Valle di Ledro (Ledro Valley) - The Pile-Dwelling Museum - An archaeological site on the shores of lake Ledro first became the object of serious study in 1929 but later suffered decades of abandon and depredation. In fact, looting by thieves and unauthorized excavations caused considerable damage. The Heritage Office of Padua, which was responsible for the Ledro area, eventually set up a security force on location, and the Tridentino Museum of Natural Sciences of Trento also contributed to improve the situation and promote the site. Three major excavation campaigns carried out by the Tridentino Museum in 1961, 1965, and 1967 unearthed a substantial amount of material.
It was therefore decided to open a archeological museum in the Ledro valley to house the finds and to provide an image of the cultural, social and economic context within which the relics of the lake dwellings of Lake Ledro could be placed. Construction on the museum began in 1968 and ended in 1972. The entire building made of wood blends with the surrounding landscape, and the large picture windows create no visual barrier between the finds and the sites from which they were excavated. A dugout canoe made of a large fir trunk 4.5 meters long and 0.75 meters wide sits at the center of the large exhibit hall. Glass cases display a number of dark brown or red ceramic artifacts, including large truncated cone jars for food, jugs, and cups, often found intact Terracotta tools include fascinating "enigmatic objects": rectangular elements, whose purpose is unclear, decorated with dots or lines inscribed prior to baking.
The eating habits of these ancient civilizations have been reconstructed fairly easily due to the plentiful remains of domesticated or wild animals, vegetal mixtures and sediments found at the bottom of jars. There is also an interesting collection of different bronze objects: axes, daggers with triangular blades, brooches and even tiaras. Of the four tiaras on display in the museum, one is decorated with elegant geometric engravings and its T-shaped tips curve outward. There are also a number of tools made of wood, bone and horn. A photographic reproduction shows an interesting textile find: a linen band with a distinctive diamond-shaped decoration at either end, folded in half and rolled up. Several amber beads, which were probably linked together to form a necklace, are also on display.
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