Log book

At Finalborgo Syusy makes enthusiastically for the archaeological museum, which collects the prehistory of all this part of Liguria. The most significant find is the grave of a young prince, who died something like 19,000 years ago. In the museum his grave is reconstructed, with the skeleton placed as it was found. Analysis indicates that the body lay on a red ochre bed which transmitted the colour to the bones, the estimated age is about 15, the height considerable (around one metre 70) and the cause of death was probably an attack by a big animal. The reason for referring to a “prince” lies in the clothing: among the finds there is also a precious headgear of perforated shells sewn on, in his hand he held a flint with beautiful facture and two symbols of the power of hunting made from elks’ horns. The most significant information given by the accessories is that the closing pendants of the suit are decorated with mammoth bones: the mammoth was very much present in France and not very much in Italy, so it would seem that our prince was a traveller that arrived in Liguria from northern Europe ... He fed above all on meat, but also fish and molluscs, showing great frequentation of the sea, also confirmed by all the decorative shells ...

Studies by a Russian anthropologist have reconstructed the prince’s face, giving a face that has some oriental traits, similar to those of skulls found in the same period in Russia ... it is fascinating to discover that the populations around Europe in the same period, which is so remote, had the same characteristics ... Who were these people? How did they move?