Il sito altomedievale di Doss S. Agata a Trento: le testimonianze archeologiche di età longobarda tra archeometallurgia e archeologia mineraria = The early medieval hilltop site of Doss S. Agata (Trento): the archaeological evidence from the Lombard era based on archaeometallurgy and mining archaeology

Doss S. Agata is a hilltop site near Trento. Until a few years ago it was known only due to the discovery of some pre- and protohistoric finds and the mention, in the written sources, of a late medieval castle. The position was certainly strategic in ancient times since the hilltop controlled the path that linked Valsugana with Trento through the Cimirlo pass. Since 2018, the University of Trento has been conducting annual excavations at the site. In 2023 and 2024 the remains of a forge and several metal slags, dating between the 7th and 8th centuries AD, were discovered. This paper describes the excavation context, the research questions that emerged from the discovery of the forge, and the strategy adopted to investigate the ancient metal supply in the surroundings.