Rock engravings of Lake Garda

Have you ever heard of the rock engravings of Lake Garda?
Imagine walking on the trails in the woods of Mount Baldo, and suddenly spotting marks on rocks.

This ancient site of artistic endeavour was discovered in the 1960s. Located in the area between Punta San Virgilio and Malcesine, they have become archaeological sites of great interest to scholars.

These graffiti date back to prehistoric times, the Bronze Age, and more recent periods, such as the Middle Ages, and have lasted up until now. They were only discovered in the 1960s, and have since become an important historical and cultural heritage of the Garda area.
These archaeological finds are situated in various locations on Mount Baldo and Mount Luppia. At least 3,000 engravings have been found on two hundred and fifty rocks.

The representations engraved into the rock are of stylized human figures, warriors on horseback, boats, weapons, and sacred symbols, probably engraved by hunters and shepherds. For this reason, some museums in the region have taken samples to put them on display and to study them.
Most of the engraved rocks were made by a technique known as hammering, that is, by continuously tapping a sharp object, usually a stone, on the surface.

Like the ones in Brancolino, the rock carvings on Mount Luppia in Torri del Benaco are particularly famous.

About a half hour from Malcesine, you can visit the hall of rock engravings at the Museum of Torri del Benaco. You will be able to look at the map describing the findings, gaze at photographic images of the artefacts on the rocks, and observe historical objects found and various pieces of archaeological evidence.

Archaeologists and anthropologists guess that there are still artefacts to be discovered, studied, and protected. In fact, lectures, exhibitions, and discussions are organized because, being in the wild, all these findings are at the risk of erosion.

If you are fascinated by archaeological finds, you can organize a field trip to Malcesine and the surrounding area to walk on the graffiti trails and discover historical drawings.