Il paesaggio culturale della transumanza nel Piemonte montano tra termini geografici e nomi di luogo

Dialectal toponymy often represents one of the rare documentary sources for reconstructing phases of human settlement in natural spaces that are no longer reflected in the current landscape. This is particularly true in areas where transformations in the socio-economic system have led to the disappearance or significant reduction of activities that were once widespread and practiced, such as alpine farming and, consequently, transhumance. From this perspective, the article provides a detailed illustration of place names related to this activity, recorded in the communities in the Stura Valley included in the research project of the Atlante Toponomastico del Piemonte Montano (ATPM). Specifically, the first section presents the toponymic terms indicating alpine pastures, with their various semantic nuances, and the structures intended for the shelter of humans and animals. This is followed by toponymic references to the human element and sheep and goat grazing, concluding with terms identifying the roads and stations of transhumance. The data presented show that the descriptions of the places reflect a situation characterized by the progressive abandonment of the higher-altitude alpine settlements or their conversion into sites for seasonal grazing for a short period of the year. Additionally, there is a marked reduction in the use of more inconvenient pastures or their complete abandonment, leading to the disuse of a significant number of buildings, shelters, huts, and enclosures. However, the quantity and persistence of toponymic traces related to transhumance confirm the pastoral vocation of this valley. Here, the practice of vertical transhumance, though differing in its methods, acts as a link connecting the past and present of the highlands.