Il Quaternario
Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences
22(2), 2009 - 257-266
GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES OF CHANGES IN THE COASTLINE
PROGRADATION RATE OF THE VERSILIA COASTAL PLAIN BETWEEN CAMAIORE
AND VIAREGGIO (TUSCANY, ITALY): POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LATE
HOLOCENE HIGH-FREQUENCY TRANSGRESSIVE-REGRESSIVE CYCLES
Monica Bini1, Giovanni Sarti1, Simone Da Prato1, Fabio Fabiani2, Emanuela Paribeni3 & Carlo Baroni1
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Via S. Maria 53, Università di Pisa bini@dst.unipi.it, sarti@dst.unipi.it
2
Dipartimento di Scienze Archeologiche, Via S. Maria 53, Università di Pisa
3
Soprintendenza per i Beni archeologici della Toscana via S. Maria Pisa
1
ABSTRACT: Bini M. et al., Geoarchaeological evidences of changes in the coastline progradation rate of the Versilia coastal plain
between Camaiore and Viareggio (Tuscany, Italy): possible relationships with Late Holocene high-frequency transgressive-regressive
cycles. (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2009)
The Late Holocene progradation of the Versilia coastal-plain, between Camaiore and Viareggio (Tuscany, Italy), was investigated on
the basis of geomorphological, stratigraphical, and archaeological data. Five geomorphological units, corresponding to the Camaiore
alluvial fan, beach-dune ridges, interdune marshes, a back dune marsh (Giardo and related Massaciuccoli lake area), and the presentday beach, were identified.
Archaeological data provide some chronological constraints on the timing of Late Holocene coastal progradation. About 3000 yrs ago,
the coastline was located about 2,5 km landward in respect to its present-day position, in the proximity of the Migliarina beach dune,
behind which a marsh area developed. This marsh extended from the Giardo to the present-day Massaciuccoli Lake. The connection
between Giardo and Massaciuccoli area allows us to reconsider the role of Acquarella site in becoming an important centre in commercial communication among sea, coast, and inland areas. Around the 12th century the coastline was located in proximity of the dune
alignments where Motrone Fort and the Castello Vecchio di Viareggio were built testifying a progradation of about 1,3 km. During the
next four centuries the coastline continued its seaward shifting for 500 m more and was located in proximity of the Matilde Tower.
From the 16th to the present time the progradation of the coastline has been proceeded by of about 0,7 km. These data indicate changes in the progradation rate during that the time and in particular an increase since the 16th century. An irregular progradation rate
agrees with stratigraphic and facies analysis based on surface and subsurface data (wells and excavations) that allowed us to define a
preliminary framework of the last phases of coastline progradation. The identification of four high-frequency small-scale transgressiveregressive cycles (parasequences) within the succession recording the Late Holocene phase of progradation points to evidence that
the progradation rate of the coastline was subject to cyclic fluctuations.
RIASSUNTO: Bini M. et al., Evidenze geoarcheologiche di variazioni nel tasso di progradazione della pianura Versiliese nel tratto compreso tra Camaiore e Viareggio (Toscana, Italia): possibili relazioni con cicli trasgressivo-regressivi ad alta frequenza tardo olocenici.
(IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2009).
L’integrazione tra dati geomorfologici, stratigrafici e archeologici ha permesso di analizzare alcune delle tappe di progradazione della
pianura costiera versiliese nel tratto compreso tra Camaiore e Viareggio (Toscana, Italia). Nell’area di studio, sono state individuate cinque unità morfologiche: la conoide alluvionale del torrente Camaiore, una serie di cordoni dunali, le aree umide interdunali, la più ampia
area umida del Giardo e la spiaggia attuale. I dati archeologici hanno permesso di porre alcuni vincoli cronologici riguardo i tempi della
progradazione della linea di costa. Circa 3000 anni fa la linea di costa, si trovava arretrata di circa 2,5 km rispetto alla sua posizione
attuale, ed era localizzata in prossimità della duna della Migliarina, alle spalle della quale si estendeva un’area palustre (Giardo) in
comunicazione verso sud con l’attuale lago di Massaciuccoli. La comunicazione tra le due aree permette di riconsiderare in una luce
nuova il ruolo del sito dell’Aquarella nel divenire un importante centro commerciale di comunicazione tra il mare, la costa e le zone
interne.
