Lavagnone Excavation Boosts Research on 4,000-Year-Old Bronze Age Artifacts

A three-year excavation plan to search for what is missing from the yoke and plow of Lavagnone. This is the proposal of Emanuele Giustacchini, an initiative of global significance because it would allow reconstructing the evolution of the civilization of the region’s ancient inhabitants, who resided there continuously for over 1,000 years, definitely from 2028 B.C., the only example in all of Northern Italy.

Collaborations and Studies

In collaboration with the cultural department, experts from Museo Rambotti in Desenzano and some renowned scholars are involved, such as Professor Kuniholm (Cornell University, Ithaca), a primary reference in dendrochronology, who has already performed several core samples on the region’s stilt houses.

According to his studies, but not only, the first stilt house dates back 4,029 years, while the oak wood used to forge the plow dates from a period between 2048 and 2008 B.C. (Early Bronze Age).

If the necessary funds are found, excavation campaigns will resume in summer in the area where the plow was uncovered, specifically targeting the missing parts of both the plow and the yoke, originally discovered at Lavagnone and over 4,000 years old.

History of Excavations and Future Goals

“After the excavation campaigns of 1991, 1993 to 1997, and then in 1999, work paused due to lack of funding,” explains Emanuele Giustacchini. “However, the experts who have worked here argue that this site is ideal for studying the evolution of settlement structures in relation to the environment and climate.

Lavagnone documents the entire chronological sequence of the Bronze Age, which is why further excavations and studies could lead us to achieve results of international significance.”

The new excavation campaigns could lead to the creation of a true, permanent archaeological site, attracting scholars from all over Italy and the world, given the site’s uniqueness—never abandoned by primitive humans for over a thousand years.

An old idea by the former assessor Farinelli could become reality. A true archaeological park on the area of Lake Garda’s lower basin—capable of attracting researchers worldwide and archaeology enthusiasts, who could have additional reasons to stay in the area.

To realize this promising idea, funding will be needed, which could potentially be sourced from private investors.