The Archaeology of Semiotics and the Social Order of Things

Edited by

George Nash George Children

BAR International Series 1833 2008

This title published by Archaeopress Publishers of British Archaeological Reports Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED England bar@archaeopress.com www.archaeopress.com BAR S1833 The Archaeology of Semiotics and the Social Order of Things © the individual authors 2008 ISBN 978 1 4073 0317 8 Front cover illustration: Carreg Samson, Pembrokeshire Printed in England by Alden HenDi, Oxfordshire All BAR titles are available from: Hadrian Books Ltd 122 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7BP England bar@hadrianbooks.co.uk The current BAR catalogue with details of all titles in print, prices and means of payment is available free from Hadrian Books or may be downloaded from www.archaeopress.com

Abstract A labyrinth on rock 1 ofNaquane, Caonce was siprobably waactivities relaLooking at ththe surface wand dogs arelooms, duellhorseman fulthe figures amarks, shovdepicted on witness of tsurface: thatappears as thCamunnian Women are nalmost 80%Valcamonicafirst millenntradition a possible to dactivities? Thbe still possib • to go

activitieNaquansites

• to correwomen

• to creatmodalit

Valcamonic At the beginboulders werof the city ofrocks of theWalther Lae 1 This paper devand Saints: theRupestrian TrEthnography anSociety, Portlan2 All figures, wh

Sat

figure, possibf the National apo di Ponte, imply known

as one of the mated to the rochis rock with will appear ase hunting deerlists are fighlly armed, proappear connevels, footprin

the rock allthe last preht of the Iron he production society (De

not present wi% of the a rock art tradnium BC. Hconstruction define themeshe basis for tble today:

back to the es in some ne, Foppe di N

elate these acof the local a

te a reading kty of engravin

a rock art tra

nning of the 2re known in Vf Brescia in Le puppets”, deng at the b velops ideas prese Role of Ethn

radition of Vand rock art, org

nd 3-6 September here made by the

FoSymbolict Naquan

ble ancient inPark of the Rjust in the ce

n as Aquanemost importanck art traditiothe eyes of a

s a confused sr, while womehting while wobably a chief ected to othernts, huts. Al around the istoric rock Age, a perioof the male wMarinis 198

ithin this art. S300,000 eng

dition belongs However, is th

of the males and figures his idea is, in

origins of Valcamonica

Nadro, Luine,

ctivities to a aristocracy key useful to ngs on the rock

adition: a sho

20th century, Valcamonica, aLombardy, popdiscovered b

beginning of

sented in the papeography in the

alcamonica, Italganized by the O

2002. author or “Le Or

ollowingc Figuresne and In

An

nitiation gameRock Engravinentre of a site (fig. 3.12). nt areas of cun in Valcamonon-expert vi

set of figures: en are workinwarriors follof (fig. 3.2). Mor engravings:

All this imalabyrinth, is

art phase onod where rocwarrior class o8; Fossati 19Scholars thinkgravings of to this period

he entire rocke classes or

related to fen fact, what w

specific rocka sites, suchIn Valle and

special group

understandingks at the sites

ort introducti

only the Cema long valley npularly calledy the geograthe 20th cen

er Nymphs, WateInterpretation o

ly, in the SeOregon Archaeol

rme dell’Uomo”

31

Chapter 3

g Ariannas at Fema

n Valle, V

ngelo Foss

, lies ngs of e that

This ultual onica. isitor,

men ng on ow a ost of : cup agery, s the

n this k art

of the 991). k that

the d, the k art is it

emale would

k art h as other

p, the

g the

ion

mmo north

d “the apher ntury

erfowls of the eminar logical

a’s Threaale RockValcamon

sati

Figure 3.1. T

Figure 3.2. FN

ad: k Art Sitenica, Italy

The labyrinth o

Figures of varNaquane, Capo

s y1

on rock 1 of N

rious ages on ro di Ponte.

Naquane.

rock 1 of

THE ARCHAE

(Laeng 19141930s thanksthe anthropoMarro 1930)different pha1970s, with and his Centscholars, amoMarinis 1988Footsteps ofGarda Lake central-easterwith commcharacteristicarchaeologicinestimable Heritage LisFrench paintsince 1979.3 The art is mpolished andAges (fig. 3.Valcamonicavalley, the limestone (Prock engraviare engravidiscovered discovery of the engravinonly paintedused hammetechniques, wfind them ab Rock art coNeolithic to Marinis 1988phase, from Age (4th Valcamonicathe most representatiodivision of engraving pOther figurenecklaces. Most scholarmore ancient

3 This inclusioValcamonica rothe lack of the not a complete context of the nby electric linesproblems are dproblemi di gesConvegno: 2° CAlpi OccidentalMuseo di Arte P

EOLOGY OF SE

4). Most discs to the archaeologist Giov). A more scases was reacthe works of tro Camuno dong them espe8; 1995) (Milaf Man Arch(1964) and Vrn Alps zone

mon stylistic, cs. The corcal, artistic value, inscrib

st, - the first ed caves of th

mainly located d moulded by .3). From Pisoa, to the sites orock used is

Piancogno). Inings have beeings, only to date (Fo

f pieces of red ngs were also d were added ering (the mwith the help andoned near

overs four futhe arrival o

8; Fossati 199the end of thMillennium

a rock art), todiffused pa

ons of the teragricultural lractice (Arcà

es attributed

rs think that tt period, perha

n is not accomp

ock art. The probmanagement of tcorpus published

nature, where the s, industrial constdiscussed in my stione dell’arte rCongresso Internali”, Pinerolo (TOPreistorica di Pine

EMIOTICS AND

coveries were eologist Raffa

vanni Marro cientific compched during tf Emmanuel Adi Studi Preistecially Raffaean University

haeological SValtellina (196

can be considthematic a

re remains and historic

bed by UNESrock art site

he Vezere Val

on flat open the glaciers d

ogne on the Iof Sellero - Gs sandstone, n the upper pen made on seven paintssati 2001a) ochre allows coloured or to the carvin

most commonof quartz toolthe rocks.

undamental pf the Romans

91, 1993b) (fighe Neolithic t

BC, 1st/2ndopographical attern. Theyrritory, probablands sanctionà 1999, Fossto this phas

this first phaseaps going bac

panied by a rea

blems for the art the engraved ared of the rock engrock art is insert

tructions, roads arecent paper L

rupestre della Vaazionale “RicerchO), 17-19 Ottobrerolo (CESMAP)

THE SOCIAL O

made duringaello Battaglia

(Battaglia 1prehension othe 1960s andAnati (Anati 1torici and of ele De Marinis) and our grouociety. After

66) discoveriedered a uniqueand chronoloValcamonicaal patrimonySCO in its Wtogether with

lley to be incl

air rocks, heduring the lasIseo lake, sou

Grevo in the monly occasiopart of the vschist. Almos

tings have (Fig. 3.4).

us to considerthat other fig

ngs. The engran) and scratcls: it is commo

periods, froms (Anati 1976g. 3.5). In theto the first Cod styles of figures const

y are the ably tied to aned by the rati 1993a, 20e are spirals

e is preceded ck to the end o

al conservation oarise from the was. In addition th

gravings and the ted, is strongly afand wood works. Le ultime ricerchalcamonica, in Ahe paletnologichere 2003,Centro S) in the press.

