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Serena Solano are among several rocks with engravings, some Beyond Valcamonica the presence of hu- in which we recognize the word DIEU (= god) man bones in worship areas is found in other inside a circle. At the highest point of the hill contexts in the Alps, as confirmed by the oldest several jugs with pre-Roman inscriptions and level of attendance of Campi Neri di Cles in a burial with skeletons remains of a number Val di Non (Trento)7. The most interesting case of individuals were found, surrounded by a belonging to the Iron Age is represented by Places of worship in Valcamonica sort of “sacred walk”3. the area used for burnt offerings at Rungger from Prehistory to the Christianization of the area Not far from the hill of Dos dell’Arca, at Egg (Bolzano), where 80% of the collected the location known as “Le Sante”, stands the bones are human8. church dedicated to Sante Faustina e Liberata A comparable situation has been recorded and San Marcello, who according to popular at the site of Noafer Bühl, above Gries, where devotion saved the village from an avalanche, piles of stones have been brought to light, stopping with their hands a large rock fall- along with a drywall, a massive concentration The Valcamonica (Brescia) belongs in a special of sacred space. However it is certain that ing onto the hamlet. Perhaps in everlasting of mostly human calcined bone fragments, and way to the Italian and European archaeologi- during the Roman Age some stelae were still memory of the miracle six hands are imprinted bronze and ceramic materials, fractured and cal landscape in consideration of its amazing in the ground and visible, thus committing on a large boulder leaning against the church exposed to high temperatures, interpreted wealth of ancient remains, as witnessed by its the sacredness of the place. The deactivation, which was built in the early centuries after year as evidence of a “place of funeral worship “ most known and much studied petroglyphs. which occurred through the destruction of the 1000 A.D. in a place of ancient sacred attend- frequented during the Iron Age9. In recent years the discovery and excavation engraved boulders and the resulting burying ance at the foot of the resort of Naquane, the Human bones have also been found at of several sites led to considerably extend the in a pit, took place around the sixth century main area of rock art in the territory. Wilten, near Innsbruck, in an incineration area framework of knowledge on the population of A.D., coinciding with the Christianization of The archaeological site of “Le Sante”, with a massive concentration of ash (Aschen- the territory between prehistoric and Roman the area, when a rural baptistery church was excavated in 1976 by the Centro Camuno di altar?) and burnt and crushed material, and times. Among the most interesting situations built nearby1. Studi Presitorici and initially interpreted as a at Kundl (Inntal) where the calcined human lie some places of worship, which reveal an The same surprising continuity of attend- necropolis, was characterized by a great area remains are amalgamated with ceramic and extraordinary continuity of attendance that, in ance was recorded at Ossimo, in the Pat loca- for burnt offerings, surrounded by a stone metal elements10. some cases, goes so far as to the modern age. tion, where the Copper Age ceremonial centre fence in the kind of Alpine Brandopferplatz As for the Roman Valcamonica, the correla- Specific of the Chalcolithic are ceremonial extended on a natural terrace, not far from active between the second Iron Age and the tion with the funerary domain has been re- centres characterized by vast open areas, mon- contemporary places of worship at Anvòia and late Roman period (III century B.C. - IV A.D.). corded also in Borno, in the Calanno location, umentally organized through large carved Passagròp, located at a distance of about 400 The excavation resulted in the recovery of where close to a Roman necropolis was discov- monoliths, usually ordered and aligned. In meters between them and in a visual relation- abundant ceramic, glass and metal wares, ered and partially revealed a sanctuary with recent years, a series of excavations carried ship. The chalcolithic site of Pat included stelae especially jugs and bowls made in fine Roman Iron Age levels of attendance. Located along out in middle Valcamonica brought to light alignments and menhir-like stones (about ceramics (terra sigillata and thin walls). The the line connecting the Ossimo-Borno plateau some of these contexts, contributing to the twenty), placed at the centre of two areas skeletal analysis also enabled to find out how to the lower valley, near a water course, this knowledge of the rituals that took place there with tumuli. The area was also frequented in the site was used in a funerary cult, where