Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
Encyclopedia
The stone carvings of Val Camonica
constitute one of the largest collections of prehistoric petroglyph
s in the world. The collection was recognized by Unesco
in 1979 and was Italy's first recognized World Heritage Site. Unesco has formally recognized more than 140,000 figures and symbols, but new discoveries have increased the number of catalogued incisions to between 200,000 and 300,000. The petroglyphs are spread on all surfaces of the valley, but concentrated in the areas of Darfo Boario Terme
, Capo di Ponte
, Nadro
, Cimbergo
and Paspardo
.
(1st millennium BC), while petroglyphs of the last period are attributed to the people of Camunni
, mentioned by Latin sources. The petroglyph tradition does not end abruptly. Engravings have been identified (although in very small number; not comparable with the great prehistoric activity) from the Roman period, medieval period and are possibly even contemporary, up to the 19th century. Most of the cuts have been made using the "martellina" technique and lesser numbers obtained through graffiti
.
The figures are sometimes simply superimposed without apparent order. Others instead appear to have a logical relationship between them; for example, a picture of a religious rite or a hunting scene or fight. This approach explains the scheme of images, each of which is an ideogram that is not the real object, but its "idea". Their function pertains to celebratory rituals: commemorative, initiatory and propitiatory; first in the field of religion, then later even secular, which were held onn special occasions, either single or recurrent. Among the most notorious symbols found in Valcamonica is the so-called "Rosa camuna" (Camunian rose
), which was adopted as the official symbol of the region of Lombardy
.
, the archaeologist Emmanuel Anati
, among the first to systematically study the area, drew up a chronology of rock carvings. It compared the style and types of the symbols to identify possible correlations with the traditional historical periodization, from Prehistory
to the Middle Age
s.
(or Mesolithic
, 8th-6th millennium BC), several millennia after the retreat of the glacier
that covered the Val Camonica
(Würm glaciation). Those carvings were the work of passing nomadic hunters, following the migrations of their prey. The figures represented in fact depict large animals such as deer
and elk
, which are the typical prey of that period. Similar representations are present in the town park stone carvings of Luine (comune
of Darfo Boario Terme
).
period (5th-4th millennium BC approximately), agricultural practices spread in Val Camonica, correlated with the formation of the first sedentary settlements. In the field of rock art
, human figures and sets of geometric elements, such as rectangles, circles, and dots, constitute the main elements of the compositions and complete the symbolic meaning of the antropomorphical petroglyphs. Similar carvings are present in the Regional Reserve of Rock Engravings of Ceto
, Cimbergo
, and Paspardo
.
(or Chalcolithic period, the 3rd millennium BC approximately), new symbols appeared, documenting the emergence of the wheel, the wagon and the first forms of metallurgy
. Rocks were stained with celestial symbols, animals, weapons, depictions of plowing, chains of human-beings and other signs. These monuments, preserved mainly in the Archaeological Park of National Massi Cemmo and in that of Asinino-Anvòia (Ossimo
), indicate a ritual function linked to the veneration of ancestors.
(2nd millennium BC, approximately), engravings on rock outcrops took on the issue of weapons, reflecting the greater emphasis given them by the warriors in the camunian society of the time. Continuing emphasis was given to geometric shapes (circles and variants), in continuity with engravings from earlier eras.
(1st millennium BC) are attributed to the people of Camunni
and constitute about 70-80% of all census figures. These works manifest their ideals of heroic masculinity and superiority. Dominant themes include representations of duels and human figures, even large ones, flaunting their weapons, their muscles and their genitals. There are also figures of cabins, labyrinth
s, footprints, hunting scenes and other symbols.
(~1000 BC - ~500 AD) petroglyph activity suffered a sharp contraction, entering a phase of latency.
in Val Camonica marked a resumption of the rock engravery, starting from the first phase of the Medieval Ages. Many of the inscriptions during this period are Christian
symbols, such as crosses and keys, that were joined and overlapped with those considered pagan symbols, in the background, in an attempt to sacralize these places.
