Ground-penetrating radar survey at the Rascino plateau (Rieti, central Italy): a pilot study for non-invasive archaeological and geoarchaeological investigation in mountain environments

This paper presents the framework and objectives of a pilot project involving GPR prospection on the Rascino Plateau, a high-altitude karst basin in the central Apennines. The area is characterised by the presence of the permanent lake, a remnant of a Pleistocene lacustrine system, which has functioned as a stable environmental attractor for human groups since prehistoric times to modern era. The plateau lies along key trans-Apennine communication routes, making it a strategic zone for investigating long-term patterns of mobility, land use, and human- environment interaction.