Starting in the early ‘70s, when the exhibition area was first expanded, the Bologna Exhibition Centre proved to be a source of precious archaeological testimony. The remains discovered during a series of digs showed that this area had been continuously occupied in ancient times, beginning with the sporadic presence of peoples from the Copper Age (3^rd millennium BC) up to the Roman era (1^st century BC - 4^th century AD). Among the many finds from a series of different cultures and populations, the most interesting are from the First Iron Age (9^th - 8^th century BC), which witnessed the development of the Villanovan culture. The digs unearthed the largest necropolis ever discovered in Emilia as well as a large village (the necropolis was found under the northern part of Halls 14 and 15).