Among archaeologists, geologists, rural representatives and municipal officials, there were at least 10 people who arrived in Montpedrós (Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Baix Llobregat) in September 2020 to assess what was then described as “sad news”. in an action vandalismAccording to the cultural heritage files of the Barcelona City Council, someone had destroyed a petroglyph that had survived there carved into a rock from the Bronze Age and even earlier from the Neolithic Age. “It is possible that the stone was worked from elements of Atlantic megalithism with motifs related to the cult of the Sun”. This is stated in the official report.
But the truth that has not been revealed until now is that it was just a work of art. Francesc PunsolaA Barcelona man with an art career full of funny anecdotes. 90s I would go for a walk with hammer and some chisels in his backpack. He did not intend to deceive anyone at the time and could now remain silent, but it has been said that there are those who are considering restoring that simple stone with public funds. He thinks it’s time to explain the truth, and meanwhile, he remembers other episodes he screwed up, as is often said.
This petroglyphs These are rock art very common and even idolized in Galicia; They are stones carved with the edges of other stones before the discovery of metals, and later, when technologically possible, with iron tips. Whatever the case, the interesting thing about petroglyphs is that they confirm an innate artistic drive in “sapiens” for thousands of years, whatever their geometric shapes or representations of natural elements. . And Punsola is a ‘sapien’. “Yes, that petroglyph was carved by me. I’m apparently the only living Neolithic artist.”
Trained at Escola Massana, Francesc Punsola Isard (Barcelona, 1966)Today, among other things, as a graphic designer, he first discovered graffiti, then in the 80s, an art that has come to town recently, but a version that has become very popular made with stencils. He was one of the members of Trepax bulkin his case, Frank de Trepax, the so-called ‘Punktocràtor’, a kind of name for whom he would do a tremendous job on the front of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra years later. Rogue version of Taüll’s paintings What MNAC values.
When the world scientific community warned that chlorofluorocarbons, one of the gases found in these sprays, were devouring Earth’s ozone layer, they decided to turn off the aerosol, mold and wall stage. This defines him somewhat ideologically and, by the way, allows us to imagine him on the trails of mountainous Catalonia as someone who believes in unity with nature. However, before reaching that stage, it is useful to stop along the way and make the play-offs. another one of those adventures where the newscasts put him in the middle of the light for a few minutes. (If possible, just a parenthesis, more than anything else, to achieve a narrative ‘crescendo’).
The thing is, Punsola discovered himself one day playing with a small zen garden sold in gift shops, a simple rectangle filled with fine sand, and a small rake to plow geometric shapes. That’s how he killed boredom. And of course, since he was living in Maresme at the time, he thought there was nothing better than to do it in a big way.
He transferred that game to the sands of the beach on winter days with his own large-scale tools, something very relaxing, until One day, the famous Grífol, Montserrat’s chief ufologist, approached him amid excitement and disappointment.The character that makes periodic expeditions to that mountain to spot UFOs. Apparently, or so he was told, he went to Maresme because a South American media outlet reported the appearance of extraterrestrial signals on the Catalan beaches. Punsola thought he wasn’t hurting anyone, and you know, he inadvertently nurtured an obsession beyond the terrestrial equator.
His aspect as a Scottish piper is also very interesting, but what is newsworthy today is the aspect he stands out as a Neolithic man. “I have never been in hiding. I would walk through the mountains and when I realized I saw an image on a stone, I would stop and work on it. I think they call it pareidolia.”. It was hard work. “In situations like Santa Coloma de Cervelló, I needed three weekends. I would take the metro to Plaza España, then to Ferrocarrils and rediscover that stone after a walk”.
Some marchers stopped. “I was talking to them. They seemed happy with the idea. There was nothing malicious in that statue.”. The thing is, over the years and inclement weather, these artifacts are certainly not 5,000 years or more, but have aged enough over time to erase their origins. Until someone is intrigued and the wheel of nonsense begins to turn.
Next to Moià in the Passarell stream, for example, Another one of Punsola’s works that caused several pilgrimages. Its location and description is described with great enthusiasm on a hiker’s blog, but not attributed to someone who has barely lived with mammoths. “It seems clear that this is a fairly recent engraving.”
Near Ripoll, on the other hand, is another confusing artifact, such as the archaeological record of the petroglyph of Santa Coloma de Cervelló, which was christened ‘tortoise’ and gave its authenticity and only authenticity at that time. end From the text, very succinctly, it is suggested that a second opinion should be sought to rule out that this is a contemporary forgery.
In fact, the text that precedes this point is that of an archaeologist in front of a treasure. It describes in great detail the scene in which the sun is transported across the sky in a chariot, something that will undoubtedly move prehistoric man, but the truth is more bland. Punsola wants the notebook of the person who wrote this. What the token identifies is actually its signature, albeit in hieroglyphic form.: the f of the name is a dot for ‘wordplay’, a sun, an A, and the second last name is Isard (Ibex in Spanish), so it puts another identical letter next to the first f, but it’s reversed and this is like a horn. This much.
Actually no. The petroglyph was left so well that the city council, after discovering the damage, sent an archaeological report to the Generalitat to make it clear how to preserve the still intact remains, while asking Mossos d’Esquadra to investigate the case. , because the best thing is it would even be possible to find some of the stolen stone in a vandal’s home. This is what keeps Punsola awake, her willingness to spend public funds to fix something that someone would gladly do for free.
He speaks from the heart. As proof of the nine, the place he chose to make this confession of being the so-called Neolithic man from Santa Coloma de Cervelló serves perfectly. The appointment is at 50 Escorial street in Barcelona. A unique building stands in the city, a group of houses with the chorus of several of the architects who changed the difficult course of their business in the 50s: Bohigas, Martorell Mitjans, Alemany, Perpiñá and Ribas, a full FAD Award in 1962
He was born and raised there, all before he moved to Maresme, but he feels so emotionally attached to that property that one day, worried about the ailments of Escorial 50 (as it is known in the trade), he sought permission from the congregation to take care of it. So he’s wearing his overalls and he’s happy. And he promises not to engrave anything on its walls.