). Only in the twenties, however, did the rocks pique the interest of scholars, including Giuseppe Bonafini, geologist Senofonte Squinabol, and, since 1929, Torinese anthropologist Giovanni Marro and Florentine archaeologist Paolo Graziosi
. Soon numerous engravings were also discovered on the surrounding rocks and research was conducted not only by Marro, but also by Raffaele Battaglia for the Superintendent to the Antiquities of Padua.
In the 1930s the reputation of the cuts was more commonly known in Italy and abroad, so that between 1935 and 1937 an extensive campaign of studies was conducted by Germans Franz Altheim
and Erika Trautmann. Altheim
started reading into the engravings Nazi ideologies, which were soon imitated in a fascist work by Marro, identifying them as evidence of a supposed ancestral Aryan race
.
The mapping and cataloging resumed after the Second World War, led by Laeng and conducted by scholars of the infant Museum of Natural Sciences of Brescia, consisting of both national and international experts. In 1955, with the institution of the Parco nazionale delle incisioni rupestri di Naquane by the Archaeological Superintendent of Lombardy, work began to preserve the rocks and their inscriptions. The explorations of Emmanuel Anati
began in 1956 and discovered new petroglyphs. The systematic nature of these studies enabled him to publish, in 1960, the first volume of general summary about "La civilization du Val Camonica". In 1964, Anati founded the Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici (Camunian Center of Prehistoric Studies). The first "Valcamonica Symposium", was held in 1968; first in a long series of conferences, convening in Valcamonica many scholars of art and prehistoric life.
After its inclusion by UNESCO as World Heritage Site number 94, continuing research has further broadened the heritage rocks recorded.
Val Camonica
Val Camonica is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, about 90 km long. It starts from the Tonale Pass, at 1883 metres above sea level and ends at Corna Trentapassi, in the comune of Pisogne, near Lake Iseo...
constitute one of the largest collections of prehistoric petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
s in the world. The collection was recognized by Unesco
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1979 and was Italy's first recognized World Heritage Site. Unesco has formally recognized more than 140,000 figures and symbols, but new discoveries have increased the number of catalogued incisions to between 200,000 and 300,000. The petroglyphs are spread on all surfaces of the valley, but concentrated in the areas of Darfo Boario Terme
Darfo Boario Terme
Darfo Boario Terme is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy. The name combines Darfo, the capoluogo, with Boario Terme, the largest frazione. It is bounded by other communes of Angolo Terme, Artogne, Esine, Gianico, Piancogno, Rogno....
, Capo di Ponte
Capo di Ponte
Capo di Ponte is an Italian comune of 2.483 abitanti in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Geography:...
, Nadro
Nadro
Nadro is an Italian hamlet of the comune of Ceto , Lombardy. It has 655 inhabitants.It lies 75 km from Brescia, along the strada Statale 42 del Tonale e della Mendola and is situated in Val Camonica....
, Cimbergo
Cimbergo
Cimbergo is an Italian comune of 585 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-History:The area of Cimbergo was populated by ancient: there are hundreds stone carvings on its territory....
and Paspardo
Paspardo
Paspardo is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.It is bounded by other communes of Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cimbergo....
.
Characteristics
Many of the incisions were made over a time period of eight thousand years preceding the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
(1st millennium BC), while petroglyphs of the last period are attributed to the people of Camunni
Camunni
The Camuni or Camunni were an ancient population located in Val Camonica during the Iron Age ; the Latin name Camunni was attributed to them by the authors of the 1st century. They are also called ancient Camuni, to distinguish them from the current inhabitants of the valley...
, mentioned by Latin sources. The petroglyph tradition does not end abruptly. Engravings have been identified (although in very small number; not comparable with the great prehistoric activity) from the Roman period, medieval period and are possibly even contemporary, up to the 19th century. Most of the cuts have been made using the "martellina" technique and lesser numbers obtained through graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
.
