Geoheritage Symposium

(D. Sollitto, O. Simone and A. Fiore)

7.00: Departure from Bari to Mattinata - East Gargano headland

The Gargano is an almost entirely mountainous headland. It reaches a maximum altitude of 1055m (Monte Calvo) and extends into the Adriatic Sea for several kilometres. The promontory is part of the Mesozoic–early Cenozoic Apulia Carbonate Platform, which beginning in the Neogene acted as the main foreland of the Apennine thrust belt.
From the geomorphological point of view, the eastern headland coastline shows a number of deeply carved fluvial valleys. A dense fluvial network (nowadays almost inactive) coming from the most elevated areas, cuts the soft fine grained Cretaceous limestone that crops out in the coastal area.
During our field trip, part of which is by boat, we will see the amazing landscape characterized by steep cliffs, sea caves, arches and stacks along the coast between the towns of Mattinata and Vieste. Swimming suit is strongly recommended!

9.30: Arrival at the small port of Mattinata, the East Gargano headland seen by a boat

13.00: Mattinata area, lunch break

14.30: The East Gargano headland seen by land

17.30: Mattinata, departure to Bari

20.00: Arrival to Bari

• Architello Architello
• Vallone di Pulsano Vallone di Pulsano
• Slumpings Slumpings
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(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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FIELD TRIPS

(G. Mastronuzzi & P. Sansò)

The field trip allows the main features of coastal landscape of the southern Apulia to be observed. Main topics will be the climatic and sea level change effects on landscape evolution during geological time as well as the impact of recent tsunamis.

8.00: departure from Bari

Stop 1 – T.S. Sabina: Coastal evolution response to Holocene sea level change (mid-Holocene dune belt, solution pipes, historical sea level change)

Stop 2 – The bauxite quarry of Otranto: the tropical island (Tertiary tropical soil, lagoonal deposits)

13.30: lunch

Stop 3 – Porto Badisco: Pleistocene sea level change and historical tsunami (marine terraces, megaboulders, karstic landforms)

Stop 4 – Porto Miggiano: The beautiful landscape (Oligocene coral reef, Pleistocene sedimentary structures, cliffs and coastal management)

18.00: departure to Bari

20.00: arrival to Bari

• Torre Santa Sabina Torre Santa Sabina
• Torre Santa Sabina Torre Santa Sabina
• Otranto-Leuca coast Otranto-Leuca coast
• Porto Miggiano Porto Miggiano
• Porto Miggiano Porto Miggiano
• Torre Santa Sabina Torre Santa Sabina
• Otranto (Le Orte locality) Otranto (Le Orte locality)
• Porto Badisco Porto Badisco
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