Our Origins

When the glaciers receded and the Trentino geography was established, this very geography established our
history. The effect of the glaciers left in the Trentino inviting passages, corridors, portals that invited more and
more people to come, gather and stay.1he Val D`Adige ,the alley o the Adige Rier, is one such alley or
corridor flanked by mountains that was a natural passageway to and through the Trentino either from the
Southern plains or the Brenner pass, the lowest of the Alpine passes that served as a portal for the north. The
Valsugana and the Lake of Garda were yet other convenient and inviting entrances for peoples who came or
passed through or stayed. The first inhabitants came up along the rivers from the south from Vallagarina and the
Lake of Garda and the southeast from the Val Sugana and the Brenta River. These people
were the Veneto-Illyric, the Ligurians, the Gauls and the Iberians. All these groups
belonged to the great family of Indo-Europeans which form the largest family of languages
in the world comprising most of the languages in India and South West of Asia. The
principal sub families are the Indo-Iranian, Armenian, Albanian, Balto-Slavic, Thracian,
Phrigian, Ligurian, Illyrian, Messapian and Venetic. The Illyrians or the people of Illyria
were bording the East Coast of the Adriatic while the Iberians were from the
Southwestern part of Europe comprising Spain, Portugal, and
modern day Georgia. The Ligurians were members of ancient
people who inhabited northern and central Italy and the adjoining
regions. The Galli or Gauls were yet another ancient people south
west of the Rhine River, west of the Alps and north of the
Pyrannees i.e. modern day France and northern Italy, Cisalpine Gauls. All these
populations, except or the Cimbri, ormed a melting pot called the Rhaetics.1his
nomenclature became our very first true identity so that the Trentino region was called
Raetia in the third century. The first settlers, the Ligurians and the Iberians, lived on piles
above Alpine lakes as did the lake dwellers of the Bronze Age (2000-1200 BC). These early
settlers left behind many remnants, including large canoes carved from blocks of pine;
pieces in stone, horns, bones, wood and granules of amber; pins, axes, and daggers. These
objects give us some idea of their burial rites, customs and agricultural practices. The
Gauls-Cenomani from the Valsugana took possession of the Doss Trento and together
with other people formed the nucleus of Trento on the left back of the river Adige.
The archeological history of the Trentino region gives us an idea of the physical, social and cultural development
of these people as well as their geographic distribution, customs beliefs and folkways.

At the beginning of the first century BC, the Cimbri poured down from the north of
central Europe through the Brenner Pass. They were defeated by the Romans but
stayed and integrated further with our origins. It should be noted that we have a
remnant of the oldest mummies in Europe and the best preserved mummies in the
world. \ould you beliee it.he was un de nossi.one o ours.an ancient 1rentino
found in the Ortzal Alps and now resting in the museum in Bolzano. He lived 5000
years ago. He was found in a glacier and his clothes and artifacts are providing yet
further clues of our origins. They call him Otzi since in was found in the Trentino
Alps of Otzal.

It should be noted that our real history has given us an identity of being Middle
Europeans rather than Mediterranean since we have more commonalties with the
mountain people of Bavaria and the Austrian Tyrol. We will continue exploring our
origins in future editions.
Paleofitti of Fiav
Bronze receptacle 4-5 BC
Otzi
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