"In This Coherent Ecosystem Where The Muddy Shelves (Alternately Above And Below Water Level) Are As Important As The Islands, Pile-Dwellings, Fishing Villages And Rice-Fields Need To Be Protected No Less Than The Palazzi And Churches." (Ouv) - "Those Fleeing Barbarian Invasions Who Found Refuge On The Sandy Islands Of Torcello, Iesolo, And Malamocco, In This Coastal Lagoon, Learned To Build By Driving Closely Spaced Piles Consisting Of The Trunks Of Alder Trees, A Wood Noted For Its Water Resistance, Into The Mud And Sand,[52][53] Until They Reached A Much Harder Layer Of Compressed Clay. Building Foundations Rested On Plates Of Istrian Limestone Placed On Top Of The Piles." (Wiki)
