Analisi geoarcheologiche nell’Area Marina Protetta Parco Sommerso di Gaiola (Golfo di Napoli)

Abstract

: M. Simeone & P. Masucci, Geoarchaeological analyses in the Marine Protected Area “Gaiola Underwater Park” (Bay of
Naples). (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2009).
The aim of the present work is to enrich our knowledge in the geoarchaeological field on the coastal strip of Posillipo in the Bay of
Naples, and more especially on the area being currently examined by the Institution of the Marine Protected Area “Gaiola Underwater
Park”. Along this tract of coastline there is a considerable concentration of archaeological structures of the Roman times, many of
which are submerged or semi-submerged, also on account of local volcano-tectonic phenomena (bradyseism) which still affect the
entire area of the Phlegrean Fields, of which the hill of Posillipo forms part. By matching the data resulting from archaeological investigations into the submerged structures with those inferred from geo-morphological analyses it has been possible to formulate new hypotheses about relative sea-level variations in that area from Roman times to the present day. Given the scarcity of bibliographical data, the first phase of the study has been dedicated to surveying the submerged archaeological structures as well as to the geomorphological analyses on the coastal strip both above and below sea level that has also led to surveying the coastal caves present which for the most part are of artificial origin. The presence of archaeological markers such as quays, quarries and fishponds has proved to be very useful for determining in the study area, in roman time, the sea-level was 3m lower than today.