The archaeological site of Campo Pianelli
The archaeological site discovered by chance in the mid-1800s, at the foot of the Pietra di Bismantova, has been the subject of various excavation campaigns which have made it possible to investigate the different phases of occupation of the plateau. The oldest archaeological layers conserve pottery fragments that can be dated to the end of the Copper Age (2,500-2,300 BC) and bear witness to a first phase of residential occupation of particular interest, given that settlements from this period are very rare in the Apennine area.
After a period of abandonment, new houses arose during the middle (1.550-14.50 BC) and recent (1.450-1.250 BC) Bronze Age. To this last phase belong the remains of two huts, found in the archaeological excavations conducted in 1973-74 and 2012, one destroyed by a fire, the other retaining the scalded rammed earth flooring and two vertical stone slabs interpreted as door jambs.
This village was abandoned too and disappeared at the end of the Recent Bronze Age and in its place a necropolis dating back to the Final Bronze Age (1,150-900 BC) was established. Its village probably stood nearby, perhaps on the top of the Pietra di Bismantova, in a well-defended position.
This is an exceptional find. In this period, in fact, archaeological evidence throughout the Emilia region is very rare and most of the plateau appears uninhabited. The burials, 49 identified, consist of ceramic vases that were placed in small boxes made with stone slabs. The vases contained the ashes of the cremated dead and splendid objects in bronze, amber and glass paste, exotic objects for the time, which make us understand how this area of the Apennines was connected with long-distance routes which linked the Adriatic coast to the central Europe.
The occupation of Campo Pianelli ended with the Iron Age (600-300 BC), a period in which fragments of Etruscan and Ligurian pottery allow us to hypothesize the presence of some residential structures.
Augmented reality
In the plateau that houses the archaeological site it is possible to travel in time thanks to augmented reality. By downloading the CittAumentata application on your device, it will be possible to frame the panel installed on site and see the 1:1 scale reconstructions of the huts and burials of the Bronze Age.
A unique visit experience which, also thanks to the audio guide, enriches the archaeological itinerary of the Stone.
The Archaeological Park
The Park is located a few tens of meters from the archaeological site, at the foot of Campo Pianelli and is made up of the reconstructions of some burials from the Final Bronze Age, consisting of lithic boxes placed on a roadbed and the ustrinum, the area where the funeral pyre was built for the incineration of the deceased. The panels also allow you to learn more about the history of the site and the main discoveries that took place around the Pietra di Bismantova.
The Park, bordered by a fence, is freely accessible and usable for viewing the explanatory panels, while in order to be able to see the numerous archaeological materials found, faithfully reproduced, it is possible to participate in the guided tours organized every weekend by the Archaeological Park guides.
For more information on guided tours click here: Archeotrekking