  We present CCD UBVI photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of the
intermediate age open cluster NGC 3960. The colour - magnitude diagrams (CMDs)
derived from the photometric data and interpreted with the synthetic CMD method
allow us to estimate the cluster parameters. We derive: age = 0.9 or 0.6 Gyr
(depending on whether or not overshooting from convective regions is included
in the adopted stellar models), distance (m-M)0 = 11.6 +/- 0.1, reddening
E(B-V) = 0.29 +/- 0.02, differential reddening Delta E(B-V) = 0.05 and
approximate metallicity between solar and half of solar. We obtained high
resolution spectra of three clump stars, and derived an average [Fe/H] = -0.12
(rms 0.04 dex), in very good agreement with the photometric determination. We
also obtained abundances of alpha-elements, Fe-peak elements, and of Ba. The
reddenings toward individual stars derived from the spectroscopic temperatures
and the Alonso et al. calibrations give further support to the existence of
significative variations across the cluster.
