Occurrences of Cupstone In the North-East corner are two chambers separated by Cupstones (Schalensteine) are slabs of rock with artifi- cial cavities, so called „Schalen“ (cups / bowls), in vari- a large chipped (?) rock. ous forms, depths, numbers and sizes. They can be found Some consider the walls to be modern cattle compounds in the whole Alps region and northern Europe. On some and former shepherds' huts. However, this opinion – if rocks petroglyphs are located next to cups (e.g. in Val correct – does not contradict a much earlier construction Camonica), where the cups are most likely older than the of the enclosing wall. glyphs.
The Pfitscher Saddle (also Pfitscher Jöchl) in the Texel group near Merano is one of the biggest agglomerations of Cupstones in the Alps.
Origin and meaning of the cups The origin of the cups is not fully clear. Several alterna- tives are being discussed: Astronomical bearings and age Natural origin due to weather beaten The „Sun-slab“ is a polished rock with more than 100 In prehistory sun observatories – e.g. Goseck in Sachsen- Pastime of bored shepherds cups in an ellipsoid formation of other Cupstones. Note- Anhalt or Stonehenge in South England – a construc- Creation by drilling, scraping, hammering tional orientation towards summer / winter solstice was worthy are the concentric circles often attributed to the attempted. At the Pfitscher Saddle some special cups and A lot is suggesting an artificial origin of the cups, a sig- sun in early cultures. engravings on the Star-slap indicate respective bearings nificant age and a cultic purpose. Consequently, the towards the eastern horizon. Hence, they act as markers question regarding their meaning needs to be asked. Pos- for the rising positions of sun, moon or certain stars, sible alternatives are e.g.: comparable to landmarks on panoramic boards on look- Markings for ways and borders outs.
Calendars or displays of stellar constellations The surrounding area contains indications of a very early While for sun and moon the bearings on the horizon dur-
Cultic productions of stone dust presence of people around the saddle: A middle stone ing solstices are only subject to minor changes over the
The cups serve as light carriers age resting place for hunters near the “Oberkaser“ (ca. millennia, this is not the case for stars due to the earth's
5th millenium BC), a place for burnt offering next to the precession. Hence, the stars' bearings are only exactly Some of the cups seem to hint at astronomical meanings. “archive slab” around 1200 BC and the discovery of a valid for one point in time. Examinations of the risings However, this does not exclude additional intentions for bronze age spearhead on the Rötelspitze (ca.1100 BC) of 18 bright stars in other cups. have been documented archaeologically, so far. various epochs indi- The enclosing wall cate as most likely The approximately 25 Cupstones at the Pfitscher Sattel The Cupstone time for the observa- are mostly enveloped by an enclosing wall made of lay- Within the walls ca 25 slabs of rock show cups. Three tions and, hence, ered slaps of mica schist. They form an asymmetric pen- especially striking slabs have been given (modern) origin of the respec- tagon, which can be constructed from a number of Py- names according to current interpretation: tive cups on the slaps The „Star-slab“ in the West has numerous cups and me- thagorean triangles (rectangular triangles with integer The „Archive or Cult slab“ is a ca. 2 x 2 m big plain about 2450 BC. andering lines. According to current knowledge it is the sides), if the dimensions are given in megalithic cubits. slab of rock with many round or half-moon shaped cups, most important Cupstone of this cultic site. Some of the This is a standard unit (0,836m) used during the Stone partially connected by grooves. The distance between cups can be interpreted as sight lines for sun, moon and Cup symbols for Age all over middle Europe. The construction of the one cup and a striking T-shaped marking is exactly two star risings and as displays of stellar constellations. Sun,moon and stars complex suggests a megalithic culture with the main axis megalithic cubits (length reference) directed towards the East.
The significance of this cult site Constellations on the rocks
The Cupstones at the Pfitscher-Saddle are Example for a The 19 proven star bearings need to be marked for iden- moon, sun and tification. The early observers solved this issue by form- „the most impressive stone monuments of star bearing ing the respective constellations for the marked star. South Tyrol“ (Menara) and contain a wealth They are most likely the oldest display of constellations of astronomical information and knowledge world-wide. Especially these correlations are a clear in- of the people in early age (Egen). Therefore dication for the correctness of the presented thesis. The orientation of the constellations on the slab mirrors their they are of more than regional significance appearance on the horizon, meaning the slab does not and require an increased protection against show us a direct display of the starry sky. change and destruction. Hence, the Cup- stones should not be stepped on, painted or their position changed.
Please protect this extraordinary cult site!
Literature
Franz Haller: Die Welt der Felsbilder in Südtirol. Schalen- und Zeichensteine. Hornung Verlag Viktor Lang, München, 1978. Darin: Die Sonnenkultstätte am Pfitschersattel nördlich Meran, Seite 94 - 106. A peculiarity on the star slab are the Big and Little Dip- Aribert Egen: Das Spronser Bergheiligtum bei Meran. Die Bearings on the star slab per. Supposedly this documents the observation of the älteste Sternwarte der Menschheit in situ? in: Richter, Peter unmoving celestial pole, which was considered especial- (Hrsg.): Sterne, Mond, Kometen. Bremen und die Astronomie. With the star bearings it was possible for the first Bremen, 1995. ly holy in many ancient cultures' mythologies as it was time to fix an exact date for a part of the Cupstones, encircled by all other stars. The permanently visible cir- Roland Gröber: Schalensteine am Pfitscher Sattel oberhalb but we do not know why the early people decided to cumpolar stars have been used for chronometry and de- von Meran. In Jahreschronik 2010 der Volkssternwarte Köln. observe the risings of sun, moon and stars from this Seite 18 – 27. termination of the seasons since the earliest times. remote location. Presumably the knowledge was Hanspaul Menara: Südtiroler Urwege. Ein Bildwanderbuch. On other Cupstones more astronomical references and part of an agricultural calendar (see Hesiod, Works Athesia. Bozen 1984. Darin: Die Bildsteine von Sprons bei constellations have been found. These and other findings Meran. and Days) and the observations probably also are the aim of future research. Paul Gleirscher: Ein urzeitliches Bergheiligtum am Pfitscher served a cultic purpose. Maybe the priest astrono-
Jöchl über Dorf Tirol? In: Der Schlern 67 Heft 6/ 1993 Seite mers were the “masters of time” for the people in 407 - 435. Athesia, Bozen. the valley. Roland Gröber