Genesi, evoluzione e paleografia delle grotte costiere di marina di Camerota (parco nazionale del Cilento Vallo Di Diano, Italia Meridionale)


Abstract


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La costa tra Marina di Camerota e P.to Infreschi (SA) presenta numerose grotte, già note per il loro valore preistorico. E’ stato condotto uno studio geomorfologico e stratigrafico, per delucidare la loro genesi ed evoluzione. Sono stati individuati 4 tipi di cavità: grotte sviluppate in depositi marini o continentali, grotte in substrato calcareo impostate su faglia o frattura, grotte associate all’emergenza di una falda in rete e relitti di cavità crollate. All’interno delle cavità sono stati riconosciuti diversi stazionamenti del livello del mare. Le grotte studiate contengono il registro delle oscillazioni eustatiche e climatiche tardo pleistoceniche, oltre che importanti tracce preistoriche. Esse possono dunque essere considerate geositi di rilevanza nazionale e come tali devono essere preservate e valorizzate in maniera adeguata.
En
The coastline between Marina di Camerota and the bay of Porto Infreschi (Province of Salerno) is characterized by several caves, known above all for their prehistoric records. We carried out a detailed study of these caves in order to better understand their genesis and evolution in function of the main middle and late Pleistocene eustatic sea level fluctuations.Along the coastal sector four different kind of cave have been identified. The first one includes caves developed into Pleistocene marine conglomerates or into slope breccias, located at altitude higher than the present see level and which are associated with ancient see level. The second one contains fault-guided or joint-guided caves developed into carbonate bedrock; some are active and some other are fossil. The third kind includes phreatic caves cut into carbonate bedrock. Generally, they are present in group and developed along front line(for example, the case of the bay of Porto Infreschi). The last one is represented by the remains of collapsed caves; which are visible for the presence of marine deposits, speleothems and remains of alluvial fan along the sea cliff (i. e. the case of the Riparo degli Infreschi cave). Into the caves the traces of at least three different high stands located at altitude of 8.5-8, 4.5, 3.5 m a.s.l. which can be referred to the Last Interglacial period have been observed (ESPOSITO et al., 2002). Moreover in the Porto Infreschi caves are clearly recorded moments of speleothems formations between the different phases of marine ingression.During the low stands of the isotopic stages 4 and 3 the most of the caves were abandoned by the sea and they became a safe refuge for the prehistoric man. The richness of their stratigraphical record, from a paleoclimatical and archaeological point of view, in addition to their prehistoric importance, allow many of these caves to be considered as important "geosites".

DOI Code: 10.1285/i15910725v26supp165

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