Ancient landscape reconstruction using archive data from the Pontine Plain (Italy): the Caprolace lagoon case study

Abstract

Abstract The greatest part of the documents concerning the last reclamation scheme of the Pontine Plain is now stored in a section of the state archive and in the archive of the Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Agro Pontino, both located in Latina (Italy). Detailed plans of the realised buildings, infrastructures as well as thousands of pictures of the environments before the reclamation scheme are available to the public. These data can be used to reconstruct the ancient landscape before the major changes which occurred after the spread of mechanical vehicles for earthmoving in the 1970s. The reconstruction maps can be used to set the proper background for the archaeological research in the area.