Attorno al 12th secolo la linea di costa era avanzata di circa 1,3 km e si trovava in prossimità dell’allineamento di dune dove furono
costruiti il Forte di Motrone e il Castello Vecchio di Viareggio. Durante i quattro secoli successivi la progradazione continuò per circa
500 m e, nel 16th secolo, la linea di costa era localizzata all’altezza della torre Matilde. Dal 16ths ecolo ad oggi il processo di progradazione è proseguito per circa 0,7 km. Questi dati indicano variazioni nel tempo del tasso di progradazione ed in particolare un incremento a partire dal 16th secolo.
Un tasso di progradazione irregolare è in accordo con i dati stratigrafici e di analisi di facies di depositi superficiali e sub-superficiali
(carotaggi e scavi) che hanno permesso di definire un quadro preliminare delle ultime fasi della progradazione costiera nell’area di studio. In particolare l’identificazione di quattro piccoli cicli trasgressivi-regressivi (parasequenze) ad alta frequenza all’interno della successione che registra le fasi di progradazione tardo oloceniche suggerisce fluttuazioni cicliche nel processo di progradazione della linea
di costa.
Keywords: Coastal plain progradation, parasequences, Late Holocene, Versilia.
Parole chiave: Progradazione pianura costiera, parasequenze, Tardo Olocene, Versilia.
INTRODUTION
This work focuses on the Late Holocene paleogeographic reconstruction of a sector of the Versilia
coastal plain (Fig.1) between Camaiore and Viareggio
(Tuscany, Italy). Over the last 3000 yr, this area has
experienced a coastline progradation of about 2,5 km,
but the causes of this process are still not completely
explained. Many studies support the relationships
between high-frequency climatic variations (millennial
to centennial scale), probably associated with smallscale sea-level fluctuations, and the development of
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M. Bini et al.
small transgressive-regressive
cycles (e.g., LOWRIE & HAMITER,
1995; B O Y E R et al., 2005;
AM O R O S I et al., 2005; Leorri e t
al., 2006). Three millennial-scale
transgressive-regressive cycles
have recently been recognized
(Amorosi et al., 2009) about 20
kilometers south of the study
area (subsurface of the Arno
coastal plain) within the transgressive
d eposits
Late
Pleistocene-Holocene in age
(13-8 ky cal B.P.). In the neighbouring archaeological site of
Pisa, which contains Roman
ships, stratigraphic and sedimentological studies show that
the cause of repeated episodes
of river harbor destruction were
high-frequency centennial-scale
climatic and possibly eustatic
cha nges (B E N V E N U T I e t al.,
Fig. 1 - Map of the study area and location of stratigraphic study sections (A, B).
2006).
Based on these data and Mappa schematica dell’area di studio con ubicazione delle sezioni studiate (A, B).
considering the neighbouring
Arno and Versilia coastal plain,
the hypothesis that also the study area may have expeand is overlaid by alternating peat layers, sands, and
rienced short phases of stillstand, if not transgressions,
clays bearing brackish fauna. An age of 2627 - 2129
seems plausible.
cal. B.P (2,5 m below ground level) has been attributed
The aim of this paper, using a multidisciplinary
to these deposits (A N T O N I O L I et al. , 2000). From the
approach that includes the use of geomorphological,
Ap ua ne f oothills to t he c oast , the out crop p in g
sedimentological, and archeological data, is to define
deposits record a variety of depositional environments,
the timing of progradation of the Versilia coastal plain
such as some small coalescent alluvial fans, marsh
over the last 3000 yrs and to discuss the possible key
areas connected to Massaciuccoli Lake, coastal dune
factors that may have been controlled this process.
systems with related interdune areas, and the presentday beaches.
2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING
METHODS
The study area (Fig. 1) is within the communities
of Viareggio and Lido di Camaiore, (NW Tuscany). The
modern Arno and Versilia coastal plain is part of the
onshore portion of the wider Viareggio Basin, an
extensional area oriented NW-SE, which has been
active since the Upper Tortonian (M A R I A N I & PR A T O ,
1988; ARGNANI et al., 1997; PASCUCCI, 2005). This basin
is filled with about 2500 m of deposits spanning from
late Miocene to the Present. The uppermost portion
(Late Pleistocene-Present, corresponding to seismic
sequence 6b of PASCUCCI , 2005) has been investigated
for its chronostratigraphic relevance and specifically
for defining the Versilian stage (B L A N C, 1937, 1942;
FEDERICI, 1993). The late Quaternary depositional evolution has been recently reconstructed based on data
from the ENEA core (Figs. 1, 2) drilled near the
Massaciuccoli Lake about 10 km SE of the study area
(ANTONIOLI et al. , 2000; DEVOTI et al., 2003; NISI et al.,
2003). The base of the Holocene transgression (10.568
-10.236 cal B.P., see ANTONIOLI et al. , 2000) is identified (Fig. 2) at a depth of about 34 m from the surface,
at the transition from alluvial to paralic deposits bearing brackish fauna. These deposits grade upwards into
marine sands. Their top (9 m below ground level) is
dated to 5896-5830 cal B.P. (ANTONIOLI et al., 2000)
Geomorphologic surve ys, field a erial photographs, and stratigraphic analysis were used to
develop a detailed geomorphologic and geologic map
at 1:10.000. Sedimentological and facies analysis,
based on surface and subsurface data also allowed us
to define a preliminary framework of relationships
among the depositional units recognized. Subsurface
data derive from a working-face about 6 m deep and
100 m wide (A in Fig. 3), where a continuously cored
borehole (S5) was also drilled (location in Fig. 3), and
from another excavation (3 m depth and 15 m wide; B
in Fig. 3) located about 4,5 km northward.
Moreover, micropaleontologic data lead to a better definition of the depositional environments. Twentysix samples were collected from section A and were
washed and sieved with an 88 µ mesh. Thirty-two
ostracods and twelve foraminifera species were recovered. Most of these presently live in the Mediterranean
area (BONADUCE et al., 1976; SGARELLA & MONCHARMONTZEI, 1993). The plotting of archeological data, recorded
since the 16 th century, on the map provided further
chronological constraints for reconstructing the palaeogeographical evolution of the study area with particular
attention to coastline variations.
Geoarcheological evidences of changes in the coastline ...
GEOMORPHOLOGIC DATA
The geomorphologic data, derived from field surveys and multitemporal aerial photographs analyses,
allowed the identification of five geomorphological
units: 1) the Camaiore alluvial fan, 2) dune ridge, 3)
small marshes located in the interdune areas, 4) a major
marsh area named Giardo, and 5) the present day
beach (Fig. 3 ).
259
The Camaiore alluvial fan is about 4 km long and
2,5 km wide, and records cyclic depositional and quiescent phases during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene
(FEDERICI, 1993). The alluvial fan reaches an elevation of
20 m in the foothills (apex) and decreases with a uniform and low gradient (<2% average dip) to an elevation of 2 m asl towards its distal area (Fig. 3). Lateral
channel migration from west to east is suggested by
the identification of several palaeo-channel traces on
Fig. 2 - Stratigraphy of Enea core (redraw after ANTONIOLI et al., 2000). A and B: study sections. For their location see fig 1 and fig 3.
Stratigrafia del sondaggio Enea (ridisegnato da ANTONIOLI et al., 2000). A e B: sezioni studiate. Per la loro localizzazione si vedano le
figg. 1 e 3.
260
M. Bini et al.
the fan surface. Subsurface data available from a workdate two other beach-ridge alignments. The Motrone
ing face (BINI et al., 2007) carried out on the distal fan
Fort and the Castello Vecchio di Viareggio (Fig. 3, n.7)
area (C in Fig. 3), reveal that fine-gravels are intercalatwere built in the 12th century, while the Matilde Tower
ed with organic-rich silt and clay related to the Giardo
(Fig. 3, n.15) was built in the 16th century. These buildmarsh. This indicates phases of progradation of the
ings mark the variation of the coast line during this time
Camaiore alluvial fan into the Giardo marsh.
because the towers were coastal defences and are
The Giardo marsh, which is Late-Holocene in age
described as having been built on the beach (Mazzanti
(FEDERICI, 1993), is located between the Camaiore allu& Pasquinucci, 1983) (see § 5).
vial fan and the oldest beach ridge dune alignment and
The younger morphologic unit corresponding to
was connected in the past with
the Massaciuccoli Lake area.
