Troppo (poco) umano : alcune considerazioni in materia di antenati ed eroi nella preistoria recente e nella protostoria dell’Italia settentrionale

Between the late fourth and third millennium BC, the slow but irreversible process leading to the emergence of complex societies, is accompanied by the phenomenon of the birth of the hero. In northern Italy, the most obvious examples and elements that allow us to define the figure of the hero are provided by the anthropomorphic stone statues of the third millennium, and the funeral rites and religious costumes of the end of the fourth millennium. From the functional point of view, the hero, often embodied by the ancestor, real or perceived, is in charge of managing the complex relationships between the phenomenal reality and metaphysical reality. Through him, the elite mirror themselves and gain equal relationships with the gods, thus pursuing a goal that’s not only religious, but also political. In the societies of early history the emergence of this heroic model has contributed to create complex political, economic and social structures.