Rock carvings sites des Merveilles (Wonders) et de Fontanalba

The high-altitude sites of Merveilles and Fontanalba stretch from the meadows of alpine pastures to the rocky slopes of neighboring peaks, above larch forests.
The sites are snowy more than 6 months in the year.


City Tende

Typology Artwork, Converted site

Period Before 1380

Accessibility No

Visitable Yes

Infos

The area known by the generic name of Valley of Wonders (Vallée des Merveillesà, includes several rock engravings site, between 1900 to 2700 m of altitude approximately, around Mont Bégo (2872 m) and the Rock of the Wonders (Rocher des Merveilles) (2659 m) )

Six sites are located in France: Merveilles (972 ha) and Fontanalba (486 ha), but also Vallauretta, Valmasque, Col du Sabion, Lake Sainte-Marie. On the Italian side, there is the sector of Vei del Bouc. The addition of these sites represent 14 km² scattered over a total area of ​​40 km².

The mineral landscape carved by the glacier trajectory about 10,000 years ago contains an archaeological treasure of about thirty to forty thousand rock carvings around Mount Bego, mostly dated about 3000 to 1600 BC.

Rediscovered by scholars at the end of the 19th century, the engravings are found on rock faces, and more frequently on rocky outcrops (“moutonnées” rocks) or erratic blocks (mainly pelite and sandstone).

Since the end of the Neolithic, during the metal ages, then during the Roman period and finally during the medieval and modern eras, the men and women present on these sites of high mountain left various symbolic representations.

Cattle engravings, couplers, weapons and geometric figures were made during Protohistory, while the motifs of coats of arms, firearms, texts and pastoral and popular designs are historical.

Conditions of visit

  • Merveilles site: Take RD 91 road from Saint-Dalmas de Tende. Parking at the Mesches lake. Continue on foot (National Park) by the dirt road to the Minière de Valaura; then marked path.
  • Fontanalba site: Take RD 91 road from Saint-Dalmas de Tende. Parking in the hamlet of Castérino. Continue on foot (National Park). Three routes:
    – before the entry of the hamlet, departure behind the Accrobranche des Merveilles (tree climbing place),
    – Bicknell trail: departure opposite Val Castérino inn,
    – beyond the hamlet: departure from parking located 2 km after Castérino.

Access limited to valid people, because of the nature of the hilly hiking trail in the high mountains.
Allow 2.30h walk from Mesches lake to Merveilles, and 2h between Castérino and Fontanalba site.

Restricted access to engraved areas (mandatory guided tours).

Visits are possible from June to October (dates depending on the snow).
Hiking trails (including the GR52) cross protected areas. Some engravings are visible along these trails, it is forbidden to leave without being accompanied by a licensed guide. Interpretation panels have been set up for the engravings located along the hiking trails.

  • Off-trail controlled access: mandatory guided tours with a fee. (Information: Tende tourist office, company guides of Tende and Mercantour National Park).
  • Merveilles site: go to the refuge des Merveilles. Duration of the visit: 2.30 to 3h.
  • Fontanalba site: meet at the Lakes Jumeaux. Duration of the visit: 2h to 2.30h.

Attention: Visits insured within the limit of 15 people per visit. In high season two groups can leave at the same time if crowded. For organized groups, contact the guides beforehand, as well as for a visit in a foreign language.

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Additional information

Bibliography

  • Arcà Andrea, Incisioni topografiche e paesaggi agricoli nell’arte rupestre della Valcamonica e del Monte Bego, Notizie Archeologiche Bergomensi, 7, pp. 207-234. 1999.
  • Arcà Andrea, Rappresentazioni agricole e scene di aratura nell’arte rupestre della Valcamonica e del Monte Bego, Bulletin d’études préhistoriques et archéologiques alpines, XVI, Aoste, pp. 77-93. 2005.
  • Arcà Andrea, Monte Bego e Valcamonica, confronto fra le più antiche le fasi istoriative. Dal Neolitico all’età del Bronzo Antico, parallelismi e differenze tra marvegie e pitoti dei due poli dell’arte rupestre Alpina, RSP, LI X, pp. 265-306. 2009.
  • ARCÀ Andrea, Entre Bégo et Val Camonica, une clé pour mieux comprendre l’origine de l’art rupestre dans les Alpes, Bulletin d’études préhistoriques et archéologiques alpines, XXII, Aoste, pp. 71-89, 2011.
  • ARCÀ Andrea, Piero Barocelli, l’archeologo delle Meraviglie Un pioniere dell’archeologia rupestre italiana ed europea, in Quaderni della Soprintendenza Archeologica del Piemonte, 27, 77-100, 2012.
  • Barocelli Piero. Clarence Bicknell – Necrologio, in Bollettino della Società piemontese di archeologia e belle arti, II, pp. 65-69. 1918.
  • Barocelli Piero Val Meraviglie e Fontanalba (note di escursioni paletnologiche), in Atti della Società piemontese di archeologia e belle arti, X, pp. 1-51. 1921.
  • Barocelli Piero Esplorazione sistematica della zona archeologica di Monte Bego, in Bollettino della Società piemontese di archeologia e belle arti, VII, pp. 97-98. 1923.
  • Barocelli Piero Ancora due parole sulle rocce incise di Monte Bego, in Bollettino della Società piemontese di archeologia e belle arti, XIII, pp. 30-32. 1929.
  • Barocelli Piero, Mostra delle incisioni rupestri delle Alpi Marittime, Museo Bicknell, Bordighera 16 aprile-15 giugno 1939.
  • Barocelli Piero Le incisioni rupestri di Monte Bego nelle Alpi Marittime (Comune di Tenda), con sette figure nel testo e quattro tavole fuori testo, in Rivista di antropologia, XXXV, pp. 246-272. 1947.
  • Bicknell Clarence, A guide to the prehistoric rock engravings in the Italian Maritime Alps, Giuseppe Bessone. Bordighera, 1913.
  • Blain A., Paquier Y., Les gravures rupestres de la Vallée des Merveilles. Art hérité d’un long passé, Les Dossiers de l’Archéologie, 1977. La vallée des Merveilles, 100 000 gravures rupestres, l’âge du bronze dans les alpes, 23, juillet/août 1977, Dijon, pp. 12-25, 1977.
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  • Blain A., Paquier Y., En rapport avec les gravures rupestres de la Vallée des Merveilles, une technique d’étude : la mise en série évolutive, Bulletin d’Etudes Préhistoriques Alpines, X, Aosta, pp. 63-68. 1978.
  • Blain A., Paquier Y., Les hallebardes de la Vallée des Merveilles, Bulletin d’Etudes Préhistoriques Alpines, XIX, Aosta, pp. 43-80. 1987.
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