In the Italian part of the Classical Karst (Venezia Giulia, north-eastern Italy) caves are the only sites with evidence of the human presence till the beginning of the Bronze Age: the strict connection between speleology and archaeology is consequently obvious, though often underestimated. The aim of this paper is to piece together the history of research since 1950 through the analysis of this relationship, which was particularly effective in
the 1960-70s ca., i.e. the period of most intensive, often joint excavations, preceded by a decade of only speleological activities. Later on diggings decrease and studies increase: previous findings are examined in detail, georeferenced databases are created, and new interdisciplinary research, largely based on advanced archaeometrical techniques, is carried out.
