draft august 2007 - unpublished paper This document is licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial-

NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license, available at http://creativecommons.

org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/.

A new rock with “topographic compositions”

discovered in Bedolina, Valcamonica, Italy
Alberto Marretta

T
he Bedolina area is today known mostly for called “topographic compositions”, which become,
one unique rock art panel, the big topograph- perhaps unexpectedly, one of the trickiest subjects
ic composition on rock n. 1 called the “Bedo- in camunian rock art. It is worth mentioning that
lina Map” (Anati 1960, Beltràn Lloris 1972, in the last few years were discovered many ancient-
Turconi 1997), and it has never been methodically
inspected. However, beyond this well–known rock,
the Bedolina area contains many other panels sur-
rounding the “Map” which constitute a remarkable
framework, yet poorly documented, for a system-
atic approach to the analysis of the whole rock art
site.
In general the imagery found in Bedolina links
both with Seradina below (ploughing scenes) and
the adjoining Dos Mirichì above, while at the same
time it does display marked characteristics of its
own, such as a noteworthy frequency of “camunian
roses” and the rare presence of so–called buccinae
(or cornua), representations of curved metal wind
instruments probably used during the middle and
final Iron Age and the Roman period. Very spo-
radic, like anywhere else on the slope, are huts and
footprints. As said, extraordinary and deservedly
famous is the large engraved image belonging to
the category of interconnected geometric elements,
or “maps”, which here crop up mainly in the area of
the small flats of lower Bedolina, that is in the sub-
area included in 2005 into the current grounds of
the Seradina–Bedolina Archaeological Park.
The uncommon density of engraved rocks and
the rich context of overhanging rock shelters make
this one of the most interesting places today for the
study of the relationship between rock art and the Fig. 1. View of the engraved rock during the grazing morning
archaeological–environmental context. Further, light. In the background stands the top of Pizzo Badile Camu-
the present discovery throws new light on the so– no (photo Alberto Marretta).

