Maarten van Hoek The Geography of Cup-and-Ring ... - StoneWatch

Actually they are of the average cup-size, but appear to be large
compared to the many really small cupules elsewhere in the valley, some
of which have single rings (site 11). There are other figures, such as
“scapulas” and a possible idol and remarkable is the presence of a small
number of ‘sun’-symbols, often consisting of an (earlier ?) cup-and-tworings
with rays added from its outer ring, the whole enclosed within a
third ring (Fig. 63). These designs may be related to a solar symbol at
Carschenna III (Fig. 68) and possibly to the ‘cup-less’ ‘sun’ at Monte
Bego (24). All these solar symbols may be later.
Compared to the often extremely smooth rock art panels of the central
part of the valley, Coren de le Fate is really rough and motifs have
been carved right across cracks and quartz veins. Immediately north of
the site, which is moreover hard to reach on the steep hill slope, there
is a stream forming a
small gorge and beyond
that is an almost
inaccessible cliff making
it too hard to continue
along these slopes. The
manufacturers of the
glyphs must have had a
special reason to execute
their symbols on this
rough outcrop at such an
inaccessible place. It now
proves that Coren de le
Fate is situated at the
southernmost spot of the
valley from where it is
possible to view the
entrance of a valley
leading to the Aprica pass
(Fig. 64). From here the
route turns sharply to the
west towards the Aprica
pass giving access to the
important valley of
Valtelina, a major eastwest
running valley which
connects with another
major north-south route
from Lake Como.
From the Aprica Pass or
Lake Como one travelled
FIG. 64: THE VALCAMONICA ROUTE.
northwards to reach the
M. van HOEK: 94
GEOGRAPHY