This connection is strongly supported, according to DEVOTI et
a l. , 2003, by geomorphological
surveys (Fig. 3). Today it represents a lowland about 1,8 km
long, 1,5 km wide, and is relatively depressed (1 m asl) with
respect to the surrounding morphological units. It is occupied
by a small permanent lake and
several ephemeral marshes. Its
fill is characterized by sands,
silts, and peat.
The dune ridges, whose
alignment records the position
of the shoreline during the Late
Holocene, are located between
the Giardo marsh and the prese nt-d ay coastline (Fig. 3).
These dunes belong to an articulate be ach-ridge system
(MAZZANTI & PASQUINUCCI, 1983)
that characterizes the coastal
plain from the Arno River (south)
to the Magra River (north).
Unfortunate ly, the m od ern
human settlements that developed along the coast makes it
difficult to identify the original
morphology of ea ch b each
ridges. They are normally closely spa ced , with interdune
marshes employed as fish tanks
(Benzio, 1986) from the early
Middle Ages up to the 18th century and represented an important economic resource for the
local community.
The land ward dune
(Migliarina beach ridge dune in
Fig. 3) is located in front of the
Massaciuccoli Lake area. It is
the most elevated (1,5 m asl)
and the b est p re serve d.
Archaeological findings (see § 5)
date the Migliarina dune to an Fig. 3 - Geomorphological map with the location of the most important archaeological sites 1)
age not younger than the 7 t h Capocavallo; 2) Villa Mansi; 3) Acquarella; 4) Capezzano Pianore; 5) Trebbiano; 6) Bucine; 7)
century B.C. (BINI et al., 2007). Motrone Fort; 8) Tongo; 9) Tombolo; 10) Ortacci; 11) Migliarina; 12) San Rocchino; 13) Castello
This imp lie s that the age of vecchio di Viareggio; 14) Matilde Tower. A and B: study sections. C: location of stratigraphic
section reported in BINI et al. 2007.
develop ment of the related
Carta
Geomorfologia con l’ubicazione dei principali siti archeologici 1) Capocavallo; 2) Villa
back-ridge marsh area (Giardo
Mansi; 3) Acquarella; 4) Capezzano Pianore; 5) Trebbiano; 6) Bucine; 7) Forte di Motrone; 8)
marsh) can not be older.
Tongo; 9) Tombolo; 10) Ortacci; 11) Migliarina; 12) San Rocchino; 13) Castello vecchio di
Moving toward the coast, Viareggio; 14) Torre Matilde. A e B: sezioni studiate. C: ubicazione della sezione stratigrafica
historical buildings permit us to riportata in BINI et al. 2007.
Geoarcheological evidences of changes in the coastline ...
the present-day beach is actually in accretion (1 m per
year; C I P R I A N I et al., 2004) due to the influence of
Viareggio harbour and its piers on the longshore sediment flux.
STRATIGRAPHIC AND SEDIMENTOLOGICAL DATA
The stratigraphic and sedimentological data have
been collected from a working-face about 6 m deep
and 100 m wide (A in Fig. 3), where a continuously
cored borehole (S5) was also drilled, and from another
excavation (3 m depth and 15 m wide; B in Fig. 3) located about 4,5 km northward. Unfortunately, the S5 core
was destroyed and the available data are a log description and a photographic documentation.
The stratigraphy of the Enea core (ANTONIOLI et al.,
2000), drilled about 10 km south-east of the study area,
was utilized as a reference for interpreting the data collected in this study (Fig. 2; see Fig. 1 for the location).
Facies analysis of section A shows an overall
regressive trend passing upward from shallow-marine
to coastal-dune deposits that also outcrop at the surface. Four small transgressive-regressive cycles (A1A4; parasequences sensu VAN WAGONER et al., 1990;
KAMOLA & VAN WAGONER, 1995) have been defined within
this general trend (Fig. 2).
