In the month of April, 1863, Stoppani, Desor, and De Mortillet
searched this lake unsuccessfully, and consequently came to the
conclusion that it was unsuitable for lake-dwellings ("non potesse
offrire piaggia opportuna per le palafitte"). Notwithstanding
this opinion, the Abate Ranchet, with the assistance of two local
fishermen, succeeded shortly afterwards in discovering the sites of
two settlements on the east shore of the lake, near the village of
Cadrezzate. (B. 159.) The stations were in water from 6 to 9 feet
deep, and about 200 yards apart, and their sites were marked by large
mounds of stones ("enormi cumuli di grossi ciottoli"). Fragments of
pottery were found in abundance, which in quality of paste and form
corresponded with those of the palafittes in Lake Varese. One dish
had also a quantity of black stuff, which was supposed to have been
the remains of some kind of porridge. A saw, two arrow-points, and a
few chips, of flint, and bits of charcoal, were the only objects, in
addition to the pottery, collected.
Little was done by way of exploring these stations till the year
1875, when the brothers Borghi, the proprietors of the lake, became
interested in its submerged antiquities, and proposed to make further
researches. To the experienced archæologist Castelfranco they
entrusted the conduct of these researches, and it is to his report I
am indebted for the following facts. (B. 321.)
SABIONE.--The most northerly and largest of the two stations
at Cadrezzate is about 60 yards from the shore, and occupies a
quadrangular space of about 100 yards in length, and rather more than
the half of this in breadth. This area was overspread with stony
mounds having intervals of from two to four yards between, and for
this reason it was difficult to operate with the drag. Piles were
found in the intervals between, as well as on, these steinbergs; but
Castelfranco thinks the former were the roadways between the huts,
which were built on the piles supported by the stones.
The relics collected were similar to those from Varese, of which the
following are the principal objects:--
A bronze hatchet (_coltello-ascia_) 5 inches long, and 1 to 2¼ inches
broad.
Pottery, including fragments with handles of various forms.
Dishes containing a black crust ("simile al residuo che la polenta
lascia in fondo al painolo dopo la cottura") were frequent. Some of
this stuff was submitted to Professor Sordelli for analysis, and he
thinks, from detecting in it the halves of acorns, that it was a kind
of porridge made from this fruit. One thin spindle-whorl 2 inches
in diameter had a few punctured dots on its surface, intended as an
ornamentation. One flint arrow-point, and a stone hatchet converted
into a polisher, like those already described from Varese. There were
also shells of hazel-nuts, and the kernels of the cornel cherry.
POZZOLO.--This station was similar to the former as regards the stony
mounds, but only about half its size. The principal relics from it
were:--
_Bronze._--A triangularly-shaped spear-head or dagger 3¼ inches long
and an inch broad at its base, where there were two rivet-holes; a
hair-pin 3½ inches long, with a ring head; also a fish-hook.
_Stone._--A few chips, arrow-points, and a chisel of dark flint; a
hammer and polisher of the hatchet-shaped kind.
_Pottery._--Fragments of a coarse and fine kind. Vases containing the
"sostanza terrosa" already noticed. One bone was found, and in one
spot there was a large quantity of cherry-stones.
OCCHIO.--The "Stazione dell' Occhio" is near Monate, and consists of a
mass of stones in water from 10 to 14 feet deep; but, notwithstanding
the difficulty of searching in such a depth, the following industrial
remains were collected:--Chips of flint, charcoal, fragments of
pottery, shells of hazel-nuts, and a bronze hook--sufficient to show
that it belonged to the same period as the others.