The figures are sometimes simply superimposed without apparent order. Others instead appear to have a logical relationship between them; for example, a picture of a religious rite or a hunting scene or fight. This approach explains the scheme of images, each of which is an ideogram that is not the real object, but its "idea". Their function pertains to celebratory rituals: commemorative, initiatory and propitiatory; first in the field of religion, then later even secular, which were held onn special occasions, either single or recurrent. Among the most notorious symbols found in Valcamonica is the so-called "Rosa camuna" (Camunian rose
Camunian rose
The Camunian rose is the name given to a particular symbol represented among the rock carvings of Val Camonica. It consists of a meandering closed line that winds around nine cup marks...
), which was adopted as the official symbol of the region of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
The cycle historiated: themes and periodization
In the 1960s1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, the archaeologist Emmanuel Anati
Emmanuel Anati
Emmanuel Anati is an Italian archaeologist.-Biography:Anati Emmanuel was born in Florence in 1930 to Ugo and Elsa Castelnuovo, a family of Jewish origin....
, among the first to systematically study the area, drew up a chronology of rock carvings. It compared the style and types of the symbols to identify possible correlations with the traditional historical periodization, from Prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
to the Middle Age
Middle age
Middle age is the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. Various attempts have been made to define this age, which is around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings....
s.
Epipaleolithic
The earliest rock carvings date back to epipaleolithicEpipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
(or Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
, 8th-6th millennium BC), several millennia after the retreat of the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
that covered the Val Camonica
Val Camonica
Val Camonica is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, about 90 km long. It starts from the Tonale Pass, at 1883 metres above sea level and ends at Corna Trentapassi, in the comune of Pisogne, near Lake Iseo...
(Würm glaciation). Those carvings were the work of passing nomadic hunters, following the migrations of their prey. The figures represented in fact depict large animals such as deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, which are the typical prey of that period. Similar representations are present in the town park stone carvings of Luine (comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Darfo Boario Terme
Darfo Boario Terme
Darfo Boario Terme is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy. The name combines Darfo, the capoluogo, with Boario Terme, the largest frazione. It is bounded by other communes of Angolo Terme, Artogne, Esine, Gianico, Piancogno, Rogno....
).
Neolithic
During the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period (5th-4th millennium BC approximately), agricultural practices spread in Val Camonica, correlated with the formation of the first sedentary settlements. In the field of rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
, human figures and sets of geometric elements, such as rectangles, circles, and dots, constitute the main elements of the compositions and complete the symbolic meaning of the antropomorphical petroglyphs. Similar carvings are present in the Regional Reserve of Rock Engravings of Ceto
Ceto
In ancient Greek, the word ketos - Latinized as cetus - denotes a large fish, a whale, a shark, or a sea monster. The sea monsters slain by Perseus and Heracles were each referred to as a cetus by ancient sources. The term cetacean originates from cetus. In Greek art, cetea were depicted as...
, Cimbergo
Cimbergo
Cimbergo is an Italian comune of 585 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-History:The area of Cimbergo was populated by ancient: there are hundreds stone carvings on its territory....
, and Paspardo
Paspardo
Paspardo is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.It is bounded by other communes of Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cimbergo....
.
Copper Age
During the Copper AgeCopper Age
The Chalcolithic |stone]]") period or Copper Age, also known as the Eneolithic/Æneolithic , is a phase of the Bronze Age in which the addition of tin to copper to form bronze during smelting remained yet unknown by the metallurgists of the times...
(or Chalcolithic period, the 3rd millennium BC approximately), new symbols appeared, documenting the emergence of the wheel, the wagon and the first forms of metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
. Rocks were stained with celestial symbols, animals, weapons, depictions of plowing, chains of human-beings and other signs. These monuments, preserved mainly in the Archaeological Park of National Massi Cemmo and in that of Asinino-Anvòia (Ossimo
Ossimo
Ossimo is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is part of Valle Camonica, and is divided into two centers: Ossimo Superiore and Ossimo Inferiore....
