La Vallée hunts for archaeological treasures on the digital map

Valle d’Aosta is about to have its own digital and interactive regional map on the so-called negative archaeological data, that is, with a low risk of making discoveries. It will be the first at a regional level in Italy and will be used by public and private bodies that design structures with excavations (especially network works), to stem the unexpected, which can then be very long and expensive. It was built by the Akhet company, based in Roisan, a team of archaeologists and architects who have been involved in excavations for about twenty years. «We have decided to invest in alternative projects – explains Claudia De Davide, archaeologist and sole administrator -. In particular, focusing on the fact that positive data, findings, are important, but negative data are more important, ie when “there is nothing” which is a particular concept in archeology: it means that I don’t have to stop the work. Under the ground there are stratifications from previous eras that do not have tombs or walls inside, but are fields that can be explored, with much more ease, however, to cross ». The work, co-financed with 180 thousand euros by the Valle d’Aosta Region thanks to a European tender, will lead to a portal where the maps will be automated and open to any company that will need to carry out projects involving the laying of district heating pipes and sewers. The Aosta Valley society is elaborating ancient maps, post-war photographs taken by the English Army over the whole Valley and useful evidence for understanding the terrain, subsoil, previous works. Preventive archeology is a direction also given by the ministry. “We did a similar job – explains the archaeologist – in the province of Monza Brianza for BrianzAcque who asked us for a map of the potential of the province, out of 55 municipalities”.