Geoheritage Symposium

In Apulia there are a few huge dolines: the Dolina Pozzatina, in the Gargano area, and the Pulo di Altamura and the Pulicchio di Gravina on the Murge hills. Their perimeters span several hundreds of meters, their depth is some 100 meters. These large dolines originated after the collapse of huge cave systems excavated by karst processes.

(V. Iurilli, O. Simone and M. Tropeano)

9.00: Departure from Matera

Stop 1 - Matera, Belvedere locality

A "special" look to the old town ("Sassi") of Matera, placed on the right wall of a canyon-type valley ("gravina") along the boundary between the foredeep and foreland domains. 

Stop 2 - Altamura, Pontrelli quarry, the dinosaurs footprints

Dinosaurs footprints impressed on the top a mudstone layer belonging to the Cretaceous “Calcare di Altamura” Formation of the Apulian Carbonate Platform.

13.00: Altamura (countryside), lunch break.

Stop 3 - Altamura, Masseria Ragone, the Altamura Man

A "virtual tour" through the cave where, in 1993, speleologists found the almost complete skeleton of the "Altamura Man", a Homo neanderthalesis.

Stop 4 - Altamura and Gravina in Puglia area, the Murgian "Puli"

Spectacular collapse dolines, among the largest in the Italian karst landscape.

18.00: arrival to Bari (Bari Palese aeroport – Bari train station)

• Matera Matera
• Altamura Altamura
• Altamura Altamura
• Altamura Altamura
• Altamura Altamura
• Gravina in Puglia area Gravina in Puglia area
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