In recent years, medieval archaeology has joined the traditional methods of historical investigation. Its role, compared to historical research, is to shed light on those aspects of the past that are unknown, or only hinted at, or at least not sufficiently clear in written sources. Documentary research, supported by modern methods of archaeological investigation, can improve our knowledge of certain aspects of economic and social life in the Middle Ages, providing valuable information on medieval civilization. The essential aim of the school is to provide, through a fruitful exchange of ideas on still open problems, up-to-date information on the results of research progress to all those who have worked or are still working in this field. It also aims to encourage archaeological research by, among other things, organising excavation campaigns and promoting contacts between historians and archaeologists interested in classical antiquity and the Middle Ages.