Geo Archaeological and naturalistic site
Rocceré is an archaeological and naturalistic geo site in the Maira Valley, Roccabruna in the province of Cuneo. Geologically, Mount Rocceré is made up of imposing and spectacular towers of macaschist-gnessiferi of the Permo-Carboniferous age with frequent pinnacles and large balconies between which there are interspersed quartz lenses and beds; an important waterway brings the water up high, creating runoff on some boulders.
After the discovery of the first alleged cupels, in 1993 the site was registered in the archaeological map of Piedmont, drawn up by the Superintendency in collaboration with the Piedmont Region. In 2000/2002 the first geological surveys were carried out, which established the predominantly anthropic origin of the approximately 35,000 cupels present on the site in an area of three square kilometers from a minimum altitude of 1400 masl up to 1829 masl.
These are cup-shaped hollows with a diameter that can vary between two cm and 20 cm, they are found in groups of hundreds on imposing flat or slightly inclined slabs, in other cases compositions of "cups" close together seem to form figures geometric, symmetrical, numerical analogies, arc-rectilinear assemblages and even anthropomorphic figures (?) engraved by prehistoric populations using rudimentary quartz chisels (?), are hypothesized scholars also have numerous theories regarding the purpose of these "artifacts": animist cults, initiatory divination, hydromantic, thaumaturgical, fertility rituals, veneration of water, cult of the sun, sacrificial containers (?).
In 2016/17 some astrophysicists and archaeo-astronomy enthusiasts hypothesize rock representations of celestial maps or/and constellations with some probability calculations present in the literature.
Ruciré-Aut (Rocceré-Alto) is the toponym with which, in the Occitan dialect of Roccabruna, the locals call a particular round boulder placed on the top of an impressive 90 meter tower; a disc ten meters in diameter, almost in the center of it a natural split channel begins with a rhomboidal "cup" that resembles a "vulva", the approximately 200 cm long channel ends on the overhang with another small round "cup" with a concave base, the extremely precise alignment indicates the sunrise of the equinoxes. Not far away, a series of united and heavily abraded cup marks vaguely resemble a serpentine phallus. Two local legends linked to this particular stone speak of ancient rituals and snakes, creating a wing of mystery inherent to this Altar Boulder (?).
In 2013, an alleged rock painting, discovered in a particular ravine, with anthropomorphic-deer features, was presented at the IFRAO world assembly in New Mexico, USA.
The solar alignments are incredible, such as the natural opening of the spectacular Roccias Fenestre which welcomes the sunset of the summer solstice; another imposing boulder supported and raised by three underlying blocks has a triangular shape whose cusp points exactly to the dawn of the longest day of the year; while in a second window the sun falls on the winter solstice and in a third the sunset of the equinoxes. Balmascura is an exceptional natural shelter that has aroused interest from scholars also due to an important and perennial spring inside it, in 2016 some surveys and archaeological excavations near this cave brought to light the Bronze Age ceramics /end Copper, a quartz arrowhead, a probable scraper and coals, important evidence of the site being frequented in the period 2000/2500 BC.
At the entrance of the cave we find "The King's Throne", a trapezoidal-shaped ravine with two seats which has always been called "careo del ré" (king's seat) by the locals and is fully illuminated by the dawn of the winter solstice.
In 2024 a new geological and archaeological survey ordered by the Superintendence of Piedmont evaluates an area of the cupels present on the site as completely natural phenomena; according to this expert opinion, their formation probably dates back to the terminal phase of the Last Glacial. The cupels/hollows would have formed naturally due to the phenomenon called weathering pits or rather gnammas.
At the moment Rocceré is therefore downgraded from a rock art site, by the recent assessments supervised by the Superintendence, but it is also elected as a site of significant geological/naturalistic importance.
It is maintained as an "archaeological site" thanks to the finds found in the Balmascura cave and kept in the laboratories of the archaeological superintendence of Piedmont.
Between natural cupels, spectacular morphology of the place, ravines and caves, presence of water at high altitude, panoramic exposure, "solar calendar" alignments, Mount Rocceré contains a series of truly surprising natural "randomities", it is very likely that these elements have aroused curiosity even some prehistoric populations frequented and deified the site as a sacred place (attendance proven by findings) whose true purposes still remain mysterious.
Aware that no one has the truth in their pocket, studies and research on this fascinating site continue where competent geologists, archaeologists and scholar-scientists will always be welcome.
