MESAppenines aims to investigate the latest Mesolithic hunter-gatherer communities and the earliest agricultural and pastoral societies of the Neolithic that settled in the Northern Apennines of the Italian peninsula. This is a crucial moment in human history, a period of encounters and interaction among diverse groups. It is a time for which we have very limited archaeological information, not only in Italy but also across the entire Mediterranean, due to the scarcity of sites from this period. In this regard, we intend to work on two closely situated archaeological sites from this period: Monte Frignone II and Le Coste.
The project revolves around excavation and survey activities, complemented by a range of studies aimed at analyzing the climate and surrounding landscape, as well as the characteristics of the archaeological materials documented (stone and bone tools, ceramics, ornaments, etc.). Additionally, MESAppenines represents an opportunity to restart research activities in an area, the Garfagnana, in which the University of Pisa has already carried out several research projects on the prehistoric settlers.
Contact: Niccolò Mazzucco