The 'Astronauts' of Valcamonica
Among Europe's greatest collections of rock art are two figures with haloed heads that some call ancient astronauts.
What was reported
Valcamonica, an Alpine valley in Lombardy, holds one of the largest collections of prehistoric rock carvings in the world, well over 100,000 figures made over thousands of years. In 1979 it became Italy's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two figures at Zurla, near Capo di Ponte, have rays around their heads and hold objects in their hands. Since the 1960s, ancient-astronaut writers have called them space travellers in helmets.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists interpret the rayed heads as headdresses, sun symbols or images of gods, and the objects as tools or ritual items. Similar stylised figures appear elsewhere in the valley in clearly human scenes.
- When
- Carved over thousands of years
- Where
- Capo di Ponte, Valcamonica, Lombardy, Italy
- Witnesses
- Archaeologists and visitors
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.