Landscape archaeology of southern Umbria (Italy) using the GPR technique

The rural church of San Lorenzo in Nifili, close to the modern town of Montecastrilli (Umbria, Italy), appears well positioned between the occidental ancient roads of Flaminia, Amerina, and Ulpiana. The aim of this work is to understand the evolution of the ancient landscape around this church from Roman to modern times using data from the subsurface acquired with GPR. All of the information about this territory demonstrates the presence of several structures and buildings, which probably occupied the space around the church. It seems possible that a monastic building annexed this church during the 15th century. Thanks in part to the bishop Pietro Camaiani in 1574, it is possible to know that the church and the surrounding structures appeared in disrepair compromising the general stability. This building had several modifications before its final abandonment and destruction, and a section was used for grain storage. To better define the evolution of this building, it is also worth noting the development of the road system. Indeed, ancient sources reveal the presence of a road in a different position with respect to the modern one. In 2008, shallow excavations of an area around the church brought to light several small ancient bricks and road materials. The GPR results corroborate a hypothesis of the evolution of the road location from the front to the rear part of the church. This change must be related to the collapse of the soil during the second part of the 20th century, increasingly isolating the church of San Lorenzo in Nifili.