The lowest cycle (A1) is characterized by shallow
marine sandy-silt bearing a relatively diversified microfauna constitued by ostracods (Cytheridea neapolitana,
Pontocythere turbida, Leptocythere ramosa, Cytheretta
subradiosa, Cytheretta adriatica, Neocytherideis fasciat a) and foraminifera (Haynesina depressula, Ammonia
beccarii, Quinqueloculina seminulum, and rare specimens of Florilus boueanum, and Elphidium crispum).
The presence of vegetal debris associated with
some reworked brackish to freshwater ostracods (e.g.,
Cyprideis torosa and Candona spp.) indicates the proximity to a paralic depositional environment such as an
inner lagoon or a small bay. These deposits pass
upward to medium and coarse sands (upper shoreface)
with sca rce a nd poorly diversified mic rofauna .
Accumulation at the top of this sequence of centimetric
lenticular layers of coarse vegetal debris, showing evidence of traction processes, has been related to a foreshore environment such as a storm berm. Low to highangle cross-beds fine laminated sands interpreted as
backshore to dune deposits form the upper portion of
parasequence A1 (Fig. 4).
Sands showing chevron stratification related to
wave processes indicate the return to subaqueous conditions (A2 parasequence). Upward the sands display a
progressive increase in microfauna diversification and
abundance (Pontocythere turbida, Palmoconcha turbida, Haynesina depressula, Ammonia beccarii a n d
Elphidium crispum) up to 6 m depth (Fig. 2) even lower
than observed in parasequence A1. We interpret these
sediments as having been deposited in a very shallowmarine environment close to the coastline. The nearness of coast is also supported by the occasional presence of vegetal debris. In the uppermost portion of
parasequence A2, medium to coarse foreshore-stormberm sands displaying coarse vegetal-rich centimetric
levels overlaid by well-sorted backshore fine sands represent the regressive phase (Fig. 5).
261
Parasequences A3 and A4 show features very
similar to those observed in A2, recording the transition
from a very shallow-marine to a foreshore-backshore
depositional environment (Fig. 2).
We think plausible the correlation between section A and the upper portion of the Enea core, recording the progradational phases wich occurred during the
Late Holocene (Fig. 2). Even though the lack of detailed
facies from this core stratigraphy do not allow the accurate placing of the transition from the retrogradational
to progradational depositional phase (maximum flooding surface), we can assume that it occurs between 10
- 15 m depth, in the uppermost part of the marine
siliceous sands (see ANTONIOLI et al., 2000) considering
the occurrence, few meters above, of a peat layer.
Indeed it is undoubtedly, according to NISI et al., 2003,
that the occurrence of this layer at a depth of 8,50 m
indicates the transition from a marine to a paralic depositional environment. Similarly, in S5 core the first
organic-rich level above the marine sands occurs about
9 m depth (Fig. 2) and coincides with the base of section A. For this reason we can correlate section A with
the upper part of Enea core.
Fig. 4 - Uppermost portion of A1 parasequence. From the bottom: centimetric lenticular levels of vegetal debris, displaying
evidences of traction processes related to a foreshore - storm
berm depositional environment. These deposits passes
upwards low to high-angle laminated fine sands, interpreted
as backshore to dune deposits (see Fig. 2 to place the photo
within the stratigraphic log)
Porzione superiore della parasequenza A1. Dal basso: livelli
lenticolari centimetrici di resti vegetali, che mostrano evidenze
di processi trattivi legati ad un ambiente deposizionale di battigia-berma di tempesta. Questi depositi passano verso l’alto a
sabbie fini con laminazione da basso a alto angolo, interpretate
come depostesi in ambienti da spiaggia emersa a duna eolica
(si veda la Fig. 2 per la posizione della foto nel log stratigrafico).
262
M. Bini et al.
Section B cuts, about 5 km northwards from A,
the same sandy coastal dune deposits (Fig. 3). From
the bottom to the top (Fig. 2) the stratigraphic succession consists of i) backshore to upper shoreface
deposits, ii) a centimetric layer of peat related to a paralic environment,.and iii) about 2,5 m of pedogenized
dune deposits.