ORDER OF THI

32

g the a and 1934; f the d the 1976) other s (De up of r the es the e area ogical : an y of

World h the luded

eavily st Ice uth of

middle onally valley st all been The

r that gures avers ching on to

m the 6; De e first opper f the titute first

a real ritual 002). and

by a of the

of the want or here is visual

ffected These

he e i Atti del e nelle

Studi e

PalareprThisAgeEurothe rFossAzer2000

Fig

F

The AgeValcbouldivinThe reprbeamothewithandprovincluchamhalb

INGS

aeolithic (Anaesenting anims phase, callee art style, wope but also precent findingsati 1995) rbaijan, on th0).

gure 3.3. Rockthe preh

Figure 3.4. WhCampa

second phasee (4th-3rd mcamonica stylelders that rnities of the

most imporesented as a ms (fig. 3.7), aer personages h numerous je

another mavided with fuding animalmois, ibex, boberds and dagg

ati 1974). Fmals, especialed Proto Cam

which is no lopresent on opegs in Spain an

and old dhe southern Ca

k 35 of Naquanhistoric glacie

heel with interanine, Cimber

e, which corre

millennium Be), is characterepresent thealpine people

rtant depictionman crowne

and often assoare represent

ewels (eye penale divinity, fringes. The ls such as doar, bovines agers. The chro

igures are vly elk and de

munnian, is tieonger limiteden air rocks, ad Portugal (Aiscoveries inaucasian slope

ne mounted aner, Capo di Po

rnal rays painrgo, Bronze Ag

esponds to thBC, the so-cerised by stelee first anth

e (Casini & Fn is the Suned by a solaociated with wted: one feminndants, necklasymbolised repertoire i

eer, dogs, foand weapons, onology is we

very few, alleer (fig. 3.6).ed to the Ice

d to caves inas testified by

Abreu, Arcà &n Gobustan,es (Rustamov

nd eroded by onte.

nted in red, ge.

e full Copperalled 3rd A

e and menhirs,hropomorphicFossati 1994).n, sometimesar circle withweapons. Twonine, adornedaces, combs),by a cloak

s very rich,oxes, wolves,such as axes,

ell established

l . e n y

& ,

v

r A , c . s h o d ,

k , , ,

d

St

Protocam

1st

3r

3rd B

4

Postcam

Figure 3.6. D

tyle T

munnian

t-2nd

rd A

B-C-D

4th

munnian

Deer with turnPalae

hemes

Figure 3.5

ned head, Luin

eolithic Age.

5. Themes and

ne, Boario Te

33

d Chronology o

erme,

thanRemtriantesti2,40the Aost The dateBronredulongrituasymis en

ANGELO FO

13

5t

4t

2

Ro

of Valcamonic

nks to depictmedello type dngular blade afied in conte

00 cal. BC), anAlpine Rangeta, Sion, Arco

third phase (d to the 2ndnze Age (De uced, but not ger associatedal scenes fo

mbols (solar signsured by the

OSSATI: FOLLO

Chronol

3th-6th millenn

th-4th millenni

th-3rd millenni

2nd millenniu

1st millennium

man - Mediae

ca rock art.

ted weapons,dagger, whichand a half memporary tomnd moreover oe, like in the o or Lunigiana

(the 3rd B-Cmillennium BMarinis 1995less importan

d with divinformed by gns and shovepresence of w

OWING ARIANN

logy

nium cal. BC

ium cal. BC

ium cal. BC

um cal. BC

m cal. BC

eval – Recent

, especially h has a very

moon shaped pmbs at Remeon the Copper

beautiful coma (De Marinis

-D ValcamonBC and corre5). The repernt: numerous nities), plougpraying anth

els), charts. Thwell recognisa

NA’S THREAD

the so-calledwell defined

pommel. It isdello (2,900-

r Age stelae inmpositions of1994).

nica styles) issponds to thertoire is moreweapons (no

ghing scenes,hropomorphs,he chronologyable weapons:

D

d d s -n f

s e e o , , y :

THE ARCHAE

Early Bronzeaxes and ReFinal Bronzefigures appeaIron Age, the This last prerichest and ttied to the iwarrior aristlike activitiesfind hunting constructionsagricultural s(such as fdivinities antook on greaMarinis 1988scenes howerare. Heavilyweapons raicontenders fsporting even Duellists anformer with ateenagers. Fto belong to suggests thatvotive imageor feasts tharistocracy gduelling, hodancing fullyof the trial. C“Camunnian swastika) prSocial differare escorted b The chronolodifferent subsuperimpositalso to the dwell charactefirst Iron AgIron Age, duEtruscans anappear in thehalf moon bCentral-Eastewith the chathese weaposettlements ( Also style icentury BC sthe linear gnaturalistic papogee of ncentury when

EOLOGY OF SE

e Age halberdecent-Final Be Age (12th -9ar, a prelude te 1st Millenniu

ehistoric phasethe best datedinitiation ritesocracy, not es during commscenes, ritual

s, wagons, wscenes, figurefootprints, cund topographicater realism, li8). Warriors eever and wary armed warriised in exaltface each othnt (fig. 3.9).

nd onlookers a smaller size

Footprints or fboys (Fossati t Iron Age roes engraved onhrough whicgained accessorse-riding, y armed and dCup marks gr

Rose” (a obably constiences are alsoby their attend

ogy of the Iro-phases, is lintions, which adepiction of werised, like shge, and quadrue to the inflnd then by e Late Iron Ablade shaped ern Alps poparacteristic anons are founFossati 1991)

is a chronolostyles were ingeometric styphase (5th cennaturalism is n it is possib

EMIOTICS AND

ds (fig. 3.8), MBronze Age s9th century BCto the immensum BC (Fossa

e (the so-called (Fossati 199s of young peexcluding a remon meetingsl duels, races aweapons, mues with a stronup marks, cal representaike a descriptiemerge with grriors in comiors are oftentation. In duher lightly ar

are placed s, leading one footwear with1998). This

ock art shouldn the occasion

ch young ms to adult sobalancing fe

deer hunting wouped in eighsymbol orig

ituted other io shown by scdants.

