Isernia la Pineta, Archaeological site in Isernia, Italy
Isernia la Pineta is an excavation site in southern Italy where researchers have systematically uncovered stone tools and animal bones spanning different layers of ancient occupation. The site preserves multiple areas that reveal how early humans used stone and processed large animals over a very long period.
The site preserves evidence of human presence dating back roughly 700,000 years to the early part of the Ice Age in Europe. The excavation layers show a long span of time during which people returned to and used this location repeatedly.
The site reveals how early humans worked with their surroundings through the tools they made and the animals they hunted. The objects found here show the daily activities and skills of people who lived in this region hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Access to the site is available through arranged visits coordinated with the research teams working there, so planning ahead is important. The location offers direct views of ongoing excavation work and the preserved layers where ancient remains are being studied.
The excavations have revealed bones from enormous elephants, rhinoceroses, and hippopotamuses that were processed using basic stone tools. Finding such large animals at one location suggests that early people hunted in groups and worked together to butcher their catch.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.