1
 Alberto Marretta
Fig. 2. A look on the thick assembling of pictures in the central part (photo Alberto Marretta).
most “maps” (final Neolithic/Copper Age) and they
almost entirely belong to the Paspardo areas (Arcà
1999). The discovery and study of a new big “topo-
graphic composition”, along with other cases of less
complex or sometimes single geometric elements,
nevertheless make Bedolina currently the primary
centre of these particular layouts.
The discovery
During the archaeological inspection and record-
ing of decorated rock surfaces (directed by Lom-
bardy’s Archaeological Superintendence and the
City of Capo di Ponte) undertaken on occasion of
the setting up of the Archaeological Park (March–
September 2005), the Centro Camuno di Studi Pre-
istorici thoroughly checked the engraved areas sub-
jected to intervention.
Operations to fix the pathway around rock n.
1 involved the removal of debris from the biggest
mound present in the area (boulders, rocks and
pebbles heaped up by local residents in the course
of land claims for farming purposes) with the aim
of securing some stone walls near the established
path. The heap was located some 15 metres west
2
of rock n. 1, on a spot where the underlying rock
surface slopes down a few metres until it reaches a
small basin ending onto the vertical wall of a large,
natural rock shelter to the west. Already known
were the nearby marked rocks and, in particular,
rock n. 7 itself, mostly hidden beneath the mound,
with several warrior figures and some horsemen
showing on ground–level panels. The rock inspec-
tion, in view of the physical removal of the debris,
brought to light at once an extremely rich, decorat-
ed ensemble consisting mainly in a broad geomet-
ric composition similar to the Bedolina Map, here
enriched with hundreds of human figures as well.
According to local memory this very surface
and its “topographic” images has never been in
open light during the XX century and was never
previously recorded. The discovery, exceptional in
itself and by itself for the quantity and the complex-
ity of the subjects, throws off balance the ratio of
the area’s “topographic” representations and their
distribution in the zone under examination.
A brief description of the imagery
Here is a limited account of the engravings appear-
 A new rock with “topographic compositions” discovered in Bedolina, Valcamonica, Italy
Fig. 3. Geometric shapes (squares, rectangles and small cup-
marks) are overimposed by big and deep cups. In the upper
part stands two unusual concentric–arcs shapes (photo Alber-
to Marretta).
ing on this surface, in view of a full report on this
and other rocks of the area. The very complexity of
the representations and the unusually high number
of figures and/or overlaps call for caution in pro-
ceeding, at least in the present state of knowledge,
with assessing chronology and more generally at-
tempting interpretation.
The new big decorated rock, which keeps n. 7 as
part of the same outcrop, extends over some 25 me-
tres of length and 10 of width, gently sloping to the
west from a natural hollow in the upper part, where
rainwater regularly gathers. The internal surface of
the hollow itself is fully decorated, so that in wet
periods most of the figures remain hidden under
stagnating rainwater. Noticeably a man���������
–��������
made wa-
terway was grooved into the rock from this natural
draining point, seemingly to aid the outflow. In the
northern section the surface shows signs of weath-
ering and the engravings (again “topographic” pat-
Fig. 4. Squared field of cup-marks that shows variations in the
inside pattern. Quite clear is the use of different tools for the
two shapes (chronological phase or many authors?). Photo Al-
berto Marretta.
terns) aren’t easily spotted and can be recognized
only in conditions of grazing light.
The broad, grey, glacier–polished surface is
crowded also with hundreds of human figures,
mostly warriors in complex relations with each
other and often overlapping in the general setting
of an extensive, detailed structure made of numer-
ous geometrical frames filled with orderly lines of
cupmarks. The quadrangles are sometimes con-
nected by long, winding lines.
From among the “topographic” patterns, we
can roughly single out the following elements:
— Square or quadrangular frames filled in with
rows of cupmarks. Some of the frames contain a
bigger cup from which a waving line departs to
reach another square/rectangle of the same kind;
uncommon but standing out are quadrangles with
a “ringed” cup (more frequently found on rock n. 1)
or exceptionally a “boxed” cup; the cupmarks gen-
erally appear less orderly put than on the Bedolina
Map;
— Rectangular shapes partly filled with cups
(e.g., just one internal perimetrical line of cups);
— Rectangular shapes with cups as well as other
geometrical subdivisions inside (more rectangles,
etc.);
— Sub–oval or circular shapes with inner cups,
sometimes arranged so as to follow the three–di-
mensional rock surface (hollows, knobs, etc.), espe-
cially with lines or other perimetral elements run-
ning along the surfacing edges (south section);
— One big rectangular “grid” with cups in some
squares;
— Two symmetrical motifs with circles/concen-
3
 Alberto Marretta
Fig. 5. Shape filled with cup–marks. One of the cup-marks
has been inscribed into a smaller square, from which depart
a waving line going to other similar elements (photo Alberto
Marretta).
Fig. 6. Tracing of Fig. 5 (Alberto Marretta).
tric rings positioned in the centre of the geometric
composition;
— Numerous wavy lines joining the various
above–defined geometric shapes;
— Big and deep cup–marks, clustered mostly in
the central zone, a few circled by a ring. Rare cup–
filled quadrangular shapes topped by a triangle
(a comparable example occurs on the Rock of the
Map).
The overall abstract design, apparently con-
ceived as a whole (even though the different peck-
ing tools and styles distinguishing some elements
may suggest different authors or chronological
phases) and obviously related to the figures of near-
by Bedolina Map, extends itself over many square
metres on the entire surface, sometimes following
ostensibly the underlying three�����������������
–����������������
dimensional mor-
phology. This “topographic composition” is to date
the biggest and most complex design of this kind
4
Fig. 7. Group of small and elegant armed figures. Probably
Middle Iron Age (photo Alberto Marretta).
known in Valcamonica. Considering both the anal-
ogy with the Map, which was recently attributed
to the middle Iron Age (Turconi 1997), and the
preliminary stage of superimposition analysis, the
making of this panel should also be placed in a time
between the late Bronze and the middle Iron Age
(ca. 1,000/500 b.c.).
Particularly interesting, not only for dating pur-
poses but also in terms of the possible meaning of
such designs, is certainly the thick crowding of hu-
man figures — a unique characteristic here in the
broader context of Bedolina’s rocks. The humans
were carved in with markedly different tools and
“hands” and show all the sundry variations so far
encountered on rock art sites of the western side of
Middle Valley.
The main subject is the armed human figure,
pretty much characterized as follows:
— Warriors with a linear body, generally armed
with spear (held upright) and a small oval shield.
The figures are standing and front–facing. In some
cases, such humans acrobatically ride animals
(most likely equids) sketched more schematically
than anywhere on Valcamonica rocks.
— Duelling figures armed with a small shield
(the limb holding it is represented with the well–
known depiction device called by some archaolo-
gists “turn of the arm”) and a sword wielded fron-
tally. These figures are always small and clustered
mainly in the southern section.
— Roughly shaped schematic figures, with hard-
to–recognize weaponry. These latter types are very
numerous, mostly crowding the upper central area.
— Better detailed and bigger figures, with sword,
large hollow shield, and sometimes a helmet. They
concentrate in the central–lower area.
 A new rock with “topographic compositions” discovered in Bedolina, Valcamonica, Italy

