Italo-Swiss Association for the Excavations of Piuro

The Associazione italo-svizzera per gli scavi di Piuro (Italo-Swiss Association for the Excavations of Piuro) is a cultural association based in Prosto di Piuro, in the Italian province of Sondrio, dedicated to the archaeological investigation and cultural valorization of the ancient village of Piuro in Val Bregaglia. Piuro was destroyed by a massive landslide in 1618 that buried the settlement and its approximately one thousand inhabitants. The association was founded in 1961 with the primary aim of promoting archaeological research at the site and conserving the recovered heritage within the Museo scavi di Piuro. Over the decades, the association's mission has expanded. In recent years it has added goals such as historical-archaeological investigation of the centuries preceding the landslide, as well as a variety of cultural initiatives including theatrical and musical events. It also promotes cultural exchanges not only with neighboring Switzerland but also with other European regions that, in the modern era, were destinations for the professional and elite emigration of people from Piuro and the Valchiavenna. The association manages or supports key heritage sites, including the Museo degli scavi di Piuro, which preserves most of the artifacts found during excavations, and Palazzo Vertemate, where over one hundred coins discovered during the digs and other precious artifacts are displayed. It also oversees the archaeological areas themselves, covering excavations from the 1960s to current campaigns, including the 1963–1966 excavation area, the 1988 area, Belfort, and Mot del Castel. The association publishes a periodical, Plurium, with issue No. 18 released in 2025, and maintains a website at piuroitalosvizzera.net. Its work is rooted in the long history of Piuro, first mentioned in a document from 973 as Prore, later known as Plurium, with recent excavations pushing back the date of an ancient settlement to late Roman times.

The Associazione italo-svizzera per gli scavi di Piuro was founded in 1961, with the purpose of promoting archaeological research of the ancient village of Piuro, which had been buried by a landslide in 1618, and conserving the related heritage within the Museo scavi di Piuro. The name Piuro is tragically known because of the 1618 landslide that erased the village and its approximately one thousand inhabitants. However, Piuro is already mentioned in a document from 973 as Prore, a term that alternates with Plurium in later records, with Plurium eventually prevailing. Recent archaeological excavations have further backdated an ancient settlement to late Roman times. In the decades following its founding, the association conducted excavations in various campaigns, including the area excavated from 1963 to 1966 and the 1988 excavation area, as well as sites such as Belfort and Mot del Castel. These efforts uncovered numerous artifacts, most of which are preserved in the Museo degli scavi di Piuro, while over one hundred coins and other precious artifacts are displayed at Palazzo Vertemate. In recent years, the association has expanded its objectives. It now includes historical-archaeological investigation of the centuries preceding the landslide event, as well as various cultural initiatives such as theatrical and musical events. It also promotes cultural exchange projects not only with neighboring Switzerland but also with other European regions that, in the modern era, were destinations for the professional and elite emigration of people from Piuro and the Valchiavenna. The association publishes a periodical titled Plurium, with issue No. 18 released in 2025. It maintains an official website at piuroitalosvizzera.net, where it provides information about its history, the museum, and the archaeological areas.

• 2025

  Plurium No. 18 published.

• 1988

  Another excavation campaign conducted.

• 1963

  Excavation campaign begins (1963-1966).

• 1961

  Association founded to promote archaeological research of Piuro and conserve heritage.

A cultural heritage association focused on archaeological research, preservation, and cultural promotion of the ancient village of Piuro and its 1618 landslide heritage.

• Museo scavi di Piuro

  Museum preserving most artifacts found in archaeological excavations.

• Palazzo Vertemate

  Site displaying over one hundred coins and other precious artifacts from the excavations.

• Archaeological areas

  Excavation areas from the 1960s to current campaigns, including 1963-1966, 1988, Belfort, and Mot del Castel.

• Plurium

  Periodical publication; issue No. 18 released in 2025.

1. 1Associazione italo-svizzera per gli scavi di Piuropiuroitalosvizzera.net
2. 2Wikidata entrywikidata.org