The presence of Man in the Alps, and therefore in the Ampezzo valley, dates back to the Mesolithic era, about ten thousand years ago.
Many archaeological sites were found close to cols and Alpine passes. These findings testify that some groups of hunters, mainly coming from the Veneto area, settled on these mountains for the summer season to hunt the large herbivores which, climbing up through the woods, loved to graze on the high open pasturelands, between the tree line and the rocky walls.
Hunting was therefore the first human activity in these sites and the first forms of worship may be traced back to this activity. From this point of view, we cannot exclude that some big boulders frequented by the ancient hunters – as it is the case of the burial site of the Man of Mondeval – were also used as “sanctuaries” where some deities were worshiped and shamanistic rites were practised.
The presence of many artefacts of flint, horn, quartz and other materials from remote areas testify to the presence of trade and commerce with other lands and populations.
The alpine passes, like Passo Giau for example, were therefore the meeting points of different populations as well as crossroads of primordial trade activities, even transalpine ones.
Following the presence of the Paleoveneti through the Bronze Age, the same high pasturelands were mainly used for sheep farming. Hunting was never abandoned, but ceased to be a primary activity since it was less profitable and could not ensure, by itself, the sustenance of larger groups of population. It is interesting to note that it was the hunters who offered their services as guides to the first mountaineers of the Ampezzo Dolomites.
The consolidation of sheep farming represented a pivotal stage in the development of civilization.
This step is inevitably linked to the concept of property connected to the use of a certain area. Property then gave rise to war! In fact, the ancient legends of the Dolomites, which suggest the existence of small autonomous kingdoms often fighting with one another, may refer to this aspect, where the famous “Silvans” may be nothing more than the defeated, who clung to the archaic life styles.
New activities connected to sheep farming - such as wool, milk, and hide processing - were introduced. Therefore diet, clothing, and life conditions in general improved.
Also the use of writing can be traced back to this historic period. In fact, the obscure letters, probably magic or religious signs, similar to the Etruscan ones, found on the famous Stone of Mt Pore, not far away from Passo Giau, date back to that era.