From point to surface. Reconstruction of a riverine urban settlement in Padova (NE Italy)

Padova lies in the low alluvial plain of the Brenta and Bacchiglione rivers. The modifications of the hydrographic network greatly influenced the position and evolution of ancient settlements. The first archaeological evidences in Padova date back to the late Bronze Age, whilst the major development of the settlement took place during the Iron Age (9th – 4th century BC). This urban centre maintained its importance during the Roman period, being one of the main Municipia in NE Italy. This research integrates the analysis of the alluvial and archaeological record. Methods span from remote sensing and LiDAR to GIS processing of archaeological and geological data, geological field survey, corings and radiocarbon datings. According to our results, the Brenta River was crossing Padova during the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC. This ancient river course has been occupied since the beginning of the 1st millennium BC by the Bacchiglione River, as a consequence of the Brenta River diversion to the East. This drastic hydrographic change presumably allowed for the development of the Iron Age village on the stable banks of the river. The reconstruction of the fluvial and archaeological evolution of the area shows that the settlement was in close proximity to the river. Protection from flooding was provided by the Bacchiglione River acting as an underfit stream in the Brenta palaeochannel. Human activities along the centuries led to the formation of an anthropogenic mound (7 m thick and 1 km2 wide) which corresponds to the present city centre. The 3D modeling and spatial correlation of selected archaeological features, grouped into time-categories, have led to the recognition of the main phases of upbuilding of the anthropogenic mound. The thickest deposits relate to the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. A major remodelling of the urban surface occurred in Roman times.