 The oldest trace of settlements in the area were found in the surroundings of the Pieve del Cauro (7th century), an old parish church under the influence of the Monastery of Saint Quintino of Spigno Monferrato, now in ruins just outside the hamlet Piana.This church was likely built on an ancient Roman "statio" placed along the Via Aemilia Scauri.In the 11-13th centuries, due to the increase of trade along the ridge route between the Po valley and the Ligurian Sea and the need to provide a better military defence, the current medieval village of Montechiaro Alto (Mons Cauri) was built.