian and Anglo-Saxon approaches, carefully adapted to the complex geomorphology of the Ligurian landscape. The research involved the systematic collection and analysis of archaeological and environmental data, leading to the identification and documentation of 70 potential upland sites (the so-called castellari), 35 of which yielded significant material evidence. The project substantially contributed to redefining the concept of the upland site in Ligurian archaeology, establishing shared topographical, functional, and chronological parameters.