Summary
is briefly described the site, its orientation and its relationship with neighboring structures of archaeological interest and archoastronomico. A brief discussion on the assumptions used and dating of the remains in question.
Verezzi Castle is a fortified settlement of hill, dated Age del Ferro (che, in Liguria, si sviluppò fra il 900 ed il 180 a.C.), sito presso l'abitato di Crosa, nel territorio del Comune di Borgio Verezzi (Provincia di Savona),
Si estende su un rilievo (351 m.s.l.m.; Coordinate: 44°10'20,964'' N; 8°18'34,812'' E ) situato sul versante sud occidentale di una valletta fossile e sospesa, ricca di terre rosse, a causa dei noti fenomeni carsici presenti in tutto il territorio Finalese (Foto1). Il versante nord orientale di detta valle fossile, costituisce, invece, parte del penepiano e del crinale che si continuano con la Caprazzoppa e con l'Orera.
Foto 1: il Colle del Castelliere di Verezzi with the town of Crosa
The area is currently full of greenery, is located a short distance from other structures of archaeological interest and archaeoastronomical as the Menhir Tower of Bastia, the Weapon of Crosa, and the Dolmen Stone Fence in Caprazzoppa, described earlier by Codebò et al. (1), (2), (3), (5).
The presence of rural people who join in this ancient seat high (for their livelihood, their defense from external aggression, looting, theft, especially of cattle), extended over a much wider area than the only fortified hill covered in this paper.
megalithic structures external to Castelli could also be interpreted as places for the worship of deities and / or dead (2), (3) and this may be suggestive of a man frequenting the site prior to the Iron Age.
The realization of megalithic structures, such as menhirs and dolmens, is placed, in fact, over a period of time between the end of the fifth millennium at the end of the third millennium BC, corresponding roughly to a period between the Neolithic el 'Age of Bronze.
the castle remain, at present, the remains of defensive walls on the hill sviluppantesi (Photo 2 and 3): from the bottom of the valley to the top of the hill, following the lay of the land, con una pianta grossolanamente trapezoidale.
Foto 2: Muri
Foto 3: Muri
Si possono riconoscere 3 cinte murarie principali concentriche, separate fra loro da ripiani e terrazzamenti di circa 7 metri, ospitanti i recinti in pietra attribuibili, in parte a basamenti di capanne (ricoveri, cioè, costruiti probabilmente con materiali deperibili come il legno per le pareti e la paglia per il tetto), in parte a recinzioni per il ricovero del bestiame (soprattutto ovini e suini) (Foto 4).
Foto 4: Recinzioni
La tecnica Construction of the walls of the castle walls also recalls the megalithic pattern: the large boulders of local stone, is matched and overlapping spaces left free between a rock and the other, are filled, sometimes with smaller stones and soil.
The top of the hill was defended by a massive stone wall about 2.5 meters high and the western side of the relief is steep and is a sort of natural defense (Photo 5).
Photo 5: Muro summit
The top part could also act as lookout area, given the wide field of observation, from the sea (with the island Gallinara) and the coast, ranges widely in the hinterland.
the perimeter of the castle, towards the top, you can find some very well-preserved stone tools with the presence of cups and deep ruts, grooves and notches (Photo: 6, 7, 8, 9).
6: An article in the 'bowl'
7: An article in the 'bowl'
8: An article in "gutter"
Photo 9: cupel and Canaletto
The artifacts were observed essere utilizzati come mortai per la macinazione di cereali e/o legumi, onde ottenere farine alimentari, oppure come vaschette di raccolta di acqua per l'abbeveramento degli animali ivi presenti. Un'ultima funzione potrebbe anche essere quella di raccogliere il sangue di detti animali dopo la loro uccisione, sia a scopo alimentare che sacrificale.
Ho documentato anche la presenza di una figura riconducibile ad un cruciforme rilevato su un frammento di stele (Foto 10).
Foto 10: Cruciforme
Discussione
La datazione dei reperti descritti costituisce un problema di difficile soluzione, in quanto i petroglifi si trovano in un luogo “aperto”, easily modified by meteorological and human factors.
In all likelihood, also, the castle was inhabited in periods subsequent to those previously considered to be the other Castellieri Finale of the Rock of Pert and S. Anthony (4).
The clarity and depth of the engravings on stone artefacts, suggests, however, which have been obtained with metal utensils and it would be in agreement with the dating site of the Iron Age.
The cruciform could be, instead, a sign of Christianity (1) and, therefore, be regarded as less remote times: that confirms attendance at a site in the Roman period, medieval, and perhaps even more recently, with purpose also different from those related to a pure defensive retreat, such as, for example, that a site dedicated to agricultural use.
would therefore be desirable to study the archaeological complex in question aimed at clarifying the many questions that arise, both with regard to the dating of the finds, but also to culture and the origin of the populations which gave rise to such events that we today call "to archaeological interest, "on which we, the current state of Conscenza, make only hypothetical assessments.
Bibliography
1) Codebò M., archaea-astronomical Some Hypotheses on Ligurian Engravings "Proceeding NEWS95 - INTERNATIONAL ROCK ART CONGRESS North South East West 1995
Tourino, Italy, by Ce.SMAP & IFRA, 1999 Survey supplement, Pinerolo, Italy.
2) Codebò M. 1993. The menhir of Torre Bastia. CAI News, Sec. Ligure, Sottosez. Bolzaneto, 11: 30-31.
3) Codebò M.1994, the first steps of a Archeostronomo. Bulletin of the Astronomical Observatory of Genoa, n.66, Genova, pp. 12-20.
4) Pirondini A. 2010. Observations on an archaeological site near the Castle of Souls (Rock of Perti - Finale Ligure). TRACKS Online Rock Art Bulletin
http://www.rupestre.net/tracce_php/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=43
5) M. Embers 1975. Outdoor Engraving in Finale, Liguria. Bulletin of the Center Camuno Prehistoric Studies, 12, Capodiponte (Brescia).
