Vallée des merveilles
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La Vallée des Merveilles (French for "Valley of Marvels") is a part of the Mercantour National Park in southern France. It holds the largest quantity of open-air Bronze Age petroglyphs in Europe, which is given special note for the area's inclusion for the European Diploma of Protected Areas.[1]
Petroglyphs
The petroglyphs (rock engravings), located on stone outcrops within the valley, were first identified by British amateur archaeologist Clarence Bicknell in 1881. Between 1897 and 1902, Bicknell copied and cataloged more than 10,000 drawings.
Beginning in 1967, an extensive study of the petroglyphs was begun by French archaeologist Henry de Lumley. Lumley and a team of his postgraduate students classified the petroglyphs in the 40 km2 area, with the greatest concentration in a 14 km2 archaeological site on the slope of Mount Bégo. the engravings display objects like daggers, axes, and scythes. Suns, stars and spirals are represented. Ovals with crisscrossed lines may represent land or the earth. Some anthropomorphic figures have been found. The most common drawings are of horned animals.[2]
Lumley has theorized the petroglyphs are the work of a Mediterranean bronze age people who worshiped the bull and for whom Mount Bego was a sacred site.[3]
The Musée des Merveilles at Tende houses numerous castings of the petroglyphs.
Geographical location
The merveille conpound is situated in the eart of the external cristalin of the alps massif from Argentera-Mercantour.
How to visit the sites?
- A pedestrian way go through the Valley. Some of the petroglyphs are visible from this path which is forbidden to leave without an approuved guide.
- The Musée des merveilles in the town of Tende.
Beware: the petroglyths are far from roads so you have to consider:
- a guide to bring you with a 4x4 ( about 1 H 30). Or
- 3 to 4 hours walking to access to the entrance of the valley from the lac des meches(EdF dam) in Saint-dalmas de Tende (in direction of Casterino). A night in the "refuge du CAF" (Club Alpin Français). Hard to do the walk up, the visit and the walk down the same day. Or
- 3 hours walking to reatch the site of the petroglyphs from pont du Countet situated over the roud of la gordolasque (haute Vésubie). A night in the "refuge du CAF" (Club Alpin Français). Hard to do the walk up, the visit and the walk down the same day.
References
- ^ Bauer, Francoise (2002). "The European Diploma of Protected Areas" (PDF). Parks. 12 (3). The World Conservation Union. Retrieved 2011-9-23.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Lieberman, Marcia (5 April 1992). "Hiking a Valley of Marvels in France". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-9-23.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Hughes, Stella (7 Fevruary 1997). "Cave cult stirs passions of pre-historians". Times Higher Education.
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External links
- Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead. Mount Bego prehistoric rock carvings by Nicoletta Bianchi
- Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead. Official site of marvels museum from Tende
- Template:Fr Entretien avec la directrice du Musée des Merveilles
- Template:Fr Les sites et gravures de la vallée des Merveilles sur le site officiel du ministère français de la Culture
- Template:Fr Stèle pour stèle dans la Vallée des Merveilles Film en ligne de Robert Field, 1989, 12 minutes. Production SFRS/CERIMES.
- Template:Fr La Vallée des merveilles - Les gravures rupestres de l'âge du bronze Film en ligne de Henry de Lumley, 1971, 21 minutes. Production SFRS/CERIMES.
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Petroglyphs -
A plough, two animals and a man
44°4′34″N 7°26′18″E / 44.07611°N 7.43833°E
