I Bell Stone Giants, Also called Incavallicata Stones, are two rock formations, believed to actually be megalithic sculptures, near Campana, a small Lucanian village in the Sila National Park.
The two Megaliths of Incavallicata They are located a short distance from each other and have a different shape, but they have in common the fact that they are both composed of sandstone rocks eroded and mutilated by atmospheric agents, at the base of which there are two cavities.
One of the two, the one called Elephant of the Incavallicata, due to its shape similar to the animal's profile, it measures 5,5 meters in height; the other, called "Cyclops" o “Seated Warrior” and which lacks the upper part, has an amorphous shape and is tall 7,5 meters.
The Mystery of the Bell Stone Giants
The mysterious charm of the Bell Stone Giants It also depends on the territorial context in which they are found, in fact, they are associated with some small cavities dug into the sandstone rock, the “Neolithic caves” widespread throughout the Mediterranean basin. These, it is assumed, had a funerary purpose, even if there is no evidence to certify this.
The oldest part of the abandoned village di Campana, the municipality where the two megaliths are located, seems to be magically frozen in time.
In the Middle Ages, the Round Tower was built around the village, later called Clock tower, the only one still standing of the other five built along the route of the city walls.
It is advisable to visit the famous “Gate of Eternity”, built in ancient times by the first settlements with the aim of defending the population from attacks of the barbariansThe monument, located near the old town, has recently been restored.
There are also numerous places of worship linked to religious and Christian traditions, such as The Church of San Domenico (Patron saint of the town), located in Piazza Parlamento near the historic centre, the Church of Sant'Antonio, founded in 1661 and consecrated in 1861, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, located in the heart of the old historical centre and built around the 15th century, the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, located at the entrance to the town and founded in 1569 and the Church of Santa Maria of Constantinople, built between 1610 and 1629.
The village is an ancient settlement that has spanned centuries of history, in fact there are many archaeological finds from the Hellenistic age discovered in the surrounding area, such as bronze tools, ceramic fragments and a Roman tomb, the grave goods of which are located in the Museum of Crotone, in the Pignataro district.
The territory of Campana It is the ideal starting point for excursions in the Sila National Park, near the Lake Cecita, near which is located theElephant of the Incavallicata.
The Elephant of Incavallicata and Lake Cecita
A archaeological discovery occurred at the bottom of the Lake Cecita supports the hypothesis according to which theElephant of the Incavallicata is a zoomorphic statue, carved to represent a prehistoric elephant.
The pachyderm found has a large molar e 3 meter long tusks which have allowed us to date it to 700.000 years ago.
This discovery sheds new light on the history of an area already rich in charm, which in 2004 also returned evidence of theNeanderthal man.
There are other hypotheses on the reasons behind the creation of theElephant of the Incavallicata.
According to some scholars, it could represent one of the war elephants passed through Calabria during the historical Pyrrhus' Expedition (280 BC), but according to others it could recall the Hannibal's Elephants during the Second Punic War (216 BC), all fascinating and plausible hypotheses, but not yet proven.
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