Caratteri del sistema insediativo storico diffuso

The historical settlement system in the southern side of Gran Sasso mountain can be understood as the outcome of the interrelationship of organising systems that change over time: religious settlements; villas and castles; scattered settlements. All are related to the sheep-track routes and to an economy based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The result is a landscape dotted with cottages and hamlets, clusters, villages and small towns, where the latter in many cases differ little from the elementary settlements except for the greater number of buildings and the presence of a church. It is an organisation with ‘habitat dispersion’ that can be traced back to intensive agro-pastoral land use. The process of encastellation that began in the 12th century did not erase ancient settlement patterns, resulting in a system of polynuclear settlements alternating with compact settlements.