On the basis of stratigraphic and morphological
data, we correlate section B with the uppermost portion
of section A, and particularly with the regressive part of
parasequence A4 (Fig. 2).
ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA
Our knowledge of human settlements in the
Fig. 5 - Transition from foreshore-storm berm to backshore
coa sta l plain of Ve rsilia b etwe en C amaiore and
depositional environments in the uppermost of A2 paraseViareggio is related to some archaeological findings,
quence. Note the abrupt granulometric change from medium
to coarse sands displaying organic-rich centimetric levels to a
mostly casual, which have been recorded since the 16th
well-sorted fine sands (see Fig. 2 to place the photo within the
century. The site of Acquarella (Fig. 3, n. 3), whose
stratigraphic log).
archaeological and naturalistic aspects are still under
Passaggio, nella parte alta della parasequenza A2, da ambienti
investigation, shows a remarkable continuity of human
deposizionali di battigia-berma di tempesta a spiaggia emersa.
settlement since the Roman Archaic period to the early
Si noti il brusco cambio granulometrico da sabbie medie-grosMiddle-Ages (PARIBENI et al., 2006; BINI & FABIANI, 2008).
solane contenenti livelli centimetrici ricchi in materiale organico
a sabbie fini ben classate (si veda la Fig. 2 per la posizione
The first settlement documented in the Acquarella
della foto nel log stratigrafico).
site goes back to the end of the 6th century B.C. At that
time, it is possible that the Giardo marsh (see § 2) was
already connected with the Massaciuccoli Lake area.
Migliarina site (Fig. 3, n.11), a productive and specialized
Acquarella, in addition to contributing to the agrisettlement of the end of the 7th century B.C., was located
cultural exploitation of the plain and the nearby hills,
on a coastal dune deposit marking the coast line during
played a strategic role in commerce. It was located at
this time. Behind the dune, a marsh area connected to
the junction of the coastal routes (terrestrial, maritime,
the sea developed (see § 2). One of its purposes was,
and lagoon) and those which linked the coast to the
perhaps, salt production (CIAMPOLTRINI, 2005).
plain of Lucca and to the Serchio valley, through the
Acquarella again gives us the most articulate docvalley of Camaiore.
umentation about the Roman period. Here, it is possible
The burial site which was found at villa Mansi,
to follow the phases of construction of a rustic building
close to Acquarella (Fig. 3, n. 2), perhaps part of a
which was reorganized many times, from the Republic
necropolis, suggests the existence of a village and
age up to late-Antiquity (Fig. 6). The proximity to the
demonstrates the vitality of the area since the end of
the 7 th century B.C. (CI A M P O L TRINI, 1990). (E.P.)
On the coast, the intensity
of ship traffic is demonstrated
by the settlement of San
Rocchino (Fig. 3, n.12). This site
was inhabited from the end of
the 8th century B.C. up to the 3rd
century B.C., and was situated
on the border of the ancient
ma rsh-lake a rea. Since its
founding, this settlement was
devoted to the commercial
economy, and was visited constantly by sailors coming from
south-Etruria, Greece, and the
area east of Greece. In the earliest period, this site was probably so vital because of the
metallic resources mined inland
from Versilia. This is demonstrated, for example, by a cache
containing bronze materials of
the protohistoric period located
on the hill of Camaiore Fig. 6 View of Acquarella archaeological site.
(Bonamici & Fabiani, 2006). The Veduta del sito archeologico di Acquarella.
Geoarcheological evidences of changes in the coastline ...
hill-foot route between Pisa and Luni, part of the road
link on the way to Lucca, must have played a role in the
prosperity and in the prolonged vitality of the site,
which was converted during the early Middle-Ages into
a settlement of huts, possibly fortified.
Weak traces of centuriation, Roman predials, like
Capezzano and Trebbiano, together with occasional
discoveries (Fig. 3, n.1, 4, 5, 6) on the coastal dune (Fig.
3 n. 8, 9, 10; BINI et al., 2007), confirm the settlement of
the Camaiore alluvial fan area .
