15 research outputs found
Backdating systematic shell ornament making in Europe to 45,000 years ago.
Personal ornaments are commonly linked to the emergence of symbolic behavior. Although their presence in Africa dates back to the Middle Stone Age, evidence of ornament manufacturing in Eurasia are sporadically observed in Middle Palaeolithic contexts, and until now, large-scale diffusion has been well documented only since the Upper Palaeolithic. Nevertheless, little is known during the period between ca. 50,000 and 40,000 years ago (ka), when modern humans colonized Eurasia replacing existing hominin populations such as the Neandertals, and a variety of “transitional” and/or early Upper Palaeolithic cultures emerged. Here, we present shell ornaments from the Uluzzian site of Grotta del Cavallo in Italy, southern Europe. Our results show evidence of a local production of shell beads for ornamental purposes as well as a trend toward higher homogeneity in tusk bead shape and size over time. The temporal interval of the layers of interest (45–40 ka) makes Cavallo the earliest known shell ornament making context in Europe
HadA is an atypical new multifunctional trimeric coiled-coil adhesin of Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius, which promotes entry into host cells.
Summary The Oca (Oligomeric coiled-coil adhesin) family is a subgroup of the bacterial trimeric autotrans- porter adhesins, which includes structurally related proteins, such as YadA of Yersinia entero- colitica and NadA of Neisseria meningitidis. In this study, we searched in silico for novel members of this family in bacterial genomes and identified HadA (Haemophilus adhesin A), a trimeric autotransporter expressed only by Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius causing Brazilian purpuric fever (BPF), a fulminant septicemic disease of children. By comparative genomics and sequence analysis we predicted that the hadA gene is harboured on a mobile genetic element unique to BPF isolates. Biological analysis of HadA in the native background was limited because this organism is not amenable to genetic manipulation. Alternatively, we demonstrated that expression of HadA confers to a non-invasive Escherichia coli strain the ability to adhere to human cells and to extracellular matrix proteins and to induce in vitro bacterial aggregation and microcolony formation. Intriguingly, HadA is pre- dicted to lack the typical N-terminal head domain of Oca proteins generally associated with cellular receptor binding. We propose here a structural model of the HadA coiled-coil stalk and show that the N-terminal region is still responsible of the binding activity and a KGD motif plays a role. Interestingly, HadA promotes bacterial entry into mammalian cells. Our results show a cytoskeleton re-arrangement and an involvement of clathrin in the HadA-mediated internalization. These data give new insights on the structure-function relationship of oligomeric coiled-coil adhesins and suggest a potential role of this protein in the pathogenesis of BPF
Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 4: experience from a single reference center
Purpose: To characterize patients with APS type 4 among those affected by APS diagnosed and monitored at our local Reference Center for Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes. Methods: Monocentric observational retrospective study enrolling patients affected by APS diagnosed and monitored in a Reference Center. Clinical records were retrieved and analyzed. Results: 111 subjects (51 males) were affected by APS type 4, mean age at the onset was 23.1 ± 15.1 years. In 15 patients the diagnosis of APS was performed during the first clinical evaluation, in the other 96 after a latency of 11 years (range 1-46). The most frequent diseases were type I diabetes mellitus and celiac disease, equally distributed among sexes. Conclusions: The prevalence of APS type 4 is 9:100,000 people. Type I diabetes mellitus was the leading indicator of APS type 4 in 78% subjects and in 9% permitted the diagnosis occurring as second manifestation of the syndrome. Our data, showing that 50% of patients developed APS type 4 within the first ten years, don't suggest any particular follow-up time and, more importantly, don't specify any particular disease. It is important to emphasize that 5% of women developed premature ovarian failure
Oral ondansetron versus domperidone for symptomatic treatment of vomiting during acute gastroenteritis in children: multicentre randomized controlled trial
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis (AG) is not only a direct cause of fluid loss but it is also a major factor of failure of oral rehydration therapy (ORT). Physicians who provide care to paediatric patients in the emergency department (ED) usually prescribe intravenous fluid therapy (IVT) for mild or moderate dehydration when vomiting is the major symptom. Thus, effective symptomatic treatment of vomiting would lead to an important reduction in the use of IVT and, consequently, of the duration of hospital stay and of frequency of hospital admission. Available evidence on symptomatic treatment of vomiting shows the efficacy of the most recently registered molecule (ondansetron) but a proper evaluation of antiemetics drugs largely used in clinical practice, such as domperidone, is lacking.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>To compare the efficacy of ondansetron and domperidone for the symptomatic treatment of vomiting in children with AG who have failed ORT.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Multicentre, double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in paediatric EDs. Children aged from 1 to 6 years who vomiting, with a presumptive clinical diagnosis of AG, and without severe dehydration will be included. After the failure of a initial ORS administration in ED, eligible children will be randomized to receive: 1) ondansetron syrup (0,15 mg/Kg of body weight); 2) domperidone syrup (0,5 mg/Kg of body weight); 3) placebo. The main study outcome will be the percentage of patients needing nasogastric or IVT after symptomatic oral treatment failure, defined as vomiting or fluid refusal after a second attempt of ORT. Data relative to study outcomes will be collected at 30 minute intervals for a minimum of 6 hours. A telephone follow up call will be made 48 hours after discharge. A total number of 540 children (i.e. 180 patients in each arm) will be enrolled.