French Literature Reviews - 2026

V. Cicolani, Passeurs des Alpes
History, Politics and Society

CICOLANI Veronica, Passeurs des Alpes. La culture de Golasecca : entre Méditerranée et Europe continentale à l’âge du fer

ISBN 9782705694166
42.00 €
210 x 270 mm, 360 pages

The Alps have always been permeable to exchange. Across both slopes, people, objects, and ideas have continuously circulated and intersected, bringing the Celtic and Mediterranean worlds together in complex ways.

In Northern Italy, the Celtic-speaking Golasecca culture was actively engaged in these far-reaching trade networks. Relationships forged with the Celts and alpine communities are evidenced by the presence north of the Alps of small items related to personal attire. As everyday witnesses to human mobility, these ornaments highlight the role played by other strata of society—beyond the traditionally studied elites—who were likewise involved in transalpine trade.

Focusing on the ordinary rather than the extraordinary, this book offers a fresh interpretation of cultural interactions and the ties established between communities on both sides of the Alps. Through a dynamic and semiological analysis of the distribution and reception of personal items of the Golasecca type, the author highlights the complex mechanics of exchange networks during the Early Iron Age.

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The Golasecca culture developed in Northern Italy during the Early Iron Age, a period marked by significant interactions between Mediterranean civilizations and continental European populations. Across the alpine region, archaeological evidence reveals how trade networks facilitated the circulation of goods and cultural practices. While historical research often concentrates on high-status groups and elite exchanges, material culture also reflects the activities of broader social strata. Everyday objects found across regions demonstrate the continuous movement of people and ideas, illustrating the integration of alpine communities into wider economic and social systems of the ancient world. Readers interested in the archaeology of the Iron Age and the methodologies of material culture analysis may find this work relevant to their research into ancient exchange networks and cross-cultural relations.