The topic of schematic art not associated to figurative art only sometime crops up in the scientific debate because of two basic problematic factors: one is the chronological collocation and the other one is related to function of this evidences. The largest number of the cup-marked rocks, in fact, is lacking in archaeological context and they do not show any evident function. Despite the phenomenon of cup marks is vast, this kind of evidences is less expressive than the figurative contexts. The Senales Valley (Alto Adige region, northern Italy) has a high concentration of cup marks on erratic rocks or rocks with engravings of numerous small shallow basins or very wide and deep single holes. The most elaborate rocks show small channels or possible solar symbols, while the overlap of elements such as crosses point out the perpetration in time of the evidences. Their non uniform distribution on the territory allows us to suppose a strong relation with the frequentation of the area. The rocks have been surveyed, filed in a database and geographically positioned. Then the data have been inserted in a GIS platform to be connected and crossed with data regarding the use of territory. In other words the cup marks, single or in combination, have been considered as part of a non visible ancient human landscape (made up by settlements with huts, hunting, activities and passage areas, reference points, aggregation places or ritual-cultural areas, etc). The study of the rocks becomes part of the analysis of the use of the territory from Mesolithic period to nowadays and allow us to stress through this element of material culture continuity and discontinuity of the human occupation. The paper proposes a landscape approach to a functional and symbolic phenomenon which can be understood only if we consider it as a broader system based on the different uses of the territory in time. Furthermore, the research focuses on the perception of the territory by the means of visibility analysis, demonstrating its important role in a mountain environment.
I massi coppellati della Val Senales come fenomeno simbolico-funzionale legato al territorio: metodi e risultati preliminari
Cavulli, Fabio
2012-01-01
Abstract
The topic of schematic art not associated to figurative art only sometime crops up in the scientific debate because of two basic problematic factors: one is the chronological collocation and the other one is related to function of this evidences. The largest number of the cup-marked rocks, in fact, is lacking in archaeological context and they do not show any evident function. Despite the phenomenon of cup marks is vast, this kind of evidences is less expressive than the figurative contexts. The Senales Valley (Alto Adige region, northern Italy) has a high concentration of cup marks on erratic rocks or rocks with engravings of numerous small shallow basins or very wide and deep single holes. The most elaborate rocks show small channels or possible solar symbols, while the overlap of elements such as crosses point out the perpetration in time of the evidences. Their non uniform distribution on the territory allows us to suppose a strong relation with the frequentation of the area. The rocks have been surveyed, filed in a database and geographically positioned. Then the data have been inserted in a GIS platform to be connected and crossed with data regarding the use of territory. In other words the cup marks, single or in combination, have been considered as part of a non visible ancient human landscape (made up by settlements with huts, hunting, activities and passage areas, reference points, aggregation places or ritual-cultural areas, etc). The study of the rocks becomes part of the analysis of the use of the territory from Mesolithic period to nowadays and allow us to stress through this element of material culture continuity and discontinuity of the human occupation. The paper proposes a landscape approach to a functional and symbolic phenomenon which can be understood only if we consider it as a broader system based on the different uses of the territory in time. Furthermore, the research focuses on the perception of the territory by the means of visibility analysis, demonstrating its important role in a mountain environment.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione
