Glacial Archaeology in South Tyrol

Abstract

Climatic deterioration lasting until the 19th century brought about a marked advance of the glaciers with some serious consequences for the population. The theologian and writer Beda Weber (1798–1859) attempted to explain the phenomenon of the progressive downward shift of the treeline in the Schnals Valley: ‘With astonishment the inhabitants of the Schnals Valley witnessed the extinction of the forests from high up down towards the valley (A phenomenon which occurs in many principal valleys and is not yet fully explained). They saw it as the gradual extinction of the World, and to them it seemed that even now the light was becoming dimmer’. Since the middle of the 19th century climate change has been observed, with warming leading to a retreat of the glaciers and a gradual thawing of the permafrost soils. This dramatic process has already been monitored and recorded in various glaciers in South Tyrol. In recent years the rapid retreat of the glaciers has continued unhindered. Numerous reports of finds prompted the South Tyrol provincial heritage service, the Amt für Bodendenkmäler, to carry out archaeological investigations, which have revealed important new aspects relating to the use of the high altitude regions by people in the past.