Archaeological Area of Rocceré
Rock carvings from the Bronze Age.
Over 35,000 cup marks on approximately 20,000 m2. In Roccabruna, Maira Valley.
A bit of history
Mount RocceRé hosts one of the most important Bronze Age rock art sites in Italy, together with those of Valtellina and Val Camonica (with over two hundred thousand engravings, the largest complex of prehistoric art in Europe). It is a unique archaeological site of its kind in Europe since, in an area of about 25,000 square meters, many cup marks (artificial hemispherical hollows dug into the rock) have been discovered, the estimated number of which currently amounts to 35,000 units. Cup-shaped engravings are also present in various parts of the world: Jordan, Israel, the Hawaiian Islands, Azerbaijan, Chile, Finland, Scotland, Spain, Galicia, Italy (Sardinia and Piedmont in particular). This practice, in fact, represents a symbolism common to many peoples who, in the past, have carried out engravings with similar techniques in various places around the globe. This singular peculiarity can be explained thanks to migratory processes: the first flows date back to the Neolithic in 7000 BC. starting from Syria, Iraq and Jordan and then arriving in Europe. To understand this phenomenon it is therefore necessary to take a step back in time at least 5,000 years.
Cup-marks
When we speak about petroglyphs we are commonly led to think of prehistoric graffiti, which are usually present in caves or on open-air slabs and have been found in various places in our area and beyond, such as in Val Camonica in Italy or in the Valley of Wonders in France: graffiti referred to in the history and art books themselves.
There is, however, a whole other vein, object of study by archaeologists and researchers, relating to sites in which very singular petroglyphs have been found, made with a different technique from graffiti: these are the cup-marks, hemispherical rock engravings, of which multiple finds have been documented in the world and whose concentration on Mount RocceRé and is particularly significant.
The Masso Altare
A large disc-shaped boulder, engraved with an arched figure made up of seven large cup marks. The boulder, located on top of a spectacular gneiss tower, with sheer walls of about 80-90 meters, not far from the anthropomorphic engraving symbol of RocceRé depicting a boss or a shaman.
An ancient legend of Roccabruna, handed down from father to son, tells that on the RocceRé in very distant times, animals were killed by throwing them from these high towers.
The Throne of the King, gate of the gods
Of considerable size, with a width of about one meter, a height of two meters and a depth of 60 cm.
The rock of which it is composed is highly stratified and fissured, therefore easily removable, revealing the probable anthropic origin. Renamed "throne” by scholars, because it looks like a seat. The door of the Throne of the King appears incredibly similar to two other ravines, at the archaeological sites of Machu Picchu and Hayu Marca in Peru. The latter is known as the Puerta de Hayu Marca or Gate of the Gods, that is, according to legend, a real portal between worlds.
Balmascura cave
Inside there is a perennial precious source of water. In front of the cave, at about 20 meters, the majestic balconies engraved with cup marks of the Massi Isoardi. Above the cave there are numerous engraved cup marks. The second anthropomorphic discovered right near this cave, suggests that the same was in that distant period the home of the (or of) the shaman or priest or "king" who followed one another in these places and who were very probably the creators of those many cups and figures present on the site.
Solar calendar
Presence of seven alignments by cup-shaped channels, window-drilled rocks and boulders positioned as indicators, all oriented exactly or with a minimum imprecision at equinoxes and solstices.
Were studied by researchers many similar cases in the world: Stonehenge in England, some pyramids, on the Malta island, cromlech of Piccolo S. Bernardo and others.
Very similar alignments have been traced on the RocceRé, but in a certain sense very particular: the fact that in some cases the alignments are created by nature appears enigmatic, but the presence of the hand of man is also strongly noted
Rock painting
This painting, discovered in 2011, increases considerably the importance of the site because rock paintings in our country are very rare. It is also the confirmation that the RocceRé has been frequented for a period of time that goes beyond the millennia. A reference to the paleolithic period and a confirmation in this sense could be supported by a dating with radio-carbon, as the painting has organic material. With this discovery, the RocceRé archaeological site crossed national borders: in May 2013, the painting was presented at the world assembly of the IFRAO, in New Mexico (USA), by the Study Center and Rock Art of Pinerolo: it is interpreted as an anthropomorphic figure with large raised hands (typical element of representations referring to the Paleolithic period), or a zoomorphic figure with large cervid antlers placed above the head.