In this article there is outlined the story of the road and of the tunnel that the Capo di Ponte Municipality (Valcamonica, Italy) is opening 60 meters far from the Cemmo Boulders.
The two boulders (Cemmo 1 and Cemmo 2) are the first engraved rocks found
in 1909 in Valcamonica. It was the Italian geographer Gualtiero Laeng who
gave news about the “Massi di Cemmo”. The rocks were studied some years
later by Italian and foreign scholars. The engravings are 262 and belong
to a period between 5 and 4 thousands years ago.
These petroglyphs document the oldest chariot and plough figures
of the European prehistory.
The area where the boulders are, “il Pian delle Greppe” has been protected
with a bond since 1961. This bond was enlarged in 1981 and in 1983 after
the discoveries of the engraved stelae (dated to Copper age) Cemmo 3 and
Cemmo 4. This bond was asked for and stated by the Archaeological Superintendency
of Lombardy and confirmed by the State Ministry of Culture. In 1991 the
new Archaeological Superintendent of Culture, Dr. Angelo Maria Ardovino,
and the Ministry of Culture cancelled the bond and gave the permission
to build the road that connects Capo di Ponte to Pescarzo, a little village
hamlet of Capo di Ponte. Recent investigations certify that the bond was
never cancelled but only ignored because of political pressures. Nobody
knows and understands why he changed the decisions of his predecessors.
Moreover six months ago the local inspector of the Archaeological Superintendency,
Dr. Raffaella Poggiani Keller, found a fragment of a Copper Age stele in
a trench, made just in front of the area where the entrance of the tunnel
has to be constructed. This confirms that the area maintains a great archaeological
importance.
The Minister of Culture, Prof. Antonio Paolucci, on October the 20th,
1995, decided to stop the building of the road. Then a commission came
to Cemmo and decided to confirm the stoppage of the works. But on November
the 20th a second commission decided to allow the works on condition that
the road should turn in an S shape just outside of the tunnel. The Minister
ordered the carrying out of the excavations in the area before the tunnel
is finished.
This was the sad story of the Cemmo boulders.
Some questions remain:
We hope that UNESCO will take a strong position asking for conservation of the area that is included in the World Heritage List
For the first time in Europe supposed scientific direct dating methods
on open air rocks have been applied.
According to the necessity of doing an experimental test, the site
chosen was little and not relevant: the Côa Valley petroglyph site,
the first European open air rock art site in palaeolithic style.
The work has been commissioned by the EDP, Electricidade de Portugal
(Portuguese Electric Energy Company), the most interested in a (recent)
dating of these petroglyphs, and in their preservation (under water).
The fact is that in Côa Valley a big dam is under construction.
I suggest reading Mila
Simões de Abreu - Ludwig Jaffe text for better information.
Two different kinds of direct dating experiences have been tested:
AMS14C on silica skin (Watchman) and microerosion (Bednarik). I'm referring
to NEWS 95 International Rock Art Congress pre-acts.
The micro radiocarbon dating (AMS) on silica skin is a method trying
to catch (and date) sedimentary organic matter encapsulated by silica,
which year by year (and century by century) makes accretions on every rock
surface.
Watchman's experience found a 7000-3000 BP ranging in carbon from silty brown accretions inside Côa engraved figures. But Watchman also found that :
Second experience: Bednarik's work.
It is based on microerosion analysis and internal analysis. Microerosion
analysis is experimented by very few researchers by watching rock surface
with a kind of geologist eyeglass.
In this way it is possible to examine the erosion of little crystals
on rock surface, affected by weathering (water-wind-temperature).
Although "attempts to achieve microerosion dating were hampered by
poor suitability of the schistose facies and the lack of reliable calibration",
Bednarik claims that "the most Palaeolithic stylistic features are generally
less than 3000 years old".
In which way is it possible to examine the erosion of little crystals on
rock surface?
We don't know. How to obtain a calibration curve?
We know only that some Copper age engravings (5000-4500 BP, haute Ubaye)
on marble in the Alps, in open air (but not directly affected by rain),
at 2400 m above sea level, have no patina, are white while the rock is
orange (the same occurs in M. Bego), and that we can distinctly recognise
each engraved dot.
On the contrary we know that by now no one can recognise some 100 years
old engravings in open air, on limestone (1000 above sea level) exposed
to rain and wind. We also know (by a long direct experience in seeing every
kind of engraved sign) that there is a big difference between engraved
figures on a vertical surface and signs on a horizontal surface. We know
that patination and erosion depends on kind of rock, surface exposition,
environmental condition, temperature, human pollution...
