Sito palafitticolo di Frassino

The Frassino pile-dwelling site preserves the remains of a Bronze Age settlement in the lake landscape near Peschiera del Garda. It forms part of the UNESCO serial property Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps, inscribed in 2011.

Why it matters

The settlement belongs to the long history of communities living beside Alpine lakes and wetlands. Waterlogged environments can preserve timber and other organic materials that are often lost on dry archaeological sites, making pile-dwellings important evidence for prehistoric life.

What to notice

The archaeological setting is inseparable from Lake Frassino, a glacial basin bordered by reeds and wetland vegetation. The submerged remains link this landscape with an earlier lakeside community. The relationship between water, shoreline and settlement is central to understanding the site.

Context and history

Frassino represents the Bronze Age within a wider transnational group of prehistoric settlements. Its inclusion in the World Heritage property connects local archaeology with research across the Alpine region. The lake's later recognition within the Natura 2000 network adds ecological significance to a landscape with a much older human history.