2025 Mar 17, 09:19
Researchers have reported the discovery of an ancient celestial map carved on a circular stone at an Italian Bronze Age hillfort. The hillfort, called Rupinpiccolo, is located in the province of Trieste, Italy, and dates back to the Middle Bronze Age. The Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) announced the discovery of two large circular stones at the entrance of the hillfort, one of which is believed to be a representation of the sun, while the other is a carved celestial map dated to the 4th century BC. The researchers identified 29 individual engravings on one of the stones that they claim correspond precisely to constellations such as Scorpius, Orion, the Pleiades, and Cassiopeia
However, they struggled to identify a specific star on the stone and proposed the idea that it may have been a supernova that later turned into a black hole. The researchers admit that their interpretation is a suggestion and urge more studies to avoid fanciful interpretations. Skeptics suggest that the stones may simply represent the Sun and the Moon as seen from Earth.