Archaeology.
The signs of civilisations and cultures in Liguria from prehistoric to mediaeval times can still be seen today. Apart from the largest and best-known archaeological sites, we have also mentioned other places of archaeological interest which, for many reasons, have never been excavated or studied in depth. The drawings in the grottoes at Balzi Rossi in Ventimiglia go back to the upper Palaeolithic era; the presence of Neanderthal man has been found over most of western Liguria. Some sites are of exceptional scientific importance, such as the celebrated Toirano grottoes (the Basura and Colombo grottoes), the grottoes in the Finale area and the grotto of the Madonna dell'Arma at Bussana in Sanremo. Between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods, the major settlements were in the Pennavaira Valley, on the island of Palmaria (Colombo grotto) and in the Balzi Rossi area, which was inhabited up to Roman times.
The pre-Roman civilisation of the Liguri tribe, which gave their name to the region, occupied all of the territory from west to east and is evident in the ruins of "castellari", the fortified areas in dominant positions (generally on a piece of high ground from which the coast, valleys and river mouths could be controlled) and in other remaining traces. The Romans took a long time to conquer Ligurian resistance, especially in the mountain areas; but when territorial control was complete, the villages of the Liguri were absorbed into the new settlements and in many cases it is now difficult for archaeologists to distinguish the two levels from each other.
The Via Aurelia and Via Julia Augusta along the coast and the inland roads of Via Posthumia and Via Aemilia Scauri helped to reinforce territorial unity and increase trading and exchange; some large towns developed along the coast and the remains of some of these can still be seen in the digs at Albenga, Ventimiglia and Luni.
The archaeological area in Ventimiglia was brought to light in 1877. It is possible to observe the Roman town from the railway viaduct: you can just make out the structure of the theatre made of Turbia stone with two side entrances, as well as traces of roads and houses. One of the most interesting finds is the mosaic fragment showing the figure of Arius from the ancient thermal baths.
During the Imperial era, some middle-class Romans built their summer residences in Liguria: interesting remains of such buildings can be seen in the La Spezia area (Villa Bocca di Magra and Villa del Varignano), near Bussana, along the Via Julia Augusta, and in many other western localities.
In Loano, along the Via Aurelia in the direction of Borghetto Santo Spirito, you can still see the parts of the old Via Julia Augusta: the best preserved part is the so-called Pontasso, a little bridge built in "opus sectum" style (small shell-like stones). In Albissola Superiore, close to the railway station, you can find the excavations on the ancient Alba Docilia. Again in the province of Savona, between Albenga and Alassio, there is a Roman road along the hillside through the olives and Mediterranean vegetation which once joined the two towns.
Luni, in the province of La Spezia, is the largest excavation site in the region. The ancient town of "Lunae" was a coastal town; however, it now stands about 2 kilometres from the sea due to the filling-in of the port, not far from the mouth of the River Magra. It was an important commercial town: Pliny and Martial both praised the local wines and cheeses, while Strabo wrote of the large tree trunks that were brought down to the valley from the Apennines along the River Magra. The commercial product that caused Luni to prosper was above all the marble from the Apuan mountains, which was used all over the Roman empire.
The most evident signs left by the Middle Ages are the fortifications: there were many fortified towns in the hinterland area and you will come across many ruins and fragments of towers, walls and castles during your visit. Unlike the defence structures, only very few of the churches were abandoned: while changing social and political conditions made certain defence systems redundant, the churches and other religious buildings have nearly always been restructured and extended. Moreover, the oldest churches were built on existing sacred areas, as in the case of the church of San Pietro in Portovenere and the cathedral in Brugnato: excavations beneath the latter have discovered an ancient Ligurian burial ground.