The transition between the Neolithic and Copper Age is an important opportunity for economic and social change, because there was the discovery and spread of copper metallurgy between European and Italian prehistoric groups. The final phase of the Neolithic period, which can be attributed to the remains of the village of Palù di Livenza, is dated between 4300 and about 3800-3700 BC.

This stage is characterized by the final aspects of the culture of Square Mouth Jars, so called by the particular form of the vessels. This culture spread during the fifth millennium BC over most of the territories of northern Italy, forming one of the most important Neolithic cultural events of the Italian peninsula. It was divided into three phases, based on the differences recorded in the decoration of the vessels.

To the phase III should be reported several items of pottery and stone tools found among the materials collected at Palù.
Connections with the Balkan area are evident during the II phase in the type of decorative vases, in the presence of female figurines and pintaderas, a kind of clay stamps. The contacts with the transalpine countries are documented in the subsequent phase III, when relations with the Balkan world are broken. The western Friuli represents the easternmost limit reached by this culture in its last phase.
From 4,300 BC groups and cultural traditions of the Western type similar to those of Chassey of southern France, began to emerge in Liguria.
During the first centuries of the fourth millennium BC, began in western Lombardy the culture of Lagozza, thanks to the contribution of these influences. The culture of Lagozza marks the end of the Neolithic in northern Italy between 3700 and 3500 BC, when it was replaced by various cultural groups that led to the introduction of metallurgy.

In northern Italy, the knowledge about the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Copper Age are unfortunately not many. The Palù is a site of particular interest to understand the final stage of the Neolithic and the next step to the Copper Age.

The Palu di Livenza is situated in a large natural basin, in between of Caneva and Polcenigo in the Province of Pordenone: this is an area of great value from the point of view of nature, characterized by the peculiar geomorphology, the abundant presence of water due to the two sources of the river Livenza and the richness of its flora and fauna.

The archaeological importance , already known in the first half of the nineteenth century , was recognized only since 1965 , when a drainage canal was excavated in the center of the basin and allowed to collect numerous prehistoric materials.
Investigations were started since 1981 and continue until the end of the 90s of last century , bringing to light the remains of a Neolithic pile-dwelling village, dating from about 4.500 and 3.600 BC, which is still largely intact in the basin. Despite the changes that occurred over time, Palu retains an extraordinary deposit for prehistoric archeology and the study of the transformation of the environment and climate over the past 15,000 years. The evidence suggests that in fact it is one of the most important prehistoric sites of Friuli Venezia Giulia and potentially among the most interesting of northern Italy.
Moreover, its geographical location places it in a prominent position to understand the relationships with the prehistoric groups of neighboring Austria and Slovenia.

Since June 2011, the Palu has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage in the series of Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alpine area along with 18 other Italian places distributed in Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and the Autonomous Province of Trento.

It is a transnational serial site that covers the territory of Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia, and includes a selection of 111 dwelling villages in Europe considered the most interesting or significant of the Alpine area. The Palu is the only location in Friuli Venezia Giulia included in the series of dwelling villages, making it a component of the transnational serial site . The Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage directs the research and protection of the site. The inscription on the UNESCO list is the best way to protect the prehistoric remains still present in the basin, but also an opportunity to study this particular form of human settlement that is the result of adaptation to a specific habitat natural.

Wetlands are areas of extraordinary biological diversity, but also highly vulnerable because of changes caused by humans. Only in the last 50 years, nearly half of the world’s wetlands have been lost, reducing biodiversity and the number of living species.

In the temperate climate that characterizes our region, there are no areas so rich in species such as the marshes, and the reason for this lies in the high productivity of plant biomass that is often associated with a high level of diversification of plant and animal species where space is limited.

The wetlands of the Alpine area have been lightly used in the past, after the phases of employment during the course of prehistory, they lost interest over time, because they were considered unhealthy areas, sources of diseases, and unsuitable for crops.

Only the nineteenth century with the development of land reclamation and industrial extraction of peat as a fuel or fertilizer, wetlands began to be re-visited and acquired a new interest, as places of agricultural activity or retrieval of raw material.

The initiation of these activities allowed to discover the first prehistoric dwelling villages, but at the same time produced significant changes in the characteristic natural environment with the partial or total destruction of many archaeological sites until then almost intact.

In our days, wetlands and archaeological sites that are found in them, continue to be threatened by other causes: erosion, dredging and land reclamation, urban works, landfills, etc. By the time we changed our way of thinking about these areas , although they are regressing in number and extent.

