Redebus Pass. "Acqua fredda" archaeological site

The Acqua Fredda site at Passo del Redebus (1440m above sea level), situated between the Altopiano di Pinè and the Valle dei Mocheni, is one of the most important prehistoric metalworking sites in the Alps, and one of the highest archaeological areas to be turned into a museum in Europe. At the site, a group of 9 smelting furnaces has been discovered which date back to the Late Bronze Age (8-9th century BC), as well as some tools for working copper such as grinding mills that were used to transform copper ore into particles or "flour", and the ends of bellows used to maintain a temperature of about 1200°C.

Below the site a large slag heap, evidence of metalworking, has also been discovered. The site bears testimony to the important activity of copper ore processing. As the pure form of this metal was not found in Trentino, it had to be produced according to a structured process by local communities and perhaps also by communities of the Veneto-Po plain.

Source: www.visittrentino.info