Paesaggi in equilibrio: uomo e acqua nella Pianura Padana Centrale tra IV e IX secolo

In the Middle Ages, the Po Valley was a large wetland, shaped by large marshes and forests, alternating with waterways and strips of dry land. In this paper we consider: 1/ transformation of rural settlements in relation to wetlands; 2/ environmental aspects and their transformations in Early Middle Ages; 3/ the way of living in wetlands area; 4/ the organization of lived space and the definition of places; 5/ theoretical and methodological implications of the different approaches and the perspectives of historical and archaeological research.

We examine the hydrological changes which occurred between the 6^thand 7^thcenturies, as well as the material culture of settlements which arise in the Early Middle Ages (6^th-9^thcentury) in contact with wetlands. We would like to show what kind of common processes affect lowland areas: the landscapes are much changed from Roman period (1^st-2^dcentury), and a decrease of the population has to be observed as well as a transformation in location strategies for settlements (Nogara, Comacchio, Ferrara).

The study also presents a preliminary examination of the environment, as revealed by recent studies on the considered area, like Cava Pedocca, Nogara, etc. Wetlands come indeed into the redefinition of the population between Late Roman Period and Early Middle Ages, as settlements up to the 9^thcentury are closely in contact with these zones.

Management and exploitation of the lowlands, as it is, make us think wetland and woodland areas less marginal as expected. On the contrary, it leads us to think about an economic and cultural system where wetlands, forests and waterways are essential to settlements. Finally, all these seem to also show the theoretical implications on the organization of archaeological research and interpretation models resulting.