Carniae (Latin for “the Carni”) was a region of the Italian peninsula located in the northeastern corner of modern-day Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Its northern and eastern borders were roughly equivalent to those of the present-day province of Belluno, while its southern border ran along the Tagliamento River from its mouth at the Adriatic Sea to Tarvisio, and its western border ran along the course of the Cosa River from its confluence with the Tagliamento to Mount Nero. The Carni were an ancient Alpine tribe who inhabited the region prior to its incorporation into the Roman Republic in 177 BC.
The etymological root of Carniae is uncertain, but it is most likely derived from one of two Celtic roots: *karno-, meaning “rock” or “stone”, or *cerno-, meaning “horn”. Both words are found in toponyms throughout Carniola and other parts of Slovenia, as well as in place names in Italy such as Carnia and Carnico. The name also appears to be related to that of another ancient people known as the Carnutes.
The territory of Carniae was bounded by several major geographical features. To the north lay the Julian Alps, which separated it from Austria and Czechoslovakia. To the east was Trieste Bay and Yugoslavia’s Istria Peninsula beyond; southward flowed three rivers—the Isonzo, Soča/Isonzo, and Tagliamento—which provided access to both landlocked Italy and maritime trade routes; finally, on its western side rose a series of mountains including Monte Nero (nowadays called Mangart), which formed a natural barrier between Carniae proper and Venetia et Histria further west.
The climate in preindustrial times was considerably harsher than it is today: winter temperatures were much lower (sometimes dipping below -30°C/-22°F) while summertime heatwaves could see temperatures soar above 40°C/104°F). This made for demanding living conditions, particularly for those engaged in agriculture or pastoralism. Despite this, human habitation in Carniae can be traced back over 10,000 years thanks to archaeological finds such as cave dwellings near Aurisina/NOVA Gorica (one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements) and Neolithic era remains at sites like Šebrelje near Cividale del Friuli/.
Early Bronze Age remains have also been found at various sites including Oslavia/, Spessa/, Zugna Antica/, Palù di Livenza/. These indicate that basic metallurgical technology had arrived in this part of Europe by around 1800 BCE even though there is no evidence for significant settlement until somewhat later date. It seems that these early metalworkers settled near sources