Despite the fact that it is not easily accessible, being located between a high hill and the mountain, in ancient and medieval times the zone of Loro Ciuffenna was well connected with the rest of the territory, and had important natural resources.

Pratomagno and Loro Ciuffenna

The character of the territory determined a strongly centralised population, justified by the great importance that the wood, meadows, property for collective use, and the grazing activities held in the community with respect to the cultivated lands, agricultural activities, and private property (Cherubini, 1992: 67). The area was interspersed with natural pastures where, as in the rest of the Valdarno and in particular in Pratomagno, the presence of sheep breeding farms was attested.

This tradition had begun in the Etruscan age, and then kept taking on always greater importance in relation to the development in medieval times of wool-weaving activities within the home (home industry) These were aimed initially at satisfying the internal needs of rural families. The Etruscans also commenced to exploit the plain lands, by setting them aside for the raising of wheat, linen, olives, and viticulture. This was the typical heterogeneous agriculture that would subsequently characterise Tuscan agriculture in general.
From that epoch on, the basis of food for the population of the Loro territory consisted of an integration between the products of agricultural activity and the natural resources of the territory, which were represented by chestnuts , game, and fish (in particular, eels, barbels, gobies, and trout).
The subsequent Roman colonisation throughout the territory of Loro created "the conditions for a diffuse presence of settlements" (Luglioli, 1989: 2) which, drawn up along the course of the Arno river in close connection with the road system, led to a more rational exploitation of the natural resources and to an expansion of the crops.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions, populations in search of refuge and protection were amalgamated in Pratomagno. Many lands were probably abandoned, and grazing land gained ground. Starting from the Longobard victories of the 7th and 8th centuries, the settlements and agricultural crops began to be developed again, above all in relation to the general demographic increase, which involved all of central-north Italy.

The particular environmental characteristics of Loro, represented by the location of the community between the high hill and the mountain in a sheltered zone, but one that was contemporaneously well-connected with the valley, led to the founding of castles and fortresses, and to the success of feudal domains. The expansion of noble power determined a more intensive and more articulated exploitation of the agricultural and forest areas.

Mill at Trevane (LoroCiuffenna)

This was also made possible by the productive progress connected with the assistance of animals and machines. As far as the latter were concerned, the main innovation was represented by water mills , which became widespread during the course of the 10th and 11th centuries. In particular, the building of mills along the course of the Ciuffenna torrent, that proved successful during the Middle Ages, was to constitute one of the main characteristics of the countryside and economy of the Loro territory.