The discovery of an ancient stone disk in the province of Trieste (Italy) raised many questions among astronomers and archaeologists.
This massive artifact is believed to be more than a simple ancient structure. It is believed to be an ancient star map used in agriculture more than 3,000 years ago.
The Rupinpiccolo is a defensive structure surrounded by a massive wall 3 to 7 meters thick, in use since 1800 BC. to 400 BC It is considered one of the best examples of well-preserved castles in the Karst region.
However, with the discovery of two mysterious stones at the entrance, many mysteries were added to the history of this place.
After carefully examining one of the stones, researchers identified 29 mysterious cut marks: five on one side and 24 on the other.
According to archaeologist Federico Bernardini and astronomer Paolo Molaro of Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics, these marks were likely made with a chisel by a single craftsman.
Researchers speculate that the engravings on the stone depict bright stars, especially those in the constellations Orion and Scorpio. These stars rose in the eastern sky during the ‘protohistoric period’ in an event known as the ‘heliac ascent’. According to experts, one of the stones could even represent the sun.
Astronomer Molaro emphasized that the scale, statistical accuracy and orientation of the markers support the idea that these are stars.
According to Molaro, the use of bright stars as landmarks in agriculture was very common. Even in the 8th century BC. the Greek poet Hesiod described the heliacal rising of stars such as Orion and the Pleiades as an important aspect of planting crops.
However, not all experts agree with this statement. Astronomer Ed Krupp of the Griffith Observatory suggests that any connection between the markings carved into the stone and the brightest stars could be purely coincidental.
Research by Bernardini and his colleagues could not explain the mysterious 29th mark engraved on the surface of the stone disk. This mark, found next to a supposed image of the constellation Orion, does not match any known star.
The most intriguing aspect of this claim is that the 29th mark may represent a supernova that was visible when the disk was created, but later disappeared from view. A black hole or supernova remnant could still be in that location today, Molaro said.
Until now, very little is known about the culture of the Kastelleri, a Bronze Age people who built more than 100 fortifications in the ancient region of Istria. The accuracy shown by the star map is surprising and still baffles modern scientists.