The wetlands are no longer perceived as unhealthy and dangerous places, but as an exceptional natural and environmental heritage to protect and to promote as important destinations of cultural tourism.

The interest in these areas is of course enhanced by the presence of prehistoric settlements, that make these places historical and archaeological archives of great importance.

The Palù environment, is a place of great natural interest for the presence of plants such as larch trees, alders, poplars, willows, for the different species of birds that nest or simply stay temporarily in its territory, for small and big mammals that frequent it during the year and, ultimately, for the insects of all types that populate it. The biological richness of Palù makes this area an important refuge for many species since that aquatic environments are unfortunately deteriorating in many areas of northern Italy.

The presence of archaeological remains in the area of ​​Palù di Livenza was already reported in the first half of the nineteenth century, but the archaeological importance of the site was confirmed only in the 60s of last century, when it was dug a drainage canal in the center northern part of the basin which brought to light the remains of a pile dwelling village.

The abundant fragments of pottery and flint tools recovered in the channel’s soil were studied and published in 1973 by Canzio Taffarelli and Carlo Peretto, University of Ferrara, providing a first study of materials and introducing for the first time the location in the list of Italian prehistoric sites. The archaeological investigations were conducted from 1981 primarily for the purpose of protection, first by the Archaeological Superintendence of Padua and later of the Superintendent for the Environmental, Architectural, Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Since 2002, the initiatives of scientific research and protection activities are organized by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The research was initially undertaken in the form of core samples in order to define the depth and thickness of the archaeological stratigraphy and collect data of geological interest, given the difficulty of practicing the stratigraphic excavations in the basin.
30 years ago, the central part of the basin was in fact almost impassable on foot due to the high level of the water. Two checks conducted in 1981 and 1983, despite the lack of adequate facilities and drainage containment walls, allowed to shed light on the prehistoric deposit made ​​of vertical poles thickened in lacustrine silt, despite the logistical difficulties encountered by the fast ascent of water and the collapse of the walls of the trenches. During the 80s of last century, new coring campaigns increased the geological information on the history of the basin.
Underwater explorations carried out in 1983 in the Molinetto/Livenzetta led to identify prehistoric wooden structures at several points and allowed the discovery of flint tools from Palaeolithic Age.

In 1987 diving activities were conducted with the support of the Technical Service for Underwater Archaeology (STAS) of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage, who confirmed the wide distribution in the submerged part of the basin of prehistoric remains and wooden structures.

Between 1989 and 1994 , surveys were concentrated in the area of ​​the drainage channel at the center of the basin where were found numerous poles and wooden beams of the Neolithic lake village.

The research carried out in the channel were made to highlight, detect and sample the prehistoric wooden structures.
The last campaign was conducted in 1994 using traditional techniques of archaeological excavation in the presence of a current water level of 20-50 cm, and it was still possible to highlight and document accurately a complex tangle of wooden elements, sampled for dendrochronological analysis and determination of tree species.

New underwater exploration, carried out in 1999 under the project DAFNE, allowed to check the state of preservation of archaeological deposits in several places subject to erosion and to realize the stratigraphy of a submerged section.
Recent underwater surveys by the group Reitia (Documentation for Archaeology in Conegliano – TV) were made in the Santissima in order to verify the state of preservation of submerged wooden structures already identified in the past and documenting new ones.

The Palu was until 1837 a large swamp produced by the spring waters of the river Livenza. From this date began the reclamation of the area that has continued to this day and have transformed the original marshy environment , while preserving the characteristics of the wetland.

The area is situated on a large natural depression closed between the limestone hills of Mount Cansiglio and the low hills that separate it from the floodplain.

The Livenza river originates from three sources fed by water that seeps through the mountains above : Santissima, Molinetto or Livenzetta , and Gorgazzo . The first two, which characterize the landscape of Palu, are perennial, while the third, placed outside the basin is semi-permanent.
The amount and level of the waters that flow from these sources are significantly affected by the rains and this, in times of great lack of water, can leave completely dry the river Gorgazzo or can flood large areas of the basin in the case of long periods of rain.
The river Livenza comes from Palu through a passage in the north-east between Colle Longone and Colle del Conte.

From the area south of the ancient center of Polcenigo the river flows in the Venetian plain, continuing its course to the sea where it flows not far from Caorle. The constant flow rate and the high water level of Livenza distinguish it from other rivers and this has favored since ancient times its good navigability, providing an important waterway of communication between the coast and inland areas.