Keys to discern the Phoenician, Punic and Roman mining in a typical coastal environment through the multivariate study of trace element distribution

Development of the marine Holocene environment in a drowned paleovalley with final anthropic influence in the Cartagena Bay (Murcia, SE Spain)

“…Indeed, the age of the Pleistocene record in core E3 at 11.5 m was ca. 95 ka (Ortiz et al, 2021; Torres et al, 2019), meaning that the youngest sub-episodes of MIS5 and MIS4-2 were not deposited or that those materials were eroded, the debris being transported to the sea along the erosive channels that the marine geophysics revealed (Figure 2). We can tentatively postulate that these erosive morphologies channeled the seawater flow of the Holocene transgression as they were filled by the oldest Holocene deposits which were well-stratified (Torres et al, 2018).…”

“…For the interpretation of the paleoenvironmental conditions, we firstly considered the MS and also Si and Br normalized to Al (Figure 3), these latter parameters presented in Ortiz et al (2021), as they are the most common element ratios used as proxies for fluvial terrigenous inputs and reducing environments, respectively (Frigola et al, 2007; Martinez-Ruiz et al, 2015; Martín-Puertas et al, 2010; Nieto-Moreno et al, 2011, 2013).…”

“…Furthermore, the fossil content was very scarce or even absent. However, the Si/Al ratio showed the highest values, indicating fluvial input (Martín-Puertas et al, 2010; Nieto-Moreno et al, 2011, 2013; Ortiz et al, 2021), probably related to the fan delta that developed at the mouth of the Benipila Creek (Torres et al, 2018). In this regard, quartz predominated, and there was a significant presence of calcite and dolomite.…”

“…To better understand the evolution of the basin and the paleoenvironmental characteristics of the coastal margin during the Holocene, including the human activities that influenced sedimentation in historical times (Punic and Roman epochs), we drilled a new core (E3) in the vicinity of E1 and Casa Llagostera (E2) (Figure 1). Of note, E3 contains a well preserved and large record covering the whole Holocene record (11.1 m), which was dated through radiocarbon and amino acid racemization (Ortiz et al, 2021), thus allowing continuous sampling (with 3 cm intervals) for a high-resolution study. Furthermore, intense amino acid racemization and radiocarbon sampling followed by a Bayesian analysis allowed the establishment of a reliable chronology (Ortiz et al, 2021).…”

“…Of note, E3 contains a well preserved and large record covering the whole Holocene record (11.1 m), which was dated through radiocarbon and amino acid racemization (Ortiz et al, 2021), thus allowing continuous sampling (with 3 cm intervals) for a high-resolution study. Furthermore, intense amino acid racemization and radiocarbon sampling followed by a Bayesian analysis allowed the establishment of a reliable chronology (Ortiz et al, 2021).…”