Do these conditions take full place in direct dating Côa calibration
curve? Which experience in a rainy European climate has been tested? Why
reject stylistic analysis completely, when they are based on archaeological
and cultural considerations?
However, we have good luck:
CÔA VALLEY PETROGLYPHS HAVE BEEN SAVED BY NEW PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT! CONGRATULATIONS TO MEMBERS OF APAAR (Associação Portuguesa de Arqueologia e Arte Rupestre) who saved engraved rocks!
Rupe
Magna back to index
5454 figures have been counted after the tracing workRupe Magna (from latin, simply big rock) is a large surface polished by the glacier, completely engraved during prehistoric periods. Near the rock there are two ruined middle age castles (Visconti-Venosta family).
In the Bronze Age we find schematic anthropomorphic figures (so called
"orants", with symmetric arms and legs, probably fighting), which continue
in the first Iron Age with couples of men duelling and a few animal figures.
Cup marks cover every other figure and represent the last engraving period
(middle Iron Age).
Western
Alps
New Iron Age engraved rocks were found on July 1995 in Valcenischia Valley, west of Turin, at more than 2300 m above sea level.
The discovery was made by G.M. Cametti and P. Meirano, researchers of
Gruppo Ricerche
Cultura Montana of Turin (a cultural association studying alpine
culture and heritage).
On many limestone rocks, laid by the glacier and polished by the same
glacier and by the wind, it is possible to see (only with grazing light)
figures of warriors and topographic engravings.
Some warriors present a square body, in the typical style of the last
Iron Age in Valcamonica.
Another figure (the one represented in negative and positive) draws
a sword, in a dynamic posture that seems to represent an armed dance, still
alive in popular tradition, called the dance of "Spadonari" (men with swords).
The rectangular figures filled by regular dots are linked to the ones
found in the near French valley of Haute Maurienne, and represent probably
some topographic elements, like in Valcamonica in Iron Age maps.
The site is now covered by meters of snow. A work of documentation,
with survey, recording, tracing and moulds is prospected next summer. This
work will increase the catalogue of engraved
rocks in the western Alps, based on the international file, used by
Italian, French and Swiss researchers.
Rock Art of the western Alps, except M. Bego, is not as huge as the
one of Valcamonica. The fact is that there is not sandstone in these valleys.
New finds on limestone in Val Grana (schematic antropomorphs), Val Susa
(Iron Age paintings), Val Cenischia, Haute Mauriennne (warrior with weapons,
hunting scenes, inscriptions) are taking Western Alps Rock Art into a most
important place in alpine Rupestrian Archaeology.
Short news and appointments
Fieldworks in Valcamonica (Italy) with Footsteps of Man Grosio (Valtellina) July 20-30, 1996 Paspardo (Valcamonica) August 1-10, 1996 Trainig in studying - recording - tracing prehistoric alpine Rock Art Rock Art lectures Vacancies for 20 volunteers at both sites Minimum stay one week Rock Art Research - Moving into the Twenty-First Century Swakopmund, Namibia, August 1l-18, 1996. Official IFRAO meeting 1996 organized by SARARA. Suggested topics for papers: Recording methods Dating Meaning and motivation Environmental issues and site management Education Aesthetic considerations International Rock Art Congress 1997 Cochabamba, Bolivia April 1-6, 1997. Sponsored by IFRAO and UNESCO. Symposia and chairmen: Rock art dating (Watchman-Prous) The earliest rock art in the Americas (Steinbring-Schobinger) The earliest rock art - a world perspective (Bednarik) New approaches to rock art studies (D'Errico-Ogleby) Administration and conservation of rock art (Wainwright) New studies of rock art in south America (Briones-Dubelaar-Aschero-Podestrá-Taboada) IFRAO meeting - Exhibitions. Registration of papers before September 30, 1996back to index
It is possible to submit to us short texts and images for the next issue (1996 March). Text (obviously about Rock Art and in English) must be no longer than 2000 characters, and images (any DOS-WINDOWS) no bigger than 20 K. Texts must have a short title, a signature and an address (also email if available). Send them as attached files to aarca@inrete.it.
For short news and appointments (meetings, exhibitions, field works, books) please send an email to Andrea Arcà with no more than 200 characters and a WEB link if avalaible
Andrea Arcà- Coop. Archeologica Le Orme dell'Uomo
