West and East: an interdisciplinary approach to the archaeology of Alpine ecosystems (AlpEcoArchaeology), a soil microbiological investigation

Research on Alpine and sub-Alpine settlements remains limited due to the outdated perception of mountains as marginal areas. In reality, the Alps have long functioned as key corridors connecting the Mediterranean with Central and Northern Europe and as sources of essential raw materials. A multidisciplinary approach is therefore crucial to reassess human environment interactions, including forest exploitation, farming, mining, and mobility, which often leave subtle traces in soils. In this project, archaeological sites in key areas of the Alpine arc were selected: one in the West (Orgères, La Thuile (AO), Italy) and two in the East (Monte Palazzo, San Tomio di Malo (VI), Italy; Trambileno, Valle dei Lombardi, (TN), Italy). Taken together, biomolecular analyses at Orgères, Monte Palazzo, and Val dei Lombardi show that environmental DNA, through the integrated study of microbial communities and plant genetic traces, not only represents a powerful tool for reconstructing past environments, land use, human and animal activities, agricultural practices, resource management, and cultural connections reflected by non-native species, but also serves as an important complement to traditional archaeological methods, enhancing the interpretation of past events.