), indicate a ritual function linked to the veneration of ancestors.
Bronze Age
During the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(2nd millennium BC, approximately), engravings on rock outcrops took on the issue of weapons, reflecting the greater emphasis given them by the warriors in the camunian society of the time. Continuing emphasis was given to geometric shapes (circles and variants), in continuity with engravings from earlier eras.
Iron Age
The engravings of the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
(1st millennium BC) are attributed to the people of Camunni
Camunni
The Camuni or Camunni were an ancient population located in Val Camonica during the Iron Age ; the Latin name Camunni was attributed to them by the authors of the 1st century. They are also called ancient Camuni, to distinguish them from the current inhabitants of the valley...
and constitute about 70-80% of all census figures. These works manifest their ideals of heroic masculinity and superiority. Dominant themes include representations of duels and human figures, even large ones, flaunting their weapons, their muscles and their genitals. There are also figures of cabins, labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
s, footprints, hunting scenes and other symbols.
Roman Age
During the Roman domination of Val CamonicaVal Camonica
Val Camonica is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, about 90 km long. It starts from the Tonale Pass, at 1883 metres above sea level and ends at Corna Trentapassi, in the comune of Pisogne, near Lake Iseo...
(~1000 BC - ~500 AD) petroglyph activity suffered a sharp contraction, entering a phase of latency.
Medieval Age
The Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in Val Camonica marked a resumption of the rock engravery, starting from the first phase of the Medieval Ages. Many of the inscriptions during this period are Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
symbols, such as crosses and keys, that were joined and overlapped with those considered pagan symbols, in the background, in an attempt to sacralize these places.
Discovery and evaluation
The first documented report of the engraved stones dates back to 1909, when Walther Laeng pointed out to the National Committee for the Protection of Monuments two boulders decorated around Cemmo (Capo di PonteCapo di Ponte
Capo di Ponte is an Italian comune of 2.483 abitanti in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Geography:...
). Only in the twenties, however, did the rocks pique the interest of scholars, including Giuseppe Bonafini, geologist Senofonte Squinabol, and, since 1929, Torinese anthropologist Giovanni Marro and Florentine archaeologist Paolo Graziosi
Paolo Graziosi
Paolo Graziosi is an Italian actor. He has appeared in 50 films and television shows since 1962. He starred in the 1966 film A Gangstergirl, which was entered into the 17th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
. Soon numerous engravings were also discovered on the surrounding rocks and research was conducted not only by Marro, but also by Raffaele Battaglia for the Superintendent to the Antiquities of Padua.
In the 1930s the reputation of the cuts was more commonly known in Italy and abroad, so that between 1935 and 1937 an extensive campaign of studies was conducted by Germans Franz Altheim
Franz Altheim
Franz Altheim was a German historian, best known for his trip with Erika Trautmann funded by the Ahnenerbe and Hermann Göring.-Early life:...
and Erika Trautmann. Altheim
Altheim
-Places:*in Germany:**Altheim, Biberach, a municipality in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg**Altheim , a municipality in the district of Alb-Donau, Baden-Württemberg**Altheim , a municipality in the district of Alb-Donau, Baden-Württemberg...
started reading into the engravings Nazi ideologies, which were soon imitated in a fascist work by Marro, identifying them as evidence of a supposed ancestral Aryan race
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
.
