Rock Drawings in Valle Camonica Part 1 - Italy

The Unesco Site

Known worldwide for its rock art, recognized as World Heritage Site by Unesco, Valle Camonica has always been synonym with Culture, Art and History. In addition to the invaluable archaeological heritage of Roman Age, the very beautiful churches frescoed by great artists of the Renaissance, the
numerous medieval villages and castles, and an operative museum system, Valle Camonica also means Nature and Sport, thanks to the presence of important Ski areas, the cycle track along the Oglio River and the numerous routes for mountain bike, in a diversified landscape, from the glacier to the lake, characterized by 55% of protected surface, kept by the Nature Network of Valle
Camonica where the Parks of Adamello and Stelvio stand out, allowing for countless outdoor hikesw.  But Valle Camonica is also Wellbeing, in the modern spas of Boario and Angolo, and Flavours thanks to a rich basket of typical products and recipes from the Camunian tradition.

This and much more is waiting for you in Valle Camonica, the Valley of Landmarks.

Valle Camonica. The Valley of Landmarks

E:   info@turismovallecamonica.it

W:  www.turismovallecamonica.it

The Unesco Site "Rock Drawings in Valcamonica"

Valle Camonica, which lies in the Central Eastern Alps, in the Brescia district, is renowned for the presence of numerous rock engravings, which led to it being the first Italian site, in 1979, to be designed a UNESCO Word Heritage Site (Site n. 94 "Rock Drawings in Valcamonica")
After more than a country of research and analysis, this extraordinary rock art complex has distinguished itself internationally for several different elements: the variety and the quality of the
iconogrqphy; the time span in prehistory and proto-history, between the end of the Upper Paleoithic
(between 13,000 and 10.000 years b.p) and the Iron Age (1st millennium BCE), with additions in Roman and medieval times and even more recently; the immense area covered along both sides of the valley, from 300 to over 2000 m above sea level, in delightful natural settings, with over 180 sites distributed in over 30 out of 41 municipalities of the Valley.
To date, to safeguard this invaluable heritage, 8 archaeological  parks have been established, covering prehistory and proto-history, starting in 1955, when Italy's first archaeological park, the Rock Engravings National Park was opened in Capo di Ponte, in the naquane area.  The series of sites and museums devoted to pre-history and proto-history are completed by the National Museum of Prehistory of valle Camonica, also located in Capo di Ponte.

Sito Unesco n 94

www.vallecamonicaunesco.it

Rock Art Parks

1   Darfo Boario Terme
     Lake Moro, Luine and Monticolo Intermunicipal Park

2   Ossimo
     Asinino - Anvola Archaeological Park

3   Ceto - Cimbergo - Paspardo
     Rock Engravings Nature Reserve of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo

4   Capo di Ponte
      Naquane Rock Engravings National Park
      Massi di Cemmo National Archaeological  Park
      Seradina - Bedolina Municipal Archaeological Park
      National Museum of Prehistory of Valle Camonica

5   Sellero
     Sellero Municipal Archaeological and Mineral Park

6   Sonico
     "Coren de le Fate" Polythematic Pathway

Other Rock Art Sites

7   Borno
     Megalithic sanctuary of Valzel de Udine

8   Edolo
     The Medieval Castle area and the Plate de lcc area

Naquane Rock Engravings National Park

This is the first archaeological park established in Italy, in 1955, to safeguard and promote one of the most important rock engraving sites in Valle Camonica.  Located in Naquane, in a natural environment with chestnut, fir, birch and hornbeam trees, the Park presents information panels and offers 5 routes covering 3 KM.
The park's 104 extensive sandstone surfaces, polished by glacial action, display real and symbolic depicitions of the daily life and spirituasl world of the populations that lived from Neolithic times to the Iron Age (4th to 1st millennium BCE) the most flourishing period for this particular art form, which continued in Roman and even modern times.

Naquane Area
25044 Capo di Ponte (Brescia)
Tel:   +39 0364 42140
www.parcoincisioni.capodiponte.benicultural.it
www.facebook.com/ParcoNaquane
Admission fee

National Archaeological Park

Opened in october 2005, this park displays the first rock art site reported in 1909 by the deographer G. Laeng for the presence of two decorated rocks of exceptional interest, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE with figures of animals, weapons, anthropomorphs, ploughing scenes and carriage on four-wheeled carts.  Recent excavations have brought to light, around the rocks, a megalithic sanctuary with a surrounding wall and decorated steles, founded in the Copper Age, on pre-existing
finds from the Mesolithic, and survived until late ancient Roman times (late 4th to early 2nd millennium BCE; 1st millennium BCE to 4th /5th century CE) when it was dismantled by the Christians, who built the Parish of St Siro (11th - 12th Century)  near this pagan ceremonial site of worship.

Cemmo suburb
Pian delle Greppe area,
25044 Capo di Ponte (Brescia)

Tel:    +39 0364 42140

www.parcoarcheologico.massidicemmo,beniculturali.it
Free admission

Seradina - Bedolina

Municipal Archaeological Park

Opened in October 2005, the park lies in a natural setting of great geological and botanical interest.
Most of the engraved figures date back to the Bronze and Iron Age (2nd and 1st millenium BCE). The
area is divided into five sections and is adjacent to the Massi di Cemmo National Archaeological park, the site of ancient prehistoric rituals.  The rocks are characterized by ploughing scenes, duel,
fights, maps  and the famous "Camunian  Rose" symbol, which was adopted as the emblem of the Lombardy Region in 1975.  At Bedolina, visitors can view the so-called "Map Rock" , an interesting topographical depiction of the Iron Age. Four itineraries branch off the main visiting route.

Information

Address: Localita' Seradina - Bedolina / Seradina - Bedolina area,   25044 Capo di Ponte (Brescia)

Tel:    +39 0364 42104

Cell:  +39 334 6575628

Web:   www.parcoseradinabedolina.it

Free Admission

Rock Engravings Nature Reserve of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo

Established by the Lombardy Region in 1983 on the suggestion of the municipalities of Ceto Cimbergo and Paspardo and the Camunian Centre of Prehistoric Studies, this reserve protects a vast area containing rocks bearing engravings which cover a broad time span  ( from the 5th millennium BCE to the early Middle Ages). as well as a series of important ethnographic and vegetal elements
connected with the evolution of the Alpine environment across the milennia.

The visitors can follow a series of marked routes around the rock engravings, many of which are described in detail on information panels.

In Nadro there is the Museum of the Reserve, offering information on rock art and on the visiting
routes.

Information

Address:  via Piana 29, 25040 Nadro di Ceto (Brescia)

Tel:    +39 0364 433465

Web:    www.arteupeswtre.it

             www.incisionpestri.com

Admission fee