— An exceptional series of four small figures (ca. Acknowledgements

10 cm tall) but made with remarkable dynamism My special thanks to Sara Rinetti, who aided me with price-
less self-will on every phase of this work. I also acknowledge
and sense of scale. These are positioned on the the city administration, starting with Capo di Ponte’s mayor,
right–hand edge of the rock. Francesco Manella, and Sergio Turetti for their continuing
— Two very large figures (ca. 1 m tall, incom- support; Ilaria Zonta, Francesco Ferrati and the entire Pro
plete in the higher part) situated in the upper limit Loco Association for their generosity and unflagging enthu-
siasm. I am grateful also to the Soprintendenza per i Beni Ar-
of the centre of the rock. Hard to see when light is
cheologici della Lombardia and to dott.ssa Raffaella Poggiani
less than optimal, they seem to override the whole Keller for the usual and kind support.
surrounding complex. My dearest thoughts go to Battista Maffessoli (†), who enjoyed
To all of this are added a few footprints (virtu- this last discovery with us, and whose teaching I will always
ally absent at Seradina and Bedolina, but increas- bear in mind.
ingly present at Dos Mirichì and Pià d’Ort) and
rare animals (a deer and other quadrupeds of dif-
ficult recognition). References
Anati E. 1960, La Civilisation du Val Camonica,
Conclusions
Paris, Arthaud.
In light of this and other significant discoveries, it
is now clear that whatever study is to be made on Arcà A. 1999, Incisioni topografiche e paesaggi
the “topographic” theme or, more cautiously, on agricoli nell’arte rupestre della Valcamonica e del
geometric compositions of Valcamonica rock art, Monte Bego, Notizie Archeologiche Bergomensi,
must from now on take into account the Bedolina 7:207-234.
area in all its complexity, with special attention to
rock n. 7. Beltran Lloris M. 1972, Los grabados rupestres
The iconographic wealth of this surface will de Bedolina (Valcamonica), BCSP (Bollettino del
certainly bear new elements for dating purposes, Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici), 8:121-158.
but also new challenges for those who attempt to Sansoni U., Gavaldo S. 1995, L’arte rupestre del
identify this territory as the grounds of the Map. Pià d’Ort. La vicenda di un santuario preistorico
The concealed position, not lending itself to broad alpino, Capo di Ponte, Edizioni del Centro.
views, is in sharp contrast with the factor that so
far has been considered almost an essential condi- Turconi C. 1997, La mappa di Bedolina nel quadro
tion for reproducing the countryside. This very ar- dell’arte rupestre della Valcamonica, Notizie Ar-
gument has always been brought up to support the cheologiche Bergomensi, 5:85-114.
interpretative line of the Bedolina Map, as well as
other compositions of the kind, e.g., Pià d’Ort rock
n. 39 (Sansoni, Gavaldo 1995). Conversely, the
imposing wall (a veritable abri) standing out a few
metres behind this rock makes for a unique geo-
morphological setting, which can’t but suggest the
presence of an untouched archaeological site, yet to
be put in relation with the neighbouring rock art.
These are obviously preliminary remarks, await-
ing proper (and welcome) research projects. In the
meanwhile, let us keep in mind that geometric
“topographic” elements do characterize, also and
mostly in isolated forms, the entire Archaeologi-
cal Park of Seradina–Bedolina and nearby zones
of the western slope. This means that only a thor-
ough analysis of all known cases will enable us to
increase our knowledge about this complex, often
puzzling iconographic body.