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This article and the following companion article by John Peter Oleson are concerned with the results of excavation, survey, and research at two ancient ports on the Tuscan coast of Italy. The work discussed is part of a larger scale study of harbors on this coast and has been sponsored since 1965 by the American Academy at Rome. The first article is a report on Populonia and is presented in three sections: Anna Marguerite McCann discusses the Project and the excavations, Joanne Bourgeois provides a description of the geologic setting, and Elizabeth Lyding Will comments on amphoras and trading activity in Roman times.Evidence for the location of the ancient port, breakwater, and anchorage area of the Etruscan city of Populonia is presented. From both archaeological remains and geological evidence a rise in mean sea level at Populonia of up to 2.5 m. since Etruscan times is indicated as well as a recession of the coastline of 80 to 120 m. Possible evidence for an ancient ship (ore barge?) was found ...