The Italian Army removed 250 explosive artifacts remaining from World War I, which were exposed by the melting of glaciers in the Trentino-Alto Adige region in the north of the country, where the Dolomites are located.
During this year’s European summer, military specialists carried out an operation to collect and neutralize the materials found in the area.
The work was completed on October 16, according to a statement from the Julia Alpine Brigade released to the Italian press and the American CNN.
More than 200 artifacts were found in two weeks
According to the Italian Ministry of Defense, in two weeks more than 200 items were located, including artillery shells of different calibers, hand grenades and other weapons manufactured in Italy and Austria.
The operation was carried out by specialists from the 2nd Alpine Engineering Regiment, a unit linked to the Julia Alpine Brigade.
The teams also operated in Carè Alto and Vedretta di Lares, both in the Adamello-Brenta Massif, as well as other areas of Val Martello and Stelvio National Park, in the Province of Bolzano.
The first artifact of the year was found after an accident
According to CNN, the first artifact identified this year was a 90-millimeter mortar shell, found in June after a car fell into a ravine near Caldonazzo.
After removing the vehicle, firefighters spotted the ammunition at the foot of a tree. A specialized team was called in to remove it.
Last week, in Canal San Bovo, in the Primiero region, the military neutralized 18 Italian 75-millimeter artillery projectiles and another 37 Thevetot mortars, of French manufacture, but also used by the Italian Army during the war.
Artifacts trace back to the so-called White War
Also according to CNN, the artifacts come from the battles on the Alpine front of World War I, known as the White War and fought between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies from 1915 to 1918.
The items were concentrated in an area covered by snow and ice for more than 100 years.
The low snowfall during the winter of 2025, combined with extreme temperatures recorded in the summer of 2026, accelerated the melting of the glaciers in the Trentino region.
Munitions from the World Wars reappear every year
According to the Italian Army, munitions remaining from the two World Wars reappear exposed each year.
However, specialized removal operations can only be carried out between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.