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The trial results would provide evidence on the efficacy of domperidone, which is largely used in clinical practice despite the lack of proper evaluation and a controversial safety profile, as compared to ondansetron, which is not yet authorized in Italy despite evidence supporting its efficacy in treating vomiting. The trial results would contribute to a reduction in the use of IVT and, consequently, in hospital admissions in children with AG. The design of this RCT, which closely reflect current clinical practice in EDs, will allow immediate transferability of results.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01257672">NCT01257672</a></p
Contribution to the stratigraphy of the Oligocene-Miocene foredeep successions of the Emilia-Tuscany Northern Apennines, Italy
The Oligocene-Miocene turbidite successions of the Emilia-Tuscany Apennines represent one of the most
intriguing topic of the Northern Apennines (NA), due to the complex relationships between tectonics and sedimentation
in a migrating thrust wedge - foredeep system, to the not-well constrained differences between orogenic landslides
(olistostrome) vs. tectonic chaotic complexes, to the significance of the associated marly deposits, to the emplacement
timing and modalities of synsedimentary thrust sheets. In order to achieve some key points to this articulated framework,
we have contributed with field-mapping and stratigraphic data on selected marly-turbidite sections of the most critical
areas of this sector of NA, which are: Mt. Modino, Civago-Torre degli Amorotti, Gazzano, Gova, Mt. Cimone, Ozola-
Ligonchio, Cerreto Pass, Pracchiola, Libro Aperto-Cima Tauffi sections. All these involve some of the most known and
not well constrained turbidite units of the NA, as the Mt. Modino Sandstones, the Mt. Cervarola Sandstones and the Gova
Sandstones, and the associated marly units as Marmoreto and Civago marlstone fms. These last are also massively involved
in highly deformed stacks within chaoticized tectonic units and slices, particularly in the Sestola-Vidiciatico Unit. Our
contribute on these sections regard a review of the geological and geometrical field-relationships with particular focus on
biostratigraphic new data concerning nannofossil associations, allowing to redefine their age model. All this accompanied
by a check for the compositional-petrographic data of the sandstone lithologies, has allowed to insert each section in a
coherent basin-chain setting, obtaining an evolutionary model of the chain-foredeep of the NA during the late Oligoceneearly
Miocene. The main conclusive remark is the consolidation of the eastward migrating depositional system model,
where the foredeep basin, split in several minor sub-basins, due to the pulsating thrusts of the advancing orogenic wedge
was structured through two main stages. A first stage during the Chattian-Aquitanian with the development of partially
different inner turbidite systems (Mt. Modino Sandstones in a frontal thrust-top basin, Macigno, Torre degli Amorotti
System of the Mt. Cervarola Sandstones, Gova Sandstones, etc.) and a second stage developing the wide Mt. Cervarola
Sandstone Complex. The two stages result to be separated by the tectonic Tuscan Phase with a deformative acme during
the earliest Burdigalian, leading to the development of the Sestola-Vidiciatico Unit and the following involvement of all
the sequences in the unit stack
Detection of detached forced-regressive nearshore wedges: a case study from the central-southern Siena Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy)
The detection of detached nearshore wedges formed in response to relative sea-level drops is considered one of the hottest topics in sequence stratigraphic analysis due to their importance as reservoir analogues. In fact, they usually constitute sandy and porous bodies generally encased in impermeable clay, thus presenting a good potential as traps for fluids. This paper focuses on the sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Pliocene deposits cropping out in the central-southern sector of the Siena Basin (Tuscany, Italy), a post-collisional basin of the Northern Apennines. The exposed sedimentary succession was investigated through a detailed sedimentological and stratigraphic approach, integrated by biostratigraphic analyses, aimed at a better characterization of the infilling history of this sector of the basin. Specifically, this study revealed the occurrence of repeated facies shifts that allowed the identification of two depositional sequences. In detail, a thick sand-rich body far from the basin margins, and previously considered as a turbiditic lobe, has been reinterpreted as formed in a nearshore setting during a fall in relative sea level. This body is totally encased in offshore clay, and due to the lack of physical connection with the related HST deposits, it has to be considered as a detached forced-regressive wedge. The present work led to the recognition of some sedimentological and stratigraphic features typical of falling stage systems tract deposits (e.g. presence of intrabasinal recycled materials, sedimentological evidence of a pre-existing fluvial network subsequently eroded) that can provide useful clues for the identification of detached forced-regressive nearshore wedges in core studies and poorly exposed settings
Calcareous plankton bio-chronostratigraphy and sedimentology of the "I Sodi" section (Siena Basin, Italy): a key section for the uppermost Neogene marine deposition in the inner northern Apennines
6noreservedThe “I Sodi” section is exposed in the homonymous