Modelling glacial archaeological potential in the Pennine Alps – A multidisciplinary approach
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 12/06/2015

Abstract: This project integrated historical, archaeological, and geographical knowledge to analyse the glacial archaeological potential of the Pennine Alps, located in high altitude glaciated passes (3,000 to 3,500 m asl) between Switzerland and Italy. The results document site-based archaeological information that will disappear forever once the glaciers that preserve them have melted. Therefore, the main goal of the project was to preserve archaeological heritage threatened by melting ice around the passes and safeguard fundamental, but perishable, materials in vanishing ice fields. The methods used included a historical archival text analysis, geospatial modelling, and archaeological prospection in the field. If the written sources did not provide exact information about the passes themselves or how frequently they were used in the past, the sources could still be used to demonstrate their regular usage thanks to related documentation linking political tensions or trade disputes between valleys. The information collected was used as a basis for conducting least cost path and locational analyses in GIS along with a regional scale glaciological modelling approach to determine where archaeological remains might be found in the future based on the principles of human accessibility and topographical characteristics of the terrain. One major scientific objective of this project was to use glaciological modelling to determine what the glaciers could look like in the future in this study area, in order to assess the degree of urgency for archeological prospection. In collaboration with glaciologists, glaciers were modelled in 10-year stages from now until 2100. This information was used with results from the locational analysis in GIS to predict where archaeological remains could be found in the future based on future glacier geometries and the topography of the terrain. The results of the historical and geographical aspects were used as decision support tools for conducting archaeological prospection in the field. Archaeologists conducted 20 days of prospection at 13 different sites and collected over 100 pieces of wood deposited at the glaciers surface or in their glacial margins. As yet, 36 pieces have been dated using radiocarbon analysis; 19 were dated to modern time (later than 1600 AD), seven to the Middle Age (~500-1600 AD), six to Roman time (0-500 AD), and four to Prehistoric time (earlier than 1000 BC). The majority of the ancient wood pieces are non-worked stakes which were probably used as route markers. However, wood pieces were frequently highly distorted due to ice movement and their function cannot be interpreted. The results demonstrate that humans have crossed these glaciated high altitude passes for over 3,000 years and additionally can serve to protect the fragile archaeological heritage threatened by the melting of ice.

Authors: Stephanie R Rogers, Philippe Curdy, Muriel Eschmann Richon, Ralph Lugon