Stele Statue Museum
Welcome
The Stele Statues, found in the territory of Historical Lunigiana over the years, constitute an ancient and mysterious heritage. The Museum of Lunigianese Stele Statues, located in the evocative Piagnaro Castle in Pontremoli, offers visitors the opportunity to embark on a fascinating and thrilling journey to discover these ancient testimonies carved in sandstone. The stele statues were created by the populations that inhabited the region between the 4th and 1st millennium BCE, and they still represent a partly unresolved enigma today.
Through interactive exhibits, archaeological artifacts, and detailed information, the museum provides a comprehensive overview of the Stele Statues and the historical-cultural context in which they were created. It is a unique opportunity to delve into an ancient and captivating heritage that has sparked interest and curiosity throughout the centuries.
The Museum of Lunigiana Stele Statues is located in the Piagnaro Castle in Pontremoli. Its collection, incredibly evocative, exhibits and narrates one of the most significant phenomena of European megalithic culture.
Explore the access options and plan your visit optimally. If you prefer, you can focus on visiting the Castle, which houses our museum, by taking advantage of a discounted ticket.
STELE STATUE MUSEUM
The new exhibition
The Museum of Lunigianese Stele Statues offers a unique experience to delve into the history and culture of this fascinating region. The exhibited works allow visitors to admire up close the skill and artistry of the ancient peoples who created them. Visitors can appreciate the grandeur of the statues, explore their stylistic features, and contemplate the enigma that still surrounds these ancient artifacts.
the Stele Statues
Classification
The Statue Stele are vertical stone sculptures of varying sizes, but generally ranging from 2 to 3 meters in height. They are characterized by a slender and thin form, with a stylized humanoid appearance. The sculpted figures often represent men and women with stylized and simplified somatic features, but there are also depictions of animals, weapons, and various objects.
These mysterious artworks are testimonies to the culture and spirituality of the ancient populations that inhabited the Lunigiana region. Their exact function still remains a subject of debate among scholars. Some hypothesize that the Statue Stele could represent ancient gods or local deities, while others suggest that they could have been funerary symbols or commemorative monuments.
The enigma of the Statue Stele also lies in their symbolic meaning. The sculpted figures often feature enigmatic and abstract symbols such as concentric circles, cup marks, and linear incisions, which may hold religious, astronomical, or ritualistic significance. Understanding these symbols is still the subject of research and study by archaeologists and experts in the field.
LEARN
MUST lab
Educational activities, workshops, day trips, stays in guesthouses, medieval-themed animations, and experimental archaeology.
