Abstract

An alpine settlement of the Bronze and Iron Age in Airolo-Madrano (Ticino, Switzerland) – archaeological and palaeo-ecological basics This paper presents first results of the excavations in the Bronze and Iron Age settlement of Airolo-Madrano in the Alpine Ticino valley (Switzerland), particularly concerning its settlement history, material culture, economic background and environmental setting. The coherently acquired and interdisciplinarily analysed stratigraphical, chronological and archaeo-biological data speak in favour of a self-sufficient settlement in the ecological border zone of the Central Alps. It offers substantial insight into the early permanent colonisation of the Alpine region in terms of history and cultural geography.