The archaeological research began in the early XX century and involved a vast area on the promontory between the inlets of Porto Saturo and Porto Perone.

In 1902-1903, the surveys were conducted in the area of the so-called Acropolis, where the remains of a settlement were identified along the slope leading to the bay of Porto Perone. This settlement would survive for a long time, until the end of the II millennium B.C.

Excavation activities continued in the first decades of the XX century (1938) and during WWII (1941-1943) in the eastern sector of the Roman villa, even if it was compromised by military preparations.

Between 1958 and 1962, research was resumed on the villages of the Bronze and Iron Ages located on the top of the hill.

New archaeological investigations were conducted between 1969 and 1970 in the area of the Roman villa, in parallel with restoration works. The excavations were expanded to the eastern sector and the western part of the complex was starting to be investigated as well. The excavation campaigns (1973-1977) were also conducted in the 1970s and their focus was the Sanctuary of the Sorgente, located beyond the Park and near a fresh water spring.

After a long break, the Sapienza University of Rome was allowed to carry out archaeological investigations in the area of the sanctuary (2007-2010) and on the acropolis (2011-2019), contributing to the collection of important data relating to the Greek presence in Saturo. 

Between 2021 and 2023, the Regional Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture for Apulia, together with the National Superintendency for Underwater Cultural Heritage, started a new excavation that involved the western sector of the Roman villa and the lower part of the promontory. The investigations have returned new rooms of the villa that can be dated back between the II century B.C. and the VII century A.D., together with a sub-rectangular structure attributable to the late and final phases of the Bronze Age (1300 – 1000 B.C.) located at the foot of the acropolis.