An Incredible Encounter with Those Who Lived 4000 Years Ago

Can it be true that we can meet men who lived 4000 years ago? You won't believe it, but it's really possible. Here they are.

Jun 11, 2024

I'm a little late with my article today because not long ago I learned about a particular exhibition, I wanted to visit it and share this interesting experience with you. It's in Aosta, so I had to make this trip, and I recently returned home.

Valle D'Aosta is perhaps the smallest region in Italy which is located in a rather hostile place for productive activities given that it is located in the middle of the high mountains. But this region has infinite interesting things and places for tourists, nature, and adventure lovers. I’ve just told you many times about them in this newsletter.

Real Castle of Sarrè ( **Hunting Trophies on the Walls of the Hunting Lodge**)

Important is that the region invests a lot in the development of everything that could be useful to tourists, from setting up paths for mountain lovers to luxury accommodation facilities.

**Pre-Saint-Didier (Thermal Baths at the Foot of Mont Blanc**)

The city of Aosta in itself is a miracle. It has a long history, but impressive remains from the Roman period with arrogance appear before your eyes literally at every step, in any direction you look. They managed to survive despite the city being on the road from France to Italy with all the consequences.

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Local boys told me a curiosity. The cathedral of Aosta has two bell towers. But only one of them plays. Do you remember the story of Napoleon's descent into Italy? Having entered Aosta (and you cannot avoid the city as I have already mentioned) he gave the order to remove the bells from the bell tower to make them cannons for the French army. Since those times, the city has never put the bells back on the second bell tower.

The cathedral of Aosta with one of two bell towns visible in the photo

But let's get back to the exhibition.

In 1967 a landowner a little outside the city center decided to build a house (or something else). He started digging but immediately found an ancient necklace. They called archaeologists, and they found something incredible: a well-preserved sacred area of prehistoric man.

Interestingly, above all, and thanks to the particular conditions and landslides that repeatedly covered the area, the land has preserved its plowing furrows. It's a very rare case. And there are also footprints of both cattle and the man who worked there.

The grave with a “driveway” and round hole seen in the center of the photo was very interesting to me. I have already seen similar constructions in the Caucasus. They were whole, but no one knew what they were for. In this case, the bones of 39 people were found inside. When a new deceased was to be placed inside, the remains of others were moved alongside.

These people had good health, and healthy teeth, were well-fed, and aged up to 55 years. They had fractures from falls, which then healed. The very curious thing is that skulls have been found with even multiple trephinations that have healed over time!

Fascinating are the numerous stelaes with engravings representing the deceased.

Let me introduce him. Here he is, our man!

Archaeologists have found that the image of the cloth on these stelae matches the interweaving they found. That is, the drawing is faithful. A headdress that covered the nose and a belt.

After decades of excavations, the region decided to build a huge museum by simply covering that entire area with a building made to display and preserve the discovered treasure. It is called a Megalithic Area.

The traveling exhibition which will close in Aosta next Sunday is a collection of photos of “portraits” (anthropomorphic stelae) from megalith areas across Italy. And there are many such places here. The exhibition is photographic. Honestly, I didn't even want to go to the part of the museum dedicated to it, but it was very curious.