on Age rock anked not only assures relativweapons. The

hields, constanangular-oval luences exercithe Celts. P

Age, such as axe, a typic

ulation, or thnchor-shaped nd in contem).

ogical indicatnfluenced by Eyle (8th cenntury) (De Mreached at th

ble to recogni

THE SOCIAL O

Middle Bronzespearheads. InC) the first wase repertoire oati 1992).

ed 4th style) i91). It is probeople of the elation with s or games. Weand armed da

usical instrumng symbolic vswastikas, sations. Engravive naturalismgreat strength

mbat are relatn shown withuelling scenesrmed, as if f

side by sideto assume the

h laces also apconstant refer

d be interpreten of initiation

men of the ciety. As weeats, racing were probablyht and the so-cginated frominitiation symcenes where r

art, divided into the study o

ve chronologyese arms are ntly circular induring the seised firstly byarticular weathe halberd-aal weapon o

he Introbio knpoint saver:

mporary tomb

tor. Until theEtruscan art:

ntury) to the Marinis 1988).he end of theise artistic sch

ORDER OF THI

34

e Age n the arrior of the

is the bably local

sport-e can

ances, ments, value tars), vings

m (De : war tively their

s the for a

, the ey are ppear rence ed as

n rites local

ell as and

y part called

m the mbols. riders

n five of the y, but

very n the

econd y the apons axe, a f the

nives, both

bs or

e 4th from

full . The e 6th hools

Figu

Fig

andare EtruPlainpossrockpopu

4 As (actua

INGS

ure 3.7. The S

gure 3.8. HalbC

even single athe direct co

uscan world cn. Styles becosible to speak k art, even ifulation their

the so called “Pally warriors with

Sun God on Os

berds engraveCeto, Early Br

artist’s hands.onsequence ocaused by Come decadent

of a Celtic af the Celts tpreference fo

aspardo school” h strange helmets

ssimo 9 stele,

ed on a rock nronze Age.

.4 Second Irof the separat

Celtic invasionand themes p

art phase in thtransmitted toor a symbolic

or the “Artist of

s) of Zurla and Fo

Copper Age.

ear Termen,

on Age stylestion from thens in the Popoor. It is not

he Camunniano the nearbyc and almost

f the astronauts”oppe di Nadro.

s e o t n y t

”

Figure 3.9. D an iconic arthorse riding BC; North-Ethe 6th centuthe end of ththe valley in Iron Age rocassociated w(Cato cited peculiarity ocentury BC,Giudicarie oBreno/Dos dwriting traditCamunnian figurative lan1988, Fossatconnections should be uEuganei.5

5 I totally agre(1988). RecentlCamunni to theview (as V. Madidattiche, 2003Grevo in Valcam

Duellists on a

t. Some themis possible on

Etruscan inscrury BC. Somee 1st century B16 BC.

ck art was madwith the Euga

by Plinius of the area is , by the diffof same-kind dell'Arca/Lovetion utilising talphabet) annguage that wti 1991). Thiswith the Ret

unified under

e with this interly few scholars e Celtic world, fariotti, The Roma3, Cividate Cammonica, in S. So

rock of Vite-D

mes have a chnly starting froriptions are pe Latin lettersBC, due to the

de by the Camanea gens by

III, 133-13testified, at l

ffusion from potteries (the

ere type), bythe north-Etru

nd, last but nwe call “rocks wide area, etic world of tr the commo

rpretation propos

have publishedfrom the ethnic aan Circus of Civ

muno, and A. Moolano-A. Marretta

Deria, Paspar

hronological vom the 8th cenpossible only s must be date Roman arriv

munni, a populRoman histo

35). The culleast from theValtellina to

e wine vessey the autonomuscan alphabetnot least, by

k art” (De Maeven if with stthe Adige Vaon ethnos of

sed by R. De Md papers that linand linguistic povidate Camuno, sorandi, L’iscrizioa, Grevo. Alla sco

35

rdo.

value: ntury after ed to val in

lation orians ltural e 5th o the els of mous t (the y the arinis trong alley, f the

Marinis nk the oint of schede one di operta

In Vthe legioPublcaminhaThisTropAuginterthe part growcausnewfinalwhoicon1991 Femothe If w(somresuPontandwarrdiffeperioengrpray49, (palAge100;94; scen In VfigurduelpresearliNeo HowValcbetwcentarea

di unTheseaccouLomb6 Civitimesarchapriva7 It’s Capo

ANGELO FO

Valcamonica arrival of theon of about 6lio Silio Ner

mpaign Triumpabitants of Vas is attested bpaeum Alpiumgustus in 6-7rruption of thassumption oof the 1st ce

wing economsed by the R

w colony of Cilly destroyed

ose traditionalnographic patr1).

male rock art er sites

we could erase mething that cult would be thte)7, In Valle abundantly frriors (as we cerently (poorods. Only soraved on the ying figures on50, 57, 59, ette) on rock

e figures are e; anthopomorpNeolithic/Ca

nes on rock 99

Valle is not res belong to ls and warrioent: praying ier imagery sulithic or Calch

w was the cultcamonica? Dween the endtury BC) Valca of the Pol

n territorio fra ae studies are suunt many aspectbardy during the Iitas Camunnorums, not less imaeologists have fte and public buithe popular nam

o di Ponte (BS).

OSSATI: FOLLO

the rupestriane Romans (1,000 soldiers

rva subjected mplini, Camun

altrompia, Vaby the registram, the monum7 AD at L

he rupestrian tof the Roman entury AD (F

mic, cultural Roman settlemivitas Camunnd the power ol themes had rimony of the

production a

the Iron Age can be easily hat important (Paspardo) an

requented durican see from trly?) engravome Bronze

rocks in Nan rocks 1, 11,71, 72, 99; l1, 11, 35, 44, even less: dagphs on rock 1

alcholithic top9.

different fromthe Iron Age

ors. Groups ofigures, shovuch as spiralsholithic date (

tural situationDuring this p

of the 3rd Mcamonica appada culture

archeologia e artuperficial, in mys of the archaeoIron Age.

m was a city of grmportant than Bfound a circus, ldings of major s

me of the National

OWING ARIANN

n tradition co16 BC) (Fosscommanded bin a single

nni and Venalcamonica anation of these ment built by La Turbie (Ftradition is peculture durin