Moreover, an important road, which could be
identified with the Aurelia/Aemilia Scauri, ran along the
coast (FABIANI, 2006).The fortress of Motrone (Fig. 3,
n.7), erected in maris littore (Giannotti, 2006), and the
fortress of Viareggio (Fig. 3, n.13), which was built during the 12th century A.D., are important reference points
for dating the coastal dune deposits in the Middle-Ages
(BINI et al., 2007).
In Viareggio, the building of the new tower Matilde
(Fig. 3, n.14) during the 16 t h c entury, in a more
advanced position than the old fortress, demonstrates
the gradual advance of the coastline. (F.F)
DISCUSSION
263
study have important implications in the context of the
environments where the archeological sites developed.
On this basis the landscape, around 3000 yrs ago,
was characterized by i) a coastline located about 2,5
km landward in respect to its present-day position near
the Migliarina beach ridge, ii) a wide protected brackish
marsh area (Giardo marsh) that was connected southward to the Massaciuccoli lake system behind the
coast, and iii) an alluvial fan system (Camaiore fan) periodically connected with the Giardo marsh.
Afterward, repetitive phases of progradation took
place, causing the development of a strandplain characterized by a wide back dune marsh area (Giardo
marsh). Archeological data permit us to state that i)
around the 12th centuries the coastline had experienced
a progradation of about 1,3 km and was located in
proximity of the dune alignments where Motrone Fort
and the Castello Vecchio di Viareggio (Fig. 3 n°7, 13)
were built and that ii) four centuries later the coastline
had again moved seaward of about 500 m and was
located near Matilde Tower (Fig. 3, n.14). From the 16th
century to the present time the progradation of the
coastline has proceeded by about 0,7 km.
On this basis, although the available data are
sparse, a progradation rate was calculated (Fig. 7). The
data show a relatively low progradation rate from the 7th
century B.C until the 16th century (about 0,7m/yr), followed by a pronounced increase (1,75 m/yr), still active.
Actually, this area is currently subject to expansion (1
m/yr) because of the influence of the piers of the
Viareggio harbor on the longshore sediment transfer
(CIPRIANI et al., 2004). The rapid increase after the 16th
century appears to be significant and agrees with an
analogous study carried out on the Tuscan coast (SARTI
& CIULLI, 2008; P RANZINI, 2001) and has been related to
an increase of sediment supply due to deforestation
(PRANZINI, 2001).
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the average
Some of the late phases of progradation that
affected the coastline of the study area during the last
3000 yrs were detected by the integration of geomorphological, stratigraphical, and archaeological data.
The chronostratigraphic framework, derived from
archeological data, indicate that the coastline was
located i) near the Migliarina dune around the 7th century B.C., ii) in the proximity of the Motrone Fort and the
Castello Vecchio di Viareggio (Fig. 3, n.7, 13) in 12th
century and iii) near the Matilde Tower (Fig. 3, n.14)
during the 16th century. These buildings were, in fact,
built on the beach (MAZZANTI & PASQUINUCCI 1983) as
coastal defences. Other ages derived from archeological findings give us other information about the landscape of the
study area. The Acquarella site,
located on the Camaiore fan, was
active since the end of the 6th century B.C. and its role in becoming an
important centre in the commercial
com munica tion between se a,
coast, and inland areas was probably related to its closeness to the
back dune marsh area (Giard o
marsh). Indeed, this area, developed around the 7th century B.C.,
was in c onnec tion with the
Massaciuccoli Lake area southward
and thus to the sea also according Fig. 7 - Diagram showing the variation of the progradation rate for the Verislia coastal plain
to the features of the San Rocchino over time. The rate is calculated starting from the coastline position during the 7th century
site (Fig. 3, n.11) settled from the A.C. (corresponding to the most landward outcropping dune- duna della Migliarina fig. 3,
th
end of the 8th century B.C. up to the n. th11) and considering the coastline position in the 12 century A.C. (fig. 3, n.7 e 13), in the
16 century (fig. 3, n.14) till the present-day coastline position (the latter deduced on the
rd
3 century B.C and devoted to
basis of CIPRIANI et al. 2004 data).
shipping traffic. This demonstrates
that if the archeological data play a Grafico della variazione del tasso di progradazione nel tempo. Il tasso viene calcolato considerando come riferimento la posizione della linea di costa nel VII secolo a.C. (corrisponsignificant role in defining the timing dente al cordone dunare più interno affiorante - duna della Migliarina fig. 3, n.11) e attraof the history of the progradation verso la posizione della linea di costa nel XII sec. d.C.(fig. 3, n. 7 e 13), nel XVI sec. d.C.
phases in the study area, the geo- (fig. 3, n.14) fino alla posizione della linea di costa attuale (ricavata sulla base dei dati di
morphological and stratigraphic Cipriani et al.,2004).
