Human sacrifice on Monte Lulseto

A recent article in the local paper about the discovery of a Celtic ritual site in the mountains above Reggio Emilia in the Tassaro Valley ignited my curiosity. A series of strange channels and bowls were carved into the face of a huge slab of rock along with other strange incisions. The problem was that the article did not give away (on purpose) the location; just the name of the mountain and the fact it faced west.



Rio Tassaro, RE

The Tassaro valley is one of the wildest and mysterious parts of our mid Apennines. There is a for example a splendid waterfall hidden away and the little hamlets in this area are rich with stone carvings.

I started my walk at Crovara with its ruined castle, the domain of a family of local warlords or more properly bandits called Da Palude who terrorised the area in the thirteenth and fourteenth century. Little now remains of the castle.

Crovara,RE

Castello di Crovara, RE

Castello di Crovara, RE

Devils head, Crovara,RE

Just outside of the church one can see a strange huge stone head, probably an effigy of the devil.  

Looking at the photographs of the Celtic site posted online I more or less got the idea where to go to find the site. I soon came across a suspiciously well-worn footpath going nowhere and after a couple of minutes, Bingo, I had found the site which had been cleared of vegetation by the researchers who found the site.

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

It seems the Celts were into animal and human sacrifice from what I found online about similar sites in Europe. They liked to watch how the blood flowed in the channels and cups carved in the rocks to help them divine the future. So, this most probably was a sacrificial site although nobody can be sure. A site of fertility rites is a less probable reason for the incisions.

 

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

Cross. La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

Cups. La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE



La pietra Celtica del Lulseto,Crovara,RE

The site is quite impressive and strange.   

I still had lots of time so I took the “Sentiero Ducale” footpath along the top of the hills to Pineto a splendid little hamlet with a well-known Trattoria that I must try one day. There is a fine tower house amongst the stone buildings.

Pineto,RE

Rio Riolco, Pineto RE

Mulino della Pianga, Crovara, RE

The return path took me down the other side of Monte Pineto along the thickly wooded Tassaro valley and back to the car. My walks in this area have always proved themselves to be interesting and enjoyable.

Here is an interesting link in Italian about the Celtic site.