The Queen’s Rock

You are in the plain of Santa Elisabetta, above the village of Roppolo, not far from Cascina Tavolara. A big erratic rock with a broad and deep engraved cavity stands high, in the past even more visible due to the scarcity of woods. The rock is commonly known as “Roc d’la regina”, since according to local tradition is considered to be the grave of a queen from the barbarian times.

 There are no elements confirming this tradition, because no human remains or supply (pottery, jewels, weapons, coins, fibulas, combs, rings, necklaces etc.) have been found allowing us to date the burial site. Around the opening you can see cuts made for laying a plate, sort of grave’s closing, but the plate itself has not been found nearby or in the surrounding properties.

At the upper side of the cavity you can see 7 round cup marks with a size from 3 cm to 6 cm, and 2 rectangular cup marks of cm 6 x 3,5. Local folklore says these are are the hollows in which the “Queen” used to lay down her sewing tools (thimble, scissors and thread) and people used to believe  that rain water, once touching the stone and setting in its recess, could achieve sort of healing properties.  

Not far from the rock the very fresh springs of Prato Freddo (Cold Meadow) irrigate the slight hilly hollow, creating a verdant oasis in dry seasons too.

Extract from  “Roppolo e il suo territorio”, Comune di Roppolo, GS editrice, 2004 and from “Nuova guida di Biella e del Biellese”, Gabriella Giovannacci Amodeo, Libreria Vittorio Giovannacci, Biella, 1998

 The erratic rocks from the morain hill

Erratic rocks are a distinctive element from the Serra Morena (Morain Sierra), laid down by the Ghiacciaio Balteo (Balteo Glacier) during the Pleistocene epoch: its erosive movement originated big debris brought to very long distances due to the glacier development. During the glacier retreat, these debris stones remained on the ground, some of them leaning on the substratum, others fixed as ring stones.

Always seen as object of interest due to their power of suggestion, they have been occasionally used for religious purposes, turning into sort of real “altars”.