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Location |
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Country: |
Italia |
Locality: |
Mompantero - see original record (ask compiler - institution) |
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Region: |
Piemonte |
Area: |
Valsusa |
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Environment & Surface |
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Altitude:
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1025 m
Open-air
Shelter
Cave
Portable
Megalithic
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Geography: |
Rocky
slope, southward exposed, panoramic site, abandoned sheep pasture,
xerophilous vegetation (Juniperus, little pine-tree), stone walls, arid
and windy area, lateral morainic pudding-stone deposits. |
Proximity: |
Path, dry waterfall (originating from an abandoned artificial channel). |
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Geology: |
Filladic
calcschist (metamorphic rock composed by calcite and mica), vertical
wall, calcite and weddellite from the analysis of the painting
material. |
Surface: |
Rough,
steps, vertical half-sheltered wall south-east exposed, 90° of
inclination, encrusted white lichens, patina, calcareous (calcite)
encrustation. |
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Dimensions:
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Length 0.90 m.
Width 6.00 m.
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Art |
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Description: |
Engravings
Paintings
Painted engravings
High or low-relief
Sculpture
The paintings cover a 6x0.9 m surface along the
rocky wall. The sector A is the left part. The painting material is
thick and encrusted, of a white-yellow colour. The extreme left part
shows a worst preservation as it is less naturally sheltered. In the
main scene it is possible to recognise three warriors: the one on
top-right corner has a bi-triangular body, like the engraved warriors of
the not far Aussois site (Haute Maurienne French valley), and face with
a quite completely erased spear an archer. The rider on the bottom
holds a bow with arrow and a rectangular shield. Also the archer on the
left (quite completely cancelled) has a bi-triangular body.
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Figures: |
total number 14
2 archers, 1 riding archer, 1 warrior with bi-triangular body and spear,
1 crossed circle (rouelle), 9 unreadable eroded figures.
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Chronology: |
Palaeolithic
Epipalaeolithic - Mesolithic
Neolithic
Copper Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Roman
Middle Age
Modern
Unknown
It is possible to compare these painted figures
to the warriors with bi-triangular body of Aussois (Haute Maurienne).
These warriors overlap Middle Iron Age topographic compositions and are
very similar to the figures painted over the decorated italic pottery
(VII-VI cent. BC) or the south France pottery (La Pčgue, V-IV cent. BC).
In this range (VII-IV cent. BC) it is possible to date also the
Mompantero paintings.
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Notes: |
The
paintings have been discovered by Angelo Fossati and Andrea Arcą in
1991. The sample for chemical analysis have been taken form figure A10
(horse) and B12 (right arm). Similar composition has been found in the
natural calcite deposits. The entire area was terraced and cultivated
(vines, potatoes) till the '50-'60s. No water available if not through
artificial channels. It's one of the possible ways to reach the top of
the Rocciamelone mountain (more than 3500 m), the highest mountain in
the Susa valley, where traditional pilgrimage is still practised (the
Holy Mary of the Rocciamelone, https://www.rupestre.net/archiv/nat3.htm). |
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Bibliography |
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Conservation |
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Status: |
Public
Private
Park
Classified site
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Risk: |
The
site is poorly attended, thus some people is passing with motorbikes
along the mountain path. The surface is half-sheltered and protected
from direct rain and snow. |
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Conservation: |
Good
Quite good
Mediocre
Bad
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Intervention: |
The
rock has been completely recorded (International western Alps rock art
record), traced (contact tracing and digital vectorial rendition),
photographed (normal light and grazing light colour slides) under
enchargement of the Archaeological Superintendence of Piedmont. More
info (Italian version) at http://rupestre.net/archiv and http://rupestre.net/alps. |
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Specific © is mentioned in the captions or owned by each Author or Institution |
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Total
General
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