Flavian Age). and religio

ments, in partnorum6, whichof the aristocconstituted, ue rock engrav

at Naquane,

engravings frdone on the sites as Naqu

nd a few othering the Iron Atheir engravin

ved during tAge figures

aquane: group, 14, 23, 26, 3looms on roc47, 50, 57, 72

ggers on the ; ploughing scpographic an

m Naquane: e, with abundof Bronze Agvels. These figs and daggers(fig. 3.10).

n during the Bperiod (that

Millennium BCpears to be in(Early Bronz

te rupestre , 200y opinion, and dological and cult

reat importance dBrescia, Bergama theatre, a spaize. l Park of the Roc

NA’S THREAD

ontinued untilsati 1991). Aby the consulfast military

nnonetes, thend Valtellina.names in thethe Emperor

France). Theerhaps due tong the second

There was aus attraction

ticular by theh reduced andcratic classesuntil then, thevings (Fossati

In Valle and

from the rockstracings), the

uane (Capo dir sites, clearly

Age by youngngs), appearedthe previousare, in fact,

ps or isolated32, 35, 44, 47,ck 1; shovels2, 99; Copperrocks 23 andcenes on rocknd ploughing

most of thedant scenes ofge figures aregures overlaps, probably of

Bronze Age inis the phase

C and the 9thncluded in theze Age) and

04, pp. 142-148).do not take intotural situation in

during the Romanmo or Verona:a, and numerous

ck Engravings at

D

l A l y e . e r e o d a n e d s e i

d

s e i y g d s ,

d , s r d k g

e f e p f

n e h e d

.

o n

n : s

t

THE ARCHAE

subsequentlythe Terramarseries of pottMarinis 1988rare to permsituation, evewith the so-culture. The engravinstudied comprocks publishCopper Age From the Coweapons. Dcompositionscalligraphic, positioned ingroups. Thesspears and sthe same roc(fig. 3.11). engraved wetombs or hothe halberdssemicircular Calvatone anAge, but alsocan be recogusually of thpassage phasand the begiwith a bell-sRecent Bronz It is also povotive deposwhole of Eursometimes bscholars havthat some oconsidered athis reason cmale youth. consider thesymbolic submeaning. Thsacred attituonly substitu(Malmer 199practice of rritual disposicould confer votive hoard Moreover the.g. rocks ValcamonicaLuine, ValcCastelletto rothe Garda la

EOLOGY OF SE

y, during the re-Benacense tery complexe8). For the Fmit a better cen if the bronzcalled Luco-M

ngs of the Bpared with thhed regardingand Iron Age

opper Age onDuring the s of weapon

while in thn a disorderse weapons, aswords, are encks, as we und

It is often poeapons with reards (Fossati s, that have

base, very nd Cotronei tyo the typical agnised in the he shovel typese between thinning of the shape blade aze Age (De M

ossible to comits or hoards trope. Due to een found in e spoken of f these hoards “male” objean perhaps be If we transfe

e execution bstitution of his idea has soude of a “pooutions of wea91). In any crock art for thition, with thto different ri

s.

e rocks engra4 and the

a, follow the ccamonica, ovock was foundake - and thi

EMIOTICS AND

Middle-ReceCulture, as i

es and of spoFinal Bronze Acomprehensioze findings suMeluno group

Bronze Age ahe papers and g other period

(Fossati 2001

nwards, beginChalcolithic

s appear as he Bronze Aly way and axes, daggers,ngraved in diderstand studyossible, in faceal objects fou2001b). Thi

e a triangulasimilar to th

ypes dated toalpine dagger,rock engravin

e, a shape thahe end of the

Middle Bronare datable to

Marinis 1995).

mpare this octypical of the the fact that thsprings, swamvotive activit

ds have matects - e.g. the e related to inier this idea toof figures oa real act w

ometimes beenor” populationapons and nocase, it can behese people we same valueitual acts, incl

aved are often22-23 of F

course of a strverlook the d few metres fs can be link

THE SOCIAL O

nt Bronze Agis confirmed radic findings

Age, pottery ion of the culggest a connep, a central a

are, certainly,the corpus o

ds, for exampl1b).

ns the depictioc period, very regular

Age the armsin heterogen

, halberds, knfferent period

ying their typoct, to comparund in settlemis is the case ar blade wihe Monteme

o the Early Br the Ledro dangs. The axeat appears durEarly Bronze

nze Age. The o the Middle

ccurence withBronze Age ihese deposits

mps and lakesty. It is also terials that caweapons - anitiation rites o

o rock art, weof weapons

which had a rn associated wn that could ot the real obe assumed thawas a very st that other grluding those o

n related to waFoppe di Nream; the rocBoario spa;

from the wateed to the fact

ORDER OF THI

36

ge in by a

s (De is too ltural

ection alpine

less of the le the

on of these

r and s are neous nives, ds on ology e the

ments, with

ith a rano, ronze agger, es are ing a

e Age axes

e and

h the in the have , few clear

an be nd for of the e can as a ritual

with a offer

bjects at the trong roups of the

ater - adro, ks of the

ers of t that

Figov

Fig

spec(ofteactivappeobsewiththe later The art asexucertathe ssymthe paleengr

8 As duranConvRupesStudiFront9 I haand RupesEthnoSociethe pr

INGS

gure 3.10. Praverlaps a Neol

gure 3.11. Gro

cial weapons en rivers) andvity.8 Usuallyear as petrifieerver of beingh the theme ofollowing Iror in this paper

depiction of areas relatingual value. Tain rocks can site can be vi

mbol is of femcase of the so

etta consists raving with a

suggested by P.

nte l’età del Brovegno Internazionstre. L'Europa. Li, Darfo-Boario Ttini, pp. 105-112ave touched on thSaints: the Rolestrian Traditionography and rocety, Portland 3-6 ress.

aying figures olithic spiral, In

oups of BronzNadro, rock 2

like swords d suggests a y the rocks - ed waves, givg in front of

of the water bon Age rock .

weapons prog to the preseThe concentra

represent a isited only by

male type? Theo called palet

of a quadra handle (oft

Frontini, Aspettinzo in Italia set

nale di ArcheologLe Alpi. La ValcaTerme 2-5 Ottob, Milano. his point in my re of Ethnographn of Valcamock art, organizedSeptember 2002

of the Middle n Valle rock 4

ze Age weapon23, Ceto.

were found iritual meaninmoulded by

ving the imprf water.9 Thibecame very art, as I will

poses the resence of imagation of sucspecial sign in

y males. Whate opposite fortta figure (figrangular (rarten also with

i rituali delle depttentrionale: alcungia Rupestre. “Aramonica.” , Atti bre 1997, a cura

recent paper Nymhy in the Interp

onica, Italy, ind by the Oregon

2, the proceedings

Bronze Age 4, Paspardo.

ns, Foppe di

in the watersng to rock artthe glaciers -

ression to theis connectionstrong duringl demonstrate

earch of rockgery having ach images onndicating thatt to say if ther sure. This isg. 3.12). Therely circular)h a pommel).

posizioni di armini spunti, in 2°rcheologia e Artedel Convegno didi A. Fossati-P.

mphs, Waterfowlspretation of then the Seminarn Archaeologicals of which are in

s t - e n g e

k a n t e s e ) .

i ° e i .

s e r l n

Figure 3.12.

