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In 1982 Professor Anati wrote that the rock carvings of Valcamonica were an almost inexhaustible heritage1. Since then, the dis- coveries have been many, new areas have been investigated, known ones have been published. Today, although there are new discoveries every year, we know the rock art heritage of Valcamonica in great detail and even the different features of different sites: nevertheless, much is still waiting to be properly recorded, studied, understood. That is why our Department of Research and Education of the Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici during the last four years focused mainly on integrating and analyz- ing the documentation concerning well known sites, such as Campanine, Foppe di Nadro or other areas on the eastern slope, surrounding the Naquane National Park2. Here the environment still bears the clues of traditional economic activities, as paths, stone huts and ancient stone walls: the recovery and valuation of these signs, both naturalistic and folkloric, is now the com- mitment of the "Natural Reserve of Rock Engravings of Ceto, Cimbergo, Paspardo"; the land-use framework that is thus out- lined, including rock carvings, extends from prehistory to the fully historic age.
During the seasons of research, however, some interesting findings, even unexpected, were discovered also in other sites of Valca- monica3.
This paper is aimed to give a brief over- view on the most recent discoveries, which cover almost the entire Camunnian cycle, from the late Neolithic and Chalcolithic to the full Roman Age.
The early phase: late Neolithic - Chalcolithic Age (IV-III mill. B.C.)
The most ancient rock carvings of Valca- monica were found in the site of Luine (southern Valcamonica) and date back from Epipalaeolithic. The presence of man in the Valley is confirmed by archaeology also in other sites (as Cividate, Breno, Foppe di Nadro), but no other rock carving is yet known. So, regarding the rock art in the middle and northern Valcamonica, the first phase dates from the late Neolithic and is related with more stable settlements.
During the analysis of the engravings in the site of Campanine, that were pub- lished in 2009, some recurrent combinations emerged as significant, forming a kind of "set of the phase": praying anthropomor- phic figures (s.c. orants, worshipers), cup marks, topographic elements, ploughing scenes and...