THE LUNIGIAN STELE STATUES
Meaning and function
The stele statues of Lunigiana have been mostly discovered outside of their original context. For this reason, it is not easy to reconstruct the meaning and function that these monuments may have had within the civilization that produced them. Their function remains largely enigmatic, as there is insufficient archaeological data to fully understand certain cultural phenomena.
Some significant clues can be drawn from the comparison with similar monuments found in other geographical areas. More certain elements are known about the stele statues of Group C: based on comparisons with other monuments from contemporary contexts (such as Veneto, the Felsina area, the central Adriatic region, northern Etruria, and Foggia), it is possible to hypothesize their function as funerary monuments. Furthermore, these representations, conceived more as statues than as steles, hold a specific meaning: they are individual monuments that exalt a prominent figure within the local community. These figures adopt aristocratic weaponry and display a cultural superiority derived from their knowledge of writing. The presence of inscriptions, all interpreted as onomastic in nature, further emphasizes the intention of individual glorification.
For the older monuments (Groups A and B), there are still significant gaps in our understanding. In this case as well, comparisons with similar situations can be made, but they do not appear to be conclusive. The phenomenon of stele statues had a widespread geographic distribution and represents the result of similar processes that occurred in different regions, even those geographically distant from each other, during a particular era. From the late 4th to the early 3rd millennium BCE, the beginning of a new era (the Copper Age) is evident throughout Europe. This era was characterized by the earliest metalworking (copper), which rapidly gained increasing importance, necessitating the search for metal deposits and the trade of finished products. The previous Neolithic society was not socially stratified and was characterized by sedentary agricultural peoples with a “matriarchal” social organization. With the onset of the Bronze Age, a nomadic way of life associated with a predominantly pastoral, patriarchal, and warrior-based economy emerged, along with significant commercial activities.
The semi-nomadic pastoral lifestyle led to conflicts and an increasing proliferation of weapons used for both raiding and defense. It also brought about a greater awareness of power dynamics and the role of merchant-shepherds-warriors, whose organization was based on wealth and economic privilege. Particularly evident during the Early Bronze Age are indications of warfare and social differentiation, as evidenced by the presence of fortified dwellings, strategically positioned villages on hilltops, and the characteristics of burial goods and hoards. These factors reflect a society marked by a heightened sense of warfare and social hierarchy. di abitazioni fortificate, dalla disposizione strategica dei villaggi in posizioni dominanti di collina e dalle caratteristiche dei corredi tombali e dei ripostigli.
The new nomadic lifestyle likely contributed to the practice of marking specific areas along important routes with large monuments like the statue stele. These statues can be found in various contexts, including natural environments (Rouergue, Lunigiana), inhabited areas (Languedoc), and burial sites (Balkan-Pontic region, Provence, Paris Basin, Brittany). Groups of statue stele are consistently located along precise routes, in characteristic and recurring geographical and environmental situations. They are often found near watercourses and in mountainous regions. They are never found in rugged or inaccessible locations but along major valleys and mountainous areas that serve as important communication routes between vast regions of Europe. The statue stele in the Alpine arc, in particular, are found along valleys connecting Mediterranean regions with the northern regions beyond the Alps. These areas served as important trade hubs, especially with the development of metallurgy, when the mountains were no longer seen as barren and devoid of resources but rather as sites of metal deposits and mining quarries.
In Lunigiana, several clusters of statue stele have been discovered, such as in Pontevecchio, where nine statues have been found, eight of which were vertically inserted into the ground, aligned closely together with their faces turned towards the course of the sun (south). Other probable groups of statue stele were likely present in Selva di Filetto, where 11 statue stele have been unearthed, and in Malgrate, where six statue stele were recovered. Small groups can also be identified in Minucciano, the Monti di Licciana Nardi area, Filattiera, Canossa, La Spezia, and they exhibit a recurring aspect in other areas beyond Lunigiana as well (such as Aosta and Sion), where the monuments, often associated with collective burials, were arranged in alignment to evoke ancient and enduring cultural traditions.
From all these elements, a dual interpretation of these megalithic monuments emerges, both “sacred” and “profane” in nature. In one case, the statue stele could have held symbolic and abstract meanings associated with the sphere of religious worship, representing images of celestial deities. In the other case, they could depict real living or deceased individuals who held a prominent social position within the community (heroized ancestors, leaders, or patriarchal clan founders). The statue stele may have represented images of protective entities or real individuals positioned as points of reference or “guardians” at the top of villages, in hunting areas, along transit routes, or in economically significant locations.
In the Neolithic period, with the discovery of agriculture, the feminine image had gained prominence and spread. Similarly, in the Metal Ages, within communities of merchant-nomad-warriors, the male figure assumes greater importance. The statue stele thus appear as reflections of beliefs and likely activities centered around “supernatural” entities (in the sense of divinities), or at least “superhuman” beings connected not to individual men, but to social or tribal groups possessing skills that conferred value and prestige.
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