Figure 3.1

Dos Co On the basishandle, pomrecognizableplaced side vertical waywith them (fshovels are Naquane, sh(fig. 3.14).

. Paletta figurPa

13. Praying figostapeta, rock

s of the variammels), 21 de (Fossati 19

by side, in cy. Praying figfig. 3.13), at otogether in h

hovels are nea

res from Dos Caspardo.

gures associak 1, Paspardo,

ation of thesedifferent type987). These scouples, set igures are somother times grohorizontal linear looms in a

Costapeta, roc

ted to a palett Bronze Age.

e elements (bes of shovelshovels are in a horizont

metimes assocoups of five oes. On rock t least three c

37

ck 1,

ta,

body, l are often

tal or ciated or six

1 of cases

Fig

Figu

The AgerepedisapIronof thfigurNaqassoacco(fig.

ANGELO FO

gure 3.14. LoCa

ure 3.15. PaleC

paletta figue, continuingertoire during ppear from th

n Age, at the ehe 6th centuryres are assoc

quane, in a scociated withompanies wha 3.15).

OSSATI: FOLLO

oms and paletapo di Ponte, B

etta and horsemCapo di Ponte,

ure appears dto be presthe rest of

he context durend of what isy BC). Durinciated with wene publisheda labirynth;

at is called the

OWING ARIANN

tte on rock 1 oBronze Age.

man on rock 1, Iron Age.

during the Msent in the this period, aring the midd

s called the 4thng the Iron Agwarriors. Od many timesin another f

e “procession

NA’S THREAD

of Naquane,

1 of Naquane,

Middle Bronzeiconographic

and seems todle part of theh 2 style (end

ge, the palettaOn rock 1 ofs, a paletta isfamous scene

of the chief”

D

e c o e d a f s e ”

THE ARCHAE

Paletta-shovas I have althere manyengravings oPortugal, ofshoes.10 Thefinal Bronze Abbé Breuilthe megalithcertain similaEuropean arstelae (Finaelements, sucshovel type the razor.12 for the palesimilarity of type or of thbeen alreadysometimes bto the Recethought that burned boneother researchave been ufunerary meacontexts are Age onwardfemale tomband Venetic until the 5thpalette of theR. De Marininterpreted abronze sheevotive hoard

10 See: E. AnatIberica, ArchiviPetroglifos GallGalicia, La Coru11 H. Breuil, LIberique, Lagny12 A.C. FerreiPortugal, Lisbo13 The interpretasignificato delleReligions de la263-269; as apaletnologico didi Torino, 1932Coppelle, paletSymposium ’79,pro manuscriptoO. Cornaggia l’estrema schemincisioni europe14 M. Zuffa, Le pdi Storia Patria p15 V. Bianco Per16 The interpretaE. Süss, Le inciV. Fusco, Su aalta quota, in Si17 Iron is not a Dibattito sulla pSymposium ’72,

EOLOGY OF SE

vels are presenlready written

y similarities of the Galicianften associatee chronology p

Age (end of published soic context of arity with launreas.11 In Pol Bronze Agch as shield, sfigure, sometA similar in

etta of Valcthe paletta wi

he window typy noted;14 becbeen left in thent-Final Bron

razors couldes and ashes chers have prused with theaning.16 But the real paletts, the palette s. This is cleaCulture (fig.

h century BC,e same shape is thought tha

as a mirror.17 t palette are

ds, clearly us

ti, Arte Rupestre i, 4, 1968; A. Pelegos. Grabados una, 1979. Les peintures rupy, 1933, in particuira Da Silva-Ma, 1992. ation of the palette palette nell’arta Préhistoire, Vaa paddle in Gi Valcamonica, in

2, p. 79; as a sptte, protoerpici, , 1983, pp. 405-4o, 1986; as the sCastiglioni- G.

matizzazione di unee di età olocenicpalette rituali di per le Provincie droni, I rasoi nell’Iation of the paletisioni rupestri dilcuni aspetti, di ibrium, 11, 1972, reflecting metal

paletta, in Les R 1975.

EMIOTICS AND

nt in the rock n (Fossati 19

with figurn area in Spained with swaproposed for t

f the 2nd milleome paletta the Iberian P

ndry shovels sortugal, somege) show thsword, spear atimes interprenterpretation hcamonica in ith the razor ope (and quadrause these type ashes of funze Age, som

d have been uduring the

roposed that e same purpoin what kindste found? Fromare left as th

ar in the Gola3.16). They a, when they but made in

at the paletta fIn the ancienpresent, som

sed for ritual

nelle regioni occena Santos-J. Mrupestres prehist

upestres schematular pp. 67-68, fig

M. Gomes Varel

ta as a mirror is ste rupestre della

alcamonica SympG. Marro, Il gn Atti della Realepade or agricoltur

in Art and R25; and also in J.schematic represeCalegari, Il bovn motivo figuratia, in Natura, 63, bronzo, in Atti e

di Romagna, VIIIItalia Continentatta as a funerary i Valcamonica, Mincisioni rupestrpp. 31-51. , at least in preh

Religions de la Pr

THE SOCIAL O

art of other a987): in partires in the n, and in Nor

astikas and hthese figures iennium BC). figures painte

Peninsula, notistill in use in s

e warrior fune typical waand chariot, a

eted as a mirrhas been propthe past.13

of the double brangular bodypes of razor unerary urns dme scholars used to collecfunerary rituthe paletta c

oses, with a s of archaeolom the Late Brhe grave goosecca, Villano

are made in brare substituteiron. This is

figure could nnt Venetic culmetimes founpurposes onl

cidentali della Pe. Vasquez Varelatoricos al aire lib

iques de la peng. 40. la, Proto-Histor

suggested in S. Fa Valcamonica, iposium ’72, 197grandioso monue Accademia di Sral shovel in G.

