The Veneti are one of the peoples who inhabited Italy during the Iron Age, beginning in the 9th century BCE; they are sometimes mentioned in Greek and Roman sources, which record them as breeders of racehorses and report the myth of their descent from a group of Trojans who fled under the leadership of Antenor from the destroyed city. A clearly identifiable material culture attributable to this people was first identified in Este itself by Alessandro Prosdocimi in 1876 and has since been recognized in an area of northeastern Italy similar, but not perfectly corresponding, to the Veneto of today.
The strategic position between the Alps and the Adriatic was a relevant factor in the development of exchanges and cultural interactions between the Veneti and neighboring peoples; Este, on the great communication route constituted by the Adige River, was certainly one of the most important centers, especially in its earliest phases: the exhibits in this section aim to illustrate its role and history.
