Rock art national reserve of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo

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46.012063, 10.352916

Type of site:
Rock-drawings natural reserve

Village/Town: Ceto
Municipality: Brescia (Brescia )
Region: Lombardía
State: Italy
Telephone: (+39) 036443401817
Website: http://www.arterupestre.it/en/

Natural Environment:

The Rock-drawings natural Reserve of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo is set on the left hydrographic side of the valley, on an area of about 300 hectares nearly completely covered of chestnut and birch-woods. In this large territory there are many areas with engraved rocks (about 450 engraved surfaces), that can be reached from the road that links the towns of Nadro, Cimbergo and Paspardo. The visit begins in the centre of Nadro, by the Reserve Museum, which offers information and news about rupestrian art and about didactic itineraries.
Along ancient paths it is possible to discover the mysterious world of the ancient Camuni. The pleasant shade of centuries-old ash and chestnut trees accompanies visitors who love nature and discovery.
Paths of different lengths flanked by tall trees allow adults and children to come into contact with nature, enjoying the colours and scents of spontaneous flora and dense undergrowth.
The rock engravings are a marvellous tale made of symbols: hundreds of engraved rocks, shelters under the rock that were inhabited in ancient times and some reconstructions take us back to the dawn of the Camuna civilisation.
A simple walk, listening to the wind rustling through the trees and the birds singing, which animate the woods of the reserve with their calls, is an excellent remedy against the stress of everyday life.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

Leaving the pretty historic centre of Nadro, after visiting the educational museum, an ancient cobbled lane leads to the Foppe archaeological area: a succession of densely decorated surfaces arranged in a pleasant circular route. The engravings found range from the 5th millennium B.C. to the High Middle Ages; particularly important are the depictions of weapons from the Bronze Age, ploughing scenes, graceful warriors from the Etruscan influence phase, the famous Camunian rose and inscriptions in the Camunian alphabet. At the entrance to the engraved area there is a rest area dedicated to educational activities with a simulation of an archaeological dig and some reconstructions: a Mesolithic shelter, a Neolithic hut and a Rhaetian house from the Iron Age.

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Age of the artistic representations:

Many representations can be dated back to the Middle Ages like crosses, keys and images of the so-called “Solomon’s knot”, testimony the conversion of Camonica Valley to Christianity, and the persisting practice of drawing rocks.

General description of the destination:

The nature reserve, established in 1988, is the largest protected archaeological area in Valle Camonica. Its rock engravings, recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, tell a marvellous comic-strip story: the epic of mankind in prehistoric times, from the late Neolithic to the full historical age. A writing “before writing” that still conveys ancestral messages today.
A visit to the reserve begins at the Nadro didactic museum (which offers ticket office services, information, reception, illustrative materials and audio guides) and continues along one of the numerous visiting routes with access from Nadro di Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo. The visit itineraries allow, in a few hours or several days, to admire multiple aspects of the reserve: rock art, archaeology, ethnography and the natural environment. The Sottolaiolo area is equipped for visits by the visually, motor and sensory disabled.
At the beginning of the route, before reaching the engraved rocks, you can see the reproduction of two prehistoric huts, the first completely wooden, and the second with the lower part made by stone and the upper part made by wood. At the beginning of the locality Foppe of Nadron indicated by panels, we can admire the representations of praying people, solardisks and fighting scenes. Further on, on the left, we can discover other rocks : the first is characterized by a great number of footprints (more than 200) and fighting warriors, while the second is engraved with some birds’figures, represented with nearly naturalistic care. We can admire too the Bronze-Age weapons-compositions : similar engravings can be also found on a big surface with ploughing-scenes and inscriptions in North-Etruscan types. The area around the town Paspardo is particulary rich in rupestrian art too.
For adult groups, the reserve offers a detailed escort service in foreign languages.
The nature section houses ecological exhibitions: thematic exhibitions, guided tours and workshops illustrating the natural environment, the fascinating biodiversity and the close relationship between the environment, living beings and human activities.

Museographic resources description:

An interesting interpretation centre is located in the access to the Park in the village of Nadro di Cetto. It is integrated in a traditional house of the village and offer a very didactic exhibition focussed to introduce the rock art of the Reserve of carvings of Cato. Cimbergo e Paspardo and the daily life of the artists as well. The centre includes an information point for visitors and a little shop of products related with the rock art and the local products of the area. Didactic information panels are available in the main decorated rocks of the archaeological area.