Religion, Valcam.P. Maher, The Pentation of a bovvide a paletta oivo del repertorio1972, pp. 87-101 Memorie DeputaI, 1956-57, pp. 67ale, PBF, VIII, 19

symbol is suggeMilano, 1958; andri camune scope

history. R. De Méhistoire, Valcam

ORDER OF THI

38

areas, icular

rock thern horse is the The ed in ing a some erary arrior also a ror or posed

The blade

y) has have

dated have

ct the uals;15 could clear

ogical ronze ds in ovian ronze ed by

why not be lture,

nd in ly, as

enisola a, Los bre en

ninsule

ria de

erri, Il in Les 5, pp.

umento cienze Forni,

monica Paletta, vid in ovvero o delle 1. azione 7-170. 976. estedin d is in

erte ad

Marinis, monica

testiVenof thEstecarecoulout tas ainterValcimagnot Ironthis real symclassprac

Fig

18 M.Catal19 Peexclu20 As 21 I ha

INGS

fied in the dnice (fig. 3.17)he 3rd centur

e, a paletta wa of the fire, ld have been the bread from

a symbol of thrpretation wcamonica rocgery would suforget that w

n Age, often ascase a femalefemale figur

mbol of a rituases that want

ctice of votive

gure 3.16. A bculture (f

Tombolani-P. D

logo della mostraerhaps due to a usively a male act

the practice of thave suggested thi

deposit of V).18 In a femry BC, the soas found amonas spits, ladlused for rem

m the fire: wohe fire or con

working alsock art? Theuggest a posi

we have paletssociated withe symbol engrres are never al activity, prthe use of thsubstitution?2

bronze paletta(from Tombola

De Min, Stipe di

, 1981, p. 181. ritual ban. The

tivity. he Symposium, this in Fossati 1997

Via Rialto at male tomb of to called “Nerng the objectsle and so on

moving the ashould we interprnnected to tho for the e connection itive answer, tta figures alsh warriors. Is raved in a perrepresented.1

ractised by thhe fire?20 Is t21

a from the ancani-De Min 19

Via Rialto, in Pa

Iron Age rock

he ritual banquet 7, p. 58.

Padoa, nearthe beginningrca Tomb” ats used for the. The palettahes or to takeret this object

he fire. Is thisfigures in

with femalebut we must

so during thethe paletta inriod in which

19 Or is it ahe aristocraticthis attitude a

cient Venetic 981).

adova Preromana,

art seems to be

of Greek style.

r g t e a e t s n e t e n h a c a

,

e

Figure 3.17.

I have alreacontext in whart of Valcambe used for amost of the positioned atthe rock. ThNaquane, anUsually the rfigures or otshovels appeitself seems palette in linWhat can onthis is a sortpositioned inintrusions ofconsider thatfor two censhould stayconsiderable Park at Capoby E. Süss, ithe Park (mofinishes withpaletta figurlanguage coucomplete arescene on theengraved onobserving an

22 Ritual interdknown in many most famous is Bula (Gunn 199

Palette realiz(from Tombol

ady said somhich the paletmonica. I wila general interpcases lines ot what can bhis is the ca

nd rock 4 of rocks containther shovels; ear; in the caclosed with t

nes, similar tone say about tht of public artn a clearly vif males in tht the patina o

nturies or moy very visib

time. Lookio di Ponte (thait is clear thaore or less) sth rock 35: thesres in lines. Muld exist not oea. There is ae rock 32 when the bordernother female

dictions to specia

other part of the the case of the s

92).

zed in bronze lani-De Min 1

mething about tte figures arell now add sopretation of thf five or six e considered ase with rockIn Valle (fig

n other compoat the end o

ase of In Vallthe same com

o that appearinhis phenoment, with a use isible part of he area (fig. f the engravinre, it is cleable from a ing at the maat is Naquane)at a trail is potarts with rocse are the rock

My idea is thaonly confinedalso the caseere a group ofr of a little

e figure lying

al sites (sometimworld as in Aust

site called Bulaja

sheet from Pa1981).

the iconograe found in the ome notes thahe phenomenopalette have the “entrance

ks 50 and 3s. 3.18 and 3

ositions of praof the rocks le rock 4 the mposition of sng at the entraon? In my opof figures thathe rock to a3.20).22 If

ngs remains war that the fig

distance foap of the Nat) designed in

ossible from wk 50 and wheks where therat a sort of p

d to a rock bute of an interef female figure glacial cha

down (fig. 3

mes with rock artralia, where one ang linked to the

39

adoa

aphic rock

at can on: in been

e” of 35 of 3.19). aying other rock

some ance. inion

at are avoid f you white gures or a tional 1954

where ere it re are public t to a

esting res is annel 3.21).

rt) are of the

e God

F

F

Figu

ANGELO FO

Figure 3.18. PCa

Figure 3.19. PP

ure 3.20. Pale35 of

OSSATI: FOLLO

Palette in linesapo di Ponte, B

Palette in linePaspardo, Br

ette in lines anof Naquane, C

OWING ARIANN

on rock 35 ofBronze Age.

es on rock 4 ofronze Age.

nd a male obseCapo di Ponte.

NA’S THREAD

f Naquane,

f In Valle,

erver on rock

D

THE ARCHAE

Figure 3.21

Previous intscene wheredead or, vicerite. Anotheassociated win part dry (part wet (thebefore it hadthe waters suggesting thwas swimminappears not o1 and on rocand on the rrepresentatioreoccurs in th The warrior In 1989, a cbrought to mtoponomy correspondinEngravings Pproposed (Foaware of thetoponomy obeings widelAlps, especiculture was

23 A few year agthe panel near talso this new hy24 But rock 32 channel. 25 The Map of ththe former ownethe National Pathe original namwith him, but Aindicating this”,said Ruggeri. Dthe only documethe cadastral mname of the roaStrada delle Aqu

EOLOGY OF SE

. Female figuCapo di Po

erpretations23 e the woman e versa, that ier interpretat

with the themethe area where area of the

d rained and thwere floatin

he idea of a sng. This scenonly on rock 3ck 44 of the sarock 51 of V

on of the beauhe ancient top

rs and the Aq

cadastral mapmy attention25

of the actng to the cPark, as the ossati 1991; e cadastral mf Naquane toly known in thially in the Dthat of the La

go, I wrote explanto rock 32 in theypothesis. is the only case

he Contrada Aquaer of the area, Ba

ark. I was explainme of Naquane cAlinei had no pro, I said. “But I haated to the beginent that testifies t

maps of the area ad that connectsuane (Road of the

EMIOTICS AND

res on the roc

onte, Bronze A

read these flying down

it shows a birtion of this e of the waterre the group lying figure)

he soil was stilng down thstream where

ne is considere32 of Naquaneame park, on

Vite at Paspartiful siren Aq

ponomy of the

quane

p of the Cont(fig. 3.22): thtual location

central area linguist M. AAlinei 1984)

map but had ao that of Aqhe folklore of Dolomites whadins (Wolff

nation of this scee National Park,

where the woma

ane has been brouattista Ruggeri, aning to him that could come from oof of this becausave this map and nning of the 19th cto this name: lateof Foppe di Na

s Naquane to Nade Aquane).

