The living stones. Reassessing the Lombard group of megalithic monuments in the Copper Age

The Copper Age (European Late Neolithic) in northern Italy was marked by the involvement in the megalithic phenomenon. Various groups associated with this cultural trend emerged in the Alpine Arc, sharing common features while also displaying distinct regional characteristics. This paper presents an updated view of the Lombard group, which has benefited in recent years from several new finds, extensive archaeological research in the primary sites such as the ceremonial areas where these monoliths were positioned, and new iconographic interpretations and technological approaches. The statue-menhirs of the Lombard Group are an important ensemble of stelae, boulder-menhirs and portable objects created by selection, extraction and carving since the Late Neolithic to the end of the Copper Age. This paper argues that these monuments were not just part of a general phenomenon, but that each of the monuments had a life of its own during which they sometimes underwent significant changes.