Roman building, consisting of several rooms and clarifying timing and mode of attendance. the Iron Age (between IX-VIII and II-I century ceremonies in honour of ancestor-heroes were with plastered and painted walls, replaced At Cemmo Capo di Ponte, in the Pian delle B.C.), when not far away a village consisting of probably held4. during the Augustan time a previous outdoors Greppe location, the ceremonial centre hub half-buried alpine houses was active and small The earliest antecedents of such a cult can native local shrine. At the site the object of was in the two large boulders engraved dur- votive fires were lit in front of the remaining be traced to the ceremonial centres of the worship was a female deity, to be identified ing the Copper Age (Cemmo 1 and 2), which, standing stelae2. Copper Age. In the megalithic sanctuary at with Minerva, recorded by two inscriptions, early in the twentieth century, provided first In addition to ceremonial centres with en- Ossimo-Anvòia, over an artificial pile of stones heir to the functions and powers of an earlier elements of knowledge on the Camuni rock graved stelae, we suppose that several other (cairn), human skeletal remains were found water related indigenous entity. In addition art. This large glacial basin area in the past was different forms of worship found expression belonging to at least two individuals, imported to Minerva, the god Mercury was worshipped, delimited by a semicircular wall that probably in the valley. from a distant burial place and deposited with as suggested by two dedications to the god defined a sacred temenos space, encircling At Capo di Ponte, at a key point of the a ritual that involved the use of fire, in a sort recovered reutilized in the main Christian the two boulders and other stelae originally territory controlling the mandatory passage of homage to ancestors raised to the level of buildings in the area. Mercury, as is common inserted vertically in the ground, which the ex- towards the upper valley, the site of Dos deity or hero5. knowledge, in the Greek and Roman world cavation found in a large pit, possible relation dell’Arca was probably a sacred place: an ex- The same connection between megalithic besides being patron of commerce, merchants to the decommissioning of the area during the cavation conducted there in the 1960’s by the shrines and funerary cults of ancestors / heroes and travellers, is also a psychopomp deity, High Middle Ages. The place of worship was Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici unearthed has been observed at Ossimo-Pat, where the guarantor and guide to the journey of the attended, it is not clear if without interruption, structures and equipment dating from the area with the standing stelae and menhir-like deceased in the afterlife. In the Gallo-Roman even in the Iron Age and Roman times, when Bronze Age to the Roman times. On the site, stones of the Copper Age connects to two world sanctuaries in close proximity to the they made new arrangements and renovation situated on a hill not far from a stream, there areas with tumuli and burial arrangements6. burial areas are in fact frequently dedicated to 104 105 Mercury. The Roman gods thus inherited and cavities. Between the late sixth and early fifth continued the use of powers of local deities, century B.C. the Spinera basin was structured responsible for the protection of the rites of with a terrace wall, large altars, different cook- passage in all circumstances, procreation, age, ing surfaces and a large elliptical enclosure. life and death11. The ritual involved the repeated lighting of The cult of Minerva returns to Valcamonica fires, animal sacrifice, offering donations and also at Breno, in the Spinera locality, in what repetition of libation practices, in which water was undoubtedly the most important sacred played obviously an important role, as sug- site in the valley at this time. Built in the Au- gested by the abundance of drinking vessels. gustan and restored in the Flavian times, the The characteristics of worship closely com- sanctuary was located along the banks of the pare the site to the alpine votive fires (Alpine Oglio river, next to a rocky cliff showing a large Brandopferplätze), especially characteristic of number of caves and tunnels dug by the water the Rhaetian area between Bronze Age and course and rich in natural springs. Romanization12. Among the offerings some The oldest evidence refers to an open-air metal objects stand out, showing decorative cultural complex, organized in the plateau motifs very much alike to the rock carvings. between the tuff cliff and the river, where it The most valuable object is a pendant-amulet expands into a large meander. The nature of dating from the fifth century B.C., consisting of the place, with singular landscape features, Fig.

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