The Pontine Marshes: An integrated study of the origin, history, and future of a famous coastal wetland in Central Italy

Abstract

The Pontine Marshes (Central Italy) are known for their long drainage history starting early in Roman times and culminating in their reclamation ( bonifica integrale) by the Fascist’s regime under Mussolini, mostly in the 1930s of past century. The geology of this coastal wetland and causes for its drainage problems received limited attention till recently. We reviewed results from recent studies, identified still existing knowledge gaps and performed additional research to fill these, to produce a full description of the Holocene history and drainage of these marshes. Massive coring data that served to map the soils and surficial geology, observations in archaeological excavations, analytical data on soil and sediment characteristics, and radiocarbon datings allowed us to distinguish several phases in this history, with a main break in the early Roman Republican period with the first systematic drainage works. Earlier, natural processes brought about by sea level rise largely controlled its drainage. Once artificial drainage started, soil subsidence became an important process, aggravating the drainage problems. The bonifica introduced mechanical drainage, temporarily masking the impacts of subsidence. We quantified the historical subsidence using DTMs and developed scenarios for the impacts of sea level rise and subsidence in 2100 and 2200, assuming that this rise will be mitigated by a coastal defence system and enhanced capacity of the mechanical drainage. Our results demonstrate the important role of soil subsidence throughout the history of this wetland and need to include subsidence in scenarios for the impacts of sea level rise.

The Avellino Event. Cultural and Demographic Effects of the Great Bronze Age Eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Overview of main project results, publications and valorisation activities

“…In addition, the team has made huge strides in the reconstruction of the longue durée of human-landscape interaction in the Pontine region, going well beyond the chronological focus of the Avellino Event project by providing insight in vegetation change and increasing human impact on the landscape in later periods as well. This is reflected in a recent publication on the origin, history and future of the Pontine Marshes (Sevink et al, 2023).…”

“…Farther to the north on the Pontine plain, from the site of Campo Inferiore di Sezze, we have evidence of substantial worked wooden beams dating to before the Avellino eruption, suggesting the nearby presence of a lakeside palafitta settlement . Further modest interventions in the natural landscape can be inferred from the archaeobotanical record for the period (Doorenbosch 2023), and from the recently excavated Mazzocchio site (Sevink et al 2023).…”

“…The site yielded a Middle and a Final Bronze Age phase. The metal finds from the site have already been studied by G. Melandri (in press), while an overview of its geological setting and landscape history was published by Sevink et al (2023). The GIA was given the official permit to study and publish the excavated settlement remains and ceramic finds.…”