THE SOCIAL O

ck 32 of NaquaAge.

figures as a ris interprete

rth or an initiscene is a

r. The surfaceof women are) because thell dropping: inhe little chae the lying woed ritual becaue, but also on rock 4 of In V

rdo.24 Is thiquane, whose ne Park?

trada Aquanehis was the orin of Naquof the Nat

Alinei had alr. Alinei wasalready linked

quane, semi-dthe central-ea

here the dom1987), by div

ene that can be fobut today I woul

an lying is in a g

ught to my attentat that time guardM. Alinei thoughAquane, and I a

se “…there is noI will show it to

century, the maper I discovered thaadro show the ordro. The road is

ORDER OF THI

40

ane,

ritual ed as iation again e was e), in e day n fact annel oman use it rock Valle s the name

e was iginal uane, tional ready s not d the

divine astern

minant verse

und in ld add

glacial

tion by dian of ht that agreed

o maps you!” is not at also riginal called

namfolloGuaTheyworlhomthe nfromreprcentfew Romdedi5671of Athe mthe Raffthe sof Cremo1991 But the dthat folkbeincan hair lakeinfluthe agoat The qualis lotypeTheytheyandagaioftensevenamforevby winterthereyou AlinevidClauAqumarkNaqconnCad

INGS

mes and attribuows: Aquaneane, Laganes, y are known ld: we reme

monymous welname of Sagan

m sagus, meanesented, for Atral-eastern alp

years, we noman age inscricated to Aqua1), and at Son

Aguane is founmore southerncult of Aquafaele De Marisame ethnic g

Camonica valoved from th1).

who were thdescriptions cthe work co

lore they arengs; the oldestchange into oof water and

s, caves and suenced by theattributes of tht, as the devil.

classic Aqulity of knowinost to them. es of water pry are often d

y have been saafter a certain

in. They cann come to giveral accounts,

mes of the Aqver. In some

waterfowl andresting that one are seven lofind looms in

nei also descdence connectuzetto, one heuane) which bks) which are

quane is thernected to the ore, the loca

utes. A few oe, Anquane,

Sagane, Sguto be referre

ember Aganipll on the Elicona mentioned ns sorcereress

Alinei, the mospine area. Duow know thatiption from Cane (Corpus incino (prov. ond in close prn toponomy, teane in the Po inis, also the ngroup to whiclley also belohe form Egu

he Aquane? Hcollected by Aould be consie rememberedt legends descotters, or rathed feet turned springs. In me Christian rehe Faun: they

uane (the sireng the past andFurthermore resent on eartdefined as feaaid to unite inn time they d sing mysterive advice to y it is better

quane, for feae legends, thed weave on thn rock 1 of theooms, and th

n the rock art o

cribes sites wting them witars of the Claear engraved e related to trefore not tAquane: also

al inhabitant

of the known Enguane, Eg

uane, Aivane ed to also in ppe, the nymona in Beozia;by Horace; th

s, or prophetest western top

ue to my reseat this is not s

Cantù, not farinscriptionum of Cremona) troximity to a estifying to thriver plain.

name of the Ech the Iron Agong, would nouane or Engu

Here I will brAlinei, with thiderably expad as anthropocribe them aser beautiful sibackwards, i

more recent legeligion, they h

have legs and

ens) in gened the future, bthey have poth and over tharful. At timn matrimony disappear, nevious dirges oryoung men. to not know ar of being s

e Aquane are he loom, and he National Paris is the only

of Valcamonic

what would ath rock art: inap des Aganesfootprints (m

the legend ofthe only preo at Lagole ds spoke of

names are asguane, Gane,

and Vivane.the classical

mph and the; the witch byhe Latin saga,ess. Naquaneponomy of thearch in the lastso: there is ar from Como,

latinarum V,the toponomyspring; this is

he presence ofAccording to

Euganei, fromge inhabitantsot be too faruane (Fossati

riefly sum uphe knowledgeanded: in theo-zoomorphics women whoirens with theinhabitants ofgends, clearlyhave acquiredd the feet of a

eral have thebut the presentowers over allhe rain itself.

mes, however,with humans,

ver to be seenr laments andAccording tothe personal

spirited awayaccompanied

here it is veryrk of Naquaney place whereca are found!

appear to ben Friuli, nears (rocks of theost likely cup

f the Aquane.ehistoric sitede Calalzo, in

the Laganes

s , . l e y , e e t a , ,

y s f o

m s r i

p e e c o e f y d a

e t l . , , n d o l y d y e e

e r e p . e n s

(Aquane) whthere was sunumerous ex Just beyond is a small cLiberata. Tcaves in the Capo di Ponboulders withone can stillengraved prwhich legendis also conneplace in Mnocturnal vigprobable thapagan rite offertility riteabolished afvalley becauoccasion foraffairs regardhappens todain the local most importathe medievadiscern a cleand the ironAccording tountil the fiftito place theirto ask for pro

ho lived arouurely a paleo-vx voto found th

the borders ofchurch dedicahese two womedieval per

nte from an ah their own hal, in fact, findrehistoric figud would conneected to the Ch

May (the Ascgil with extravat this ceremof spring, so-c

es. The nifter the visit use he deemr the participding not onlyay, but also insmithies- worant manufactual period (Boear tie betweenn which camo those living ies, pilgrims cr hands in theotection and g

Figure

und the sulfuveneto sanctuherein.

f Naquane Parated to the saomen lived asriod and are savalanche, bloands. In the cd a large rockures of handect with the twhristian celebcension) andvagant use of cony has transcalled “May”, ighttime festof S. Carlo

med it immorpants to concy domesticatenstruments markshops whichuring sites in ontempi 1989n the rite, thee to be shapnear the churc

came from all e prints engravgrace.

