e la Laguna: dai manufatti micenei alle testimonianze arcaiche

This contribution analyses the role of the Upper Adriatic and, in particular, of the northern Venetian lagoon in the dynamics of contact and exchange between the eastern Mediterranean, the Po Valley and the Adriatic world between the late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age. Starting from the general picture of Adriatic relations, which are well documented for the Polesine area and the centre of Frattesina, the article critically addresses the question of possible Mycenaean presence in the lagoon, examining in particular the ceramic fragments preserved in the Torcello Museum, whose provenance remains problematic and not fully verifiable. The analysis highlights how, beyond the uncertainty of individual finds, the northern lagoon should be interpreted within a broader system of coastal and river hubs connected to the main trade routes of Caput Adriae. Palaeoenvironmental changes, population fluctuations and hydrographic crises between the 9th and 8th centuries BC appear to have been decisive factors in determining phases of expansion or contraction of trade networks. In the 6th century BC, the reactivation of the delta ports and the Etruscan initiative marked a new season of economic and cultural integration, also evidenced by the cultural and commercial centrality of the sanctuary of Altino, a place of encounter and negotiation between local communities and foreign people.