Geospatial analyses in the Basso Verbano

BVER Project

The BVER (Basso Verbano) project aims to study the settlement dynamics of the southern area of Lake Maggiore over the long term through geospatial investigations. To achieve this goal, data from the public GNA (Geoportale Nazionale per l’Archeologia) database were used, which responds to the need to create a unique archive for all Italian archaeological data. The GNA dataset was integrated with data obtained through bibliographic research and the consultation of archaeological maps. By combining these data with public geographic datasets (Copernicus and Geoportale Nazionale), an inductive predictive model was then developed.

The results were compared with data from other areas with similar landscapes. They show that the model could be applied effectively, but not with full predictive power, probably due to the lack of some relevant variables that are either unknown or difficult to quantify appropriately. The study represents a step towards a better understanding of the reliability of public datasets and a reflection on the importance of variable selection for predictive archaeology.