3.22. Map of

fur springs, wuary, attested t

rk in Valcamoaints Faustinas hermits in ssaid to have socking the fa

crypt of the chk with the des and cup-m

wo saints. Therations which

d include a candles. It is splanted an ea

closely relatetival, which

Borromeo toral, was alsoclude commed animals, asade of iron foh were amongthe Valley du

9). Here, onee theme of ferped into weapch of the saintparts of the vved in the bou

41

the Contrada

where to by

onica a and small saved alling

hurch, eeply

marks, e site

h take long quite arlier ed to

was o the o the ercial s still orged g the uring

e can rtility pons. ts, up

valley ulder

To uAquzoneengrSeriFurtAquhelpto thfromanthmasownrare can San Romholdcorn Thispresalso UndOndare aLadi Comdiscu

26 See

ANGELO FO

Aquane, befo

us, it appearuane, not onlye in questionraved stones o, which flowthermore, the uane are deppers, a role whhe Aquane.26 m the Great Rhropomorphic culine by his

n, spread-apartscene in rockbe found in t

Salvatore manesque capids her own meners of the cap

s connection ence of rock

in the Coppdine at Borno, dine, where enaquatic nympin, who bear a

ming back toussion is the

e also Camuri 199

OSSATI: FOLLO

ore 1835.

s valid to coy due to the prn, but also lie near to a

ws by no morlegend descr

icted: they lhich the folkloIt is also interRock of Naqfigure from thsexual attribut legs in his hk art and one the near-by C(11th centuritals carries thermaid-like lepital.

between aqengravings s

per Age in tthat is The V

ngraved rockshs, always pr

all the same at

Naquane, afact that it is

95.

OWING ARIANN

onnect the saroximity of Nbecause the

a water-coursee than a few ribes the sainlive in cavesore accounts oresting to note

quane, where he Iron Age, iutes, who seemhands: this is

for which a Church of the ry), where he motif of t

egs spread apa

quatic divinitseems to havethe locality o

Valley (or the Ss were found. resent in the lttributes as the

a very imports very well k

NA’S THREAD

aints with theNaquane to the

church ande, the streammetres away.

nts just as thes and act asoften attributee the carvings

one sees anidentifiable asms to hold hisan extremelyclose parallelMonastery ofone of the

the siren whoart around the

ties and thee a precedentof Valzel deStream) of the

The Ondineegends of thee Aquane.

tant point ofknown that, at

D

e e d

m . e s e s n s s y l f e o e

e t e e e e

f t

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF SEMIOTICS AND THE SOCIAL ORDER OF THINGS

42

this site, there is no water at all.27 So why is the theme of water is so important in rock art (the waterfowls) and in toponomy? There are two points to underline: one is the morphology of the rocks, that are very polished and mounted by the prehistoric glaciers, in a way that sometimes true waves are shaped into the rock surfaces. I think that, in the prehistoric imagination, were some questions about the origins of this phenomenon. Who did create the waves? Is this petrified water? Is someone living in these petrified waves? Answers are all in the rock art imagery. The second point is that the glacier has sometimes created hollows, little pools, where the waters can stay for a while. Are these the places where the Aquane can emerge from the petrified waters? This was for me an interesting hypothesis but it remained a hypothesis until I found in the local tradition any beliefs of spiritual beings living in engraved rocks. This came eventually in 1997 while teaching archaeology to a class at Esine, in Valcamonica. We teach students to draw and record the engravings, so we usually go to local rock art sites of less tourist importance. At that time we were working at a site called Librinì at Esine, in the fraction called Plemo. I told the students, as usual, to ask their parents and grandparents if they knew any legends relating to the rock art of the area. The day after, a girl student came to me and, indicating a huge rock with a single cup mark, that had not attracted our attention before, said: “According to my grandparents and to other people in Plemo this rock has an interesting tradition”. I was surprised and asked the student to continue. “They say that in this area lived a lady called sciurina dei pé de cavra [in Camunnian dialect: the young lady with the goat feet] who threading her clog into a cup mark, opened a rock where she used to eat her prey. The legend says that the lady enjoyed scaring people, above all the hunters and the visitors to the wood. When they were passing, she jumped out of the rock kidnapping them. Behind her house, says the legend, there was a well where she threw the skulls of the victims. The story tells us that a group of men captured and chained her to a mountain but she was able to escape and during the full-moon one can still hear the sound of the chains that she is carrying to avenge her capture”.28 This legend was very important for me. It was the proof that the idea of spirit beings living in the rocks really existed, and also gave a sort of interpretation of the cup marks.29 But most important was the fact that the spirit living in the rock is described as the more recent Aquane, a lady with a goat foot. She lost the mermaid attributes to keep those of evil characteristics. The legend suggests

27 The two fountains available in Naquane take their water from a pool situated quite distant. 28 The legend has been collected by Anna Erculiani, I C Scuola Media Statale “Don A. Sina” Esine. 29 This particular cup mark can be interpreted as a technique to create a contact between two different realities, that of the real world with the world of the spirits.

also the presence of human sacrifice (the skulls) with the idea of a votive deposit near by the rocks. Another legend that suggests that there are spirits living in the rocks regards San Vito, a local christian saint from Valcamonica: in this legend the saint could pass through the rocks and take refuge inside in case of danger (see Ertani s.d.). At present these are the only legends collected that talk about beings living in rocks. The rock art suggests other figures that are imagined living in the rocks: this is the case of the so-called “bust of praying people”, anthropomorphs engraved only in the upper part of the body, the bust, sometimes only the head is found, sometimes the line of the shoulder with the head (fig. 3.23). Gaudenzio Ragazzi thinks (Ragazzi 1995) that these engravings can be compared with similar figures painted on Greek and Etruscan vases. These are not simply incomplete figures,30 but signs with a special interpretation and meaning. They would be representations of spirits appearing in front of the warriors from the ground, the place where they live. Sometimes they are with weapons, as to say that they are considered males. This is also a suggestion that the Aquane are not the only beings living in another world.

Figure 3.23. Duellists and bust, rock 15, Vite-Deria, Paspardo, Iron Age.

Concluding remarks Like Theseus in the labyrinth, following Arianna’s thread (the faded traces left on the rocks) we have discovered - at least published for the first time-that Naquane was originally thought of as a female site, by the ancient engravers: it became a male site only during the Iron Age, when the female figures practically disappeared, leaving space for a warrior world. This masculine world in any case did not cancel the idea that the site was a female space in ancient times. And what we were writing before, that Iron Age rock art in the area should be 30 In Valcamonica rock art there are different not finished figures: anthropomorphs, buildings, animals, and various symbols as palette, footprints and camunnian roses. The total number of unfinished figures is so high that it is diffult to think that this could be a case: all the unfinished figures have probably a special meaning.

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interpreted as votive images engraved on the occasion of initiation rites through which young men of the local aristocracy gained access to adult society, is true, but we must add that these images were probably dedicated to the Aquane that helped (like in the actual legends of the Dolomites) the young warriors to pass their proves. So... a male rock art made for special women! References Abreu, M. S., Arcà, A. & Fossati, A. 1995. As gravuras

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