Commerce on the River

The location of many of the settlements of the Golasecca people close to navigable watercourses facilitated trade and contacts with other cultures. In the Basso Verbano the confluence between the Ticino and Lake Maggiore permitted the transport of goods to the north originating from the south and from the east and vice-versa.

From the Celtic countries of northern Europe amber, tin, mercenaries and slaves, from Styria painted “situle” and from Slovenia helmets were imported; from the south and with the mediation of the Etruscans from the Po plain, wine, Greek vases, bronze plate decorated with relief-work and the bronze beaked jugs from Tyrrhenian Etruria were exported.