The mapping and cataloging resumed after the Second World War, led by Laeng and conducted by scholars of the infant Museum of Natural Sciences of Brescia, consisting of both national and international experts. In 1955, with the institution of the Parco nazionale delle incisioni rupestri di Naquane by the Archaeological Superintendent of Lombardy, work began to preserve the rocks and their inscriptions. The explorations of Emmanuel Anati
Emmanuel Anati
Emmanuel Anati is an Italian archaeologist.-Biography:Anati Emmanuel was born in Florence in 1930 to Ugo and Elsa Castelnuovo, a family of Jewish origin....
began in 1956 and discovered new petroglyphs. The systematic nature of these studies enabled him to publish, in 1960, the first volume of general summary about "La civilization du Val Camonica". In 1964, Anati founded the Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici (Camunian Center of Prehistoric Studies). The first "Valcamonica Symposium", was held in 1968; first in a long series of conferences, convening in Valcamonica many scholars of art and prehistoric life.
After its inclusion by UNESCO as World Heritage Site number 94, continuing research has further broadened the heritage rocks recorded.
Parks of rock art
| N° | Name | Municipality | Coordinates | Petroglyphs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Parco nazionale delle incisioni rupestri di Naquane | Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte is an Italian comune of 2.483 abitanti in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Geography:... |
46°01′32"N 10°20′57"E | |
| 2. | Parco archeologico nazionale dei Massi di Cemmo | Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte is an Italian comune of 2.483 abitanti in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Geography:... |
46°01′52"N 10°20′20"E | |
| 3. | Parco archeologico comunale di Seradina-Bedolina | Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte is an Italian comune of 2.483 abitanti in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-Geography:... |
46°02′00"N 10°20′29"E | |
| 4. | Parco archeologico di Asinino-Anvòia | Ossimo Ossimo Ossimo is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is part of Valle Camonica, and is divided into two centers: Ossimo Superiore and Ossimo Inferiore.... |
45°57′19"N 10°14′47"E | |
| 5. | Parco comunale delle incisioni rupestri di Luine | Darfo Boario Terme Darfo Boario Terme Darfo Boario Terme is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy. The name combines Darfo, the capoluogo, with Boario Terme, the largest frazione. It is bounded by other communes of Angolo Terme, Artogne, Esine, Gianico, Piancogno, Rogno.... |
45°53′20"N 10°10′46"E | |
| 6. | Parco comunale archeologico e minerario di Sellero | Sellero Sellero Sellero is a comune of 1,503 people in the province of Brescia in the middle Val Camonica.... |
46°03′26"N 10°20′29"E | |
| 7. | Parco archeologico comunale di Sonico | Sonico Sonico Sonico is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is bounded by other communes of Berzo Demo, Cevo, Edolo, Malonno, Saviore dell'Adamello... |
46°10′7"N 10°21′20"E | |
| 8. | Riserva naturale Incisioni rupestri di Ceto, Cimbergo e Paspardo | Ceto (Nadro Nadro Nadro is an Italian hamlet of the comune of Ceto , Lombardy. It has 655 inhabitants.It lies 75 km from Brescia, along the strada Statale 42 del Tonale e della Mendola and is situated in Val Camonica.... ) Cimbergo Cimbergo Cimbergo is an Italian comune of 585 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.-History:The area of Cimbergo was populated by ancient: there are hundreds stone carvings on its territory.... Paspardo Paspardo Paspardo is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.It is bounded by other communes of Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cimbergo.... |
46°01′6"N 10°21′10"E |
See also
- CamunniCamunniThe Camuni or Camunni were an ancient population located in Val Camonica during the Iron Age ; the Latin name Camunni was attributed to them by the authors of the 1st century. They are also called ancient Camuni, to distinguish them from the current inhabitants of the valley...
- Camunic languageCamunic languageThe Camunic language is an extinct language which was spoken in the first millennium BC in the Valcamonica and Valtellina valleys of the Central Alps. It has most recently been considered to represent a form of Celtic .-Language:...
- Val CamonicaVal CamonicaVal Camonica is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, about 90 km long. It starts from the Tonale Pass, at 1883 metres above sea level and ends at Corna Trentapassi, in the comune of Pisogne, near Lake Iseo...