New data on buried archaeological ruins in Messina area (Sicily-Italy) from a ground penetrating radar survey

Imposa, Sebastiano; Grassi, Sabrina; Patti, Graziano; Boso, Domenico

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.11.031

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The presence of modern buildings makes it difficult to perform archaeological excavations in the town area. In fact, despite the presence of several potential archaeological sites in the subsoil of Messina, archaeological excavations are still limited (Imposa et al, 2018). Archaeobotanical remains dated to the Bronze Age were found during archaeological excavations in the Aeolian Archipelago (NE Sicily), testify to the early occupation of the islands near the Peloro Cape, while on mainland Sicily such evidence is still scarce (Mercuri et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The recent evolution of the salt marsh ‘Pantano Grande’ (NE Sicily, Italy): interplay between natural and human activity over the last 3700 years

Palli,

Monaco,

Bini

et al. 2023

J Quaternary Science

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Combined natural processes and human activities shaped the late Holocene landscape history in many Mediterranean regions. This is especially true with areas subjected to specific human interest, such as coastal areas morphologically suitable to the establishment of harbours. Here, we test the hypothesis on the location of the Roman harbour Portus Trajectus in Peloro Cape (NE Sicily, Italy) and describe the evolution of the area over the last 3700 years through lithostratigraphic, geochemical, meiofauna and microfossil analyses performed on a new sediment core recovered from the coastal salt marsh Pantano Grande (aka Lago di Ganzirri). The age–depth model was developed on radiocarbon dates and geochemical fingerprinting of two tephra layers. Results indicate that the area underwent dramatic changes ca. 650 bce. The anthropogenic impact of Greek colonies may have contributed to modifying the coastal environment of Peloro Cape due to their widespread impact on natural resources. This happened at many localities in the Mediterranean, indicating the magnitude of impact of the Greek colonies over the landscape. According to our results, it is unlikely that the current Pantano Grande basin was used as a harbour in Roman times, although the presence of a harbour in the nearby Pantano Piccolo marsh cannot be excluded. Pantano Grande had been isolated from the sea for more than 2000 years. Human intervention in the 19th century halted that isolation and provided the background for the ecological, economic and social functions the salt marsh performs today.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The recent evolution of the salt marsh ‘Pantano Grande’ (NE Sicily, Italy): interplay between natural and human activity over the last 3700 years

Palli,

Monaco,

Bini

et al. 2023

J Quaternary Science

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“…Indeed, the importance of the analysis of the soil behaviour to the assessment of the whole built heritage system should not be neglected [ 3 ]. Nowadays, geophysical survey techniques are widely used as a strategic tool to characterise the soil and identify and investigate underground evidence, as for instance archaeological remains or even structural elements of the building [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The widespread use of these methods of investigation is linked to their non-invasive character, their aptitude to be applied to different contexts, especially in urban areas and, in some applications, and the possibility of exploiting the ambient noise originated by natural (e.g., micro tremors, marine waves, wind, meteorological conditions) or anthropic (e.g., human activities, traffic, industrial machinery) sources of vibration [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extended Tromograph Surveys for a Full Experimental Characterisation of the San Giorgio Cathedral in Ragusa (Italy)

Imposa

Grassi

Barontini

et al. 2023

Sensors

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Geophysical surveys are widely used to reconstruct subsoil seismo-stratigraphic structures with a non-invasive approach. In this study the geophysical surveys were carried out with the aim to characterise the San Giorgio Cathedral in Ragusa (Italy) and the area on which it is built from a dynamic point of view. A 3D subsoil model was realised through the integration of two active (i.e., seismic tomography and multichannel analysis of surface waves) and one passive seismic technique (horizontal to vertical spatial ratio). The instrumentation used for the latter method consists of a tromograph (Tromino®), which is also employed for the characterisation of the building, focusing on the façade and the dome, by means of an ambient vibration test, processed through the standard spectral ratio and frequency domain decomposition methods. Integration of the 3D model, showing the distribution of areas with different physicomechanical characteristics, enables identifying anomalies that are likely attributable to the remains of the ancient Byzantine church of San Nicola. Four lower modes mainly involving the two investigated macroelements are identified. The experimental results outline the advantages of the use of the tromograph both for soil and structural characterisation, especially for massive masonry buildings located in areas with high seismic hazard.

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“…Geophysical prospecting is considered a very important tool in support the archaeological research given its noninvasiveness, speed of execution, and the continuous technological progress of instrumentation. Different geophysical survey methodologies adopted in archaeology over the past 60 years, such as the electrical resistivity technique [1,2], groundpenetrating radar (GPR) [3][4][5], electromagnetic method [6,7], and magnetism [8], can be used to correctly map the position and geometry of buried remains, enabling accurate archaeological excavations [3,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Usually, the materials of buried archaeological finds generate contrasts with the surrounding soil due to differences in physical and mechanical properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration of Geophysical Survey Data for the Identification of New Archaeological Remains in the Subsoil of the Akrai Greek Site (Sicily, Italy)

Grassi

Morreale

Lanteri³

et al. 2023

Heritage

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For more than a decade now, geophysical prospecting has been considered an integral part of archaeological research; the ability to quickly investigate large areas and locate objects buried in the ground without directly interacting with it is a key feature that makes such surveys essential for identifying and locating, with good accuracy, buried archaeological remains. In this study, two extensive magnetic and electromagnetic surveys were carried out in two different areas of the Akrai archaeological site, where given the distribution of archaeological remains already found at the site, it was likely that additional buried remains were present. The surveys were performed using a proton precession magnetometer and a multifrequency electromagnetic device with a frequency range of 2.5–250 kHz. By processing the data, the vertical magnetic gradient and electrical conductivity maps were obtained. Furthermore, 3D models of electrical conductivity distribution were reconstructed. On comparing the results, it was notable that many anomalies characterized by low vertical gradient values were identified within areas characterized by low electrical conductivity values. These anomalies detected by both surveys can be associated with good probability with buried archaeological remains made up of limestones. In fact, they exhibit shapes and sizes comparable to those of the wall remains already found at the site.

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New data on buried archaeological ruins in Messina area (Sicily-Italy) from a ground penetrating radar survey

Cited by 10 publications

References 33 publications

The recent evolution of the salt marsh ‘Pantano Grande’ (NE Sicily, Italy): interplay between natural and human activity over the last 3700 years

The recent evolution of the salt marsh ‘Pantano Grande’ (NE Sicily, Italy): interplay between natural and human activity over the last 3700 years

Extended Tromograph Surveys for a Full Experimental Characterisation of the San Giorgio Cathedral in Ragusa (Italy)

Integration of Geophysical Survey Data for the Identification of New Archaeological Remains in the Subsoil of the Akrai Greek Site (Sicily, Italy)

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