The writings of the shepherds.

Environment and Countryside of Sites in the Trentino Uplands

This project, funded by the Autonomous Province of Trento for the period 2008-2011, included a research project to study and make a systematic survey of inscriptions made by and structures used by shepherds and create a database and make its data available on the internet. In total, approximately 2,400 walls or surfaces were photographed and GPS-tagged over an area of 6,500 hectares giving an estimated total of 30,000 inscriptions.

The ethno-archaeological and anthropological study of the phenomenon of the inscriptions was supplemented by a chemical and physical survey, with the dual purpose of determining the source of supply of the red pigment used by the shepherds and to identify the presence of any binder substance employed to enable the dispersion of the pigment and ease its subsequent application on the rock. Studies have shown that to create the binder organic components such as milk and carotenoids were employed, the latter easily found in natural products such as flowers, berries and vegetables.

Activities carried out

• Mapping sites in Trento with the shepherds' inscriptions
• Ethnographic interviews
• Systematic survey of the Latemar-Cornón area with GPS positioning and a photographic survey of shepherds' inscriptions and shelters
• Sampling of evidence of human occupation in the mountain area
• Spatial analysis of the collected data
• Creating a database for cataloguing the inscriptions
• Labelling of inscriptions
• Location of hematite deposits (used for colouring the inscriptions)
• Sampling of the dye in identified deposits
• Physical and chemical analysis of the pigments and the binder

Research participants

Giovanni KEZICH - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - scientific director of the anthropological team

Marta BAZZANELLA - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - scientific director for ethno-archaeology and co-ordinator of the project

Partner organisations

Antonio MIOTELLO - Department of Physics University of Trento - scientific director for the chemical and physical analysis of the painted areas

Andrea BERTAGNOLLI - Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, techical department - technical support and consultant for botanic aspects of the Sito di Interesse Comunitario del Cornón

Research collaborators

Luca PISONI - researcher - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - survey and labelling

Laura TONIUTTI - researcher - Department of Physics University of Trento - chemical and physical analysis of pigments

Francesco CARRER - study grant - Chair of Paleo-ethnology University of Trento - doctoral research

Ilario CAVADA - study grant - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - survey and labelling

Michela PALMEGIANI - study grant - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - survey and labelling

Severino ZENI - collaborator - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - survey and labelling

Massimiliano GABRIELLI - collaborator - Museum of the Traditions and Customs of the people of Trentino - survey and labelling