264
rate of progradation calculated between the 7th century
B.C. and the 16th century A.D., does not consider all the
possible (and highly probable) fluctuations that could
have occurred during this time (e.g., increase or reductions of the rate of progradation, or even phases of retrogradation of the coastline). The hypothesis that the
progradation took place irregularly is also strongly supported by the subsurface stratigraphic data, evidencing
four small high-frequency transgressive-regressive
cycles within the succession recording the Late
Holocene phase of progradation. High-frequency transgressive-regressive cycles have been documented from
Late Quate rnary to H oloc ene suc cessions of
Mississippi, Ebro, Rhône and Po Deltas (L O W R I E &
HAMITER, 1995; S OMOZA et al., 1998; BOYER et al., 2005;
AMOROSI et al., 2005) and, recently, of Arno coastal plain
about 20 km southward to the study area (Amorosi et
al., 2009). A combination of small-scale sea-level fluctuations and rapid climatic variations (millennial to centennial scale) has been guessed as the possible major
controlling factor of stratigraphic architecture in these
areas even if in the Arno coastal plain (AMOROSI et al.
2009) pollen characterization evidences the development of parasequences as chiefly the function of highfrequency (millennial scale) climatic variations. A climatic control (centennial-scale) during the Late Holocene is
also suggests by BENVENUTI et al. 2006, on the basis of
detailed sedimentological and stratigraphical study,
from an archaeological site near Pisa urban area, where
a riverine harbour, erected in Etruscan age, was discovered. In this study the close relationships between
recurring events of harbour destruction and high-magnitude flood episodes due to high-frequency climatic
changes is documented.
Even if no data are at the present available from
the study area the neighbouring with the Arno coastalplain makes it very probable that high-frequency climatic changes have played an important role in the dynamics of coastline position. Further multidisciplinary studies in the area could confirm this hypothesis.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The integration of geomorphological, stratigraphical, and archaeological data allows for the reconstruction of the late phases of progradation that affected the
study area during the last 3000 yr. The following key
points can be highlighted:
1) about 3000 yr ago the coastline was located about
2,5 km landward in respect to its present position in
proximity of Migliarina dune, and behind the dune, a
marsh (Gia rd o m arsh) c onnec ted to the
Massaciuccoli lake area developed;
2) the conne ction between the Giardo and
Massaciuccoli areas allows a better understanding
of the characteristics of the archaeological site of
Acquarella and this played an important role in it
becoming an important centre in commercial communication between the sea, coast, and inland;
3) the timing of the coastline position is also constrained to the 12 th and 16 th centuries; during the
interval between 3000 yr and the 12th the progradation of the coastline was about of 1,3 km and of
about 500 m between the 12th and 16th centuries;
M. Bini et al.
4) the estimate rate of progradation shows a significant increase since the 16th century to the present
day testified by a progradation of the coastline of
about 0,7 km;
5) evidence of four small high-frequency transgressive-regressive cycles within the succession recording the Late Holocene phase of progradation in the
subsurface of the study area supports the hypothesis that the progradation took place irregularly.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the Fondazione Cassa di
Risparmio di Lucc a a n d Museo Archeologico d i
C a m a i o r e for their support. We are grateful to M.
Benvenuti and to anonymous contributors for their
accurate review. Thanks are also due to S. Giacomelli
for her contribution in the discussion of the manuscript.
This work has been funded by Provincia di Pisa of a
grant to Dr. G. Sarti.
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Ms. ricevuto il 9 giugno 2008
Testo definitivo ricevuto il 16 febbraio 2009
Ms. received: June 9, 2008
Final text received: February 16, 2009