Recent palaeoenvironmental evolution of the coastal plain near the archaeological site of Aquileia (Friuli Venezia Giulia)

The recent palaeogeographic evolution of the southern Friuli alluvial plain, including the archaeological site of Aquileia and the neighbouring Adriatic coastal areas, represents a research topic of the Trieste University team since long time. This scientific interest is determined by the presence of significant Roman archaeological remains related to Aquileia, town founded in 181 B.C. and its agro centuriazione, the Grado harbour and Lacus Timavi, corresponding today to the Lisert area, which yielded villae and thermae. The most recent interdisciplinary investigations (sedimentology, palaeontology, history, geoarchaeology and geochronology) concern the study of several cores located along the alluvial plain (Arnaud - Fassetta et al., 2003), the Grado and Marano lagoons (Marocco, 1991; Marocco et al., 1984; 2005) and the north Adriatic coastal area (Gordini et al; 2002; Covelli et al., 2006; Marocco & Melis – submitted). They are addressed to identify the coastline position and the late Quaternary evolution of the north-east Adriatic area. Recent publications (Antonioli et al., 2007; in press; Amorosi et al., 2008), evidenced that active tectonics in the area, subsidence (natural and anthropogenic), sea level variation, as well as hydro isostasy are determinant, at regional level, for the coastline evolution of the north Adriatic area. In this context, our research focus on the factors that seem to be determinant at local level: the alluvial plain progradation/regression produced by change of the fluvial hydrodynamic or by the frequent lateral migrations of their deltas. Together with the relative sea level change, these factors highly influence the general features of the lagoons (Nichols, 1989), definable through their sedimentological and biotic characters. Particularly, the lateral migrations of Isonzo river as recorded in the Holocene deposits of the archaeological site of Aquileia and the nearby alluvial plain (S.A.R.A. and PICS projects), played a decisive role in the development of its harbour and the related commercial activities. The palaeoecological data obtained by the palaeontological (foraminifers, molluscs and ostracods) and sedimentological studies will be related to the Holocene climatic history and the migration of the brackish (lagoonal and marsh) environments. Moreover, this research plans to give further details on the palaeoenvironmental conditions of the Veneto-Friuli coasts, considering the Holocene evolution and the tectonic conditions, which are recently highlighted by Nicolich et al. (2004) and Busetti et al., (in press). Amorosi A. et al., 2008 – GeoActa, 7, 41 -67. Antonioli F. et al., 2007 – Quaternary Science Reviews, 26, 2463 – 2486. Antonioli F. et al., in press – Quaternary International. Arnaud - Fassetta G. et al., 2003 - Geomorphologie: relief, processus, environnement. 4, 227-246. Busetti M. et al. in press – GeoActa Covelli S. et al. 2006 – Marine Geology, 230, 29-51. Gordini E. et al., 2002 - Gortania, 24, 31-63. Marocco R., 1991 - Il Quaternario, 4, 223 – 232. Marocco R. et al., 1984 - Boll. Oceanol. Teor. Appl., 2,1, 11-17. Marocco R. et al. 2005 – Il Quaternario, 18 (2), 135 – 146. Marocco R. & Melis, submitted – Il Quaternario Nichols M., 1989 – Marine Geology, 88, 201 – 219. Nicolich R. et al. (2004) – Reg. Auton. FGV report, 36 pp.