The archaeological ensemble from Campoverde (Agro Pontino, central Italy): new constraints on the Last Interglacial sea level markers

Abstract

We present a combined geomorphological and biochronological study aimed at providing age constraints to the deposits forming a wide paleo-surface in the coastal area of the Tyrrhenian Sea, south of Anzio promontory (central Italy). We review the faunal assemblage recovered in Campoverde, evidencing the occurrence of the modern fallow deer subspecies Dama dama dama, which in peninsular Italy is not present before MIS 5e, providing a post-quem terminus of 125 ka for the deposit hosting the fossil remains. The geomorphological reconstruction shows that Campoverde is located within the highest of three paleosurfaces progressively declining towards the present coast, at average elevations of 36, 26 and 15 m a.s.l. The two lowest paleosurfaces match the elevation of the previously recognized marine terraces in this area; we define a new, upper marine terrace corresponding to the 36 m paleosurface, which we name Campoverde complex. Based on the provided evidence of an age as young as MIS 5e for this terrace, we discuss the possibility that previous identification of a tectonically stable MIS 5e coastline ranging 10–8 m a.s.l. in this area should be revised, with significant implications on assessment of the amplitude of sea-level oscillations during the Last Interglacial in the Mediterranean Sea.

Three-Dimensional Survey of Guattari Cave With Traditional and Mobile Phone Cameras

“…The development of new absolute dating techniques (U-Th) and some discrepancies in the layer sequences suggested a critical review of both. The revised chronology will also take into account the geoarchaeological data coming from the reconstruction of the Latium shorelines between MIS 9 and MIS 5 (Marra et al 2018).…”

Human occupation continuity in southern Italy towards the end of the Middle Palaeolithic: a palaeoenvironmental perspective from Apulia

“…In a first phase, corresponding to the Last Interglacial and to the first MIS 5 cooling stages, species more adapted to warm conditions spread throughout the Italian territory. Hippo ( Hippopotamus amphibius ) and straight‐tusked elephant ( Palaeoloxodon antiquus ) were recognized in northern Italy at Grotta della Madonna dell'Arma (Liguria, archaeological cave site, Valensi and Psathi, 2004 ), in central Italy at Campo Verde (Latium, archaeological open‐air site, Marra et al , 2018 ) and in southern Italy at Grotta Grande (Campania, archaeological cave site, Ronchitelli et al , 2011 ) and Contrada Iannì (Calabria, archaeological open‐air site, Marra, 2009 ). Hippo was also found in layers 1 and 6 at Avetrana (Apulia, stratified karstic infill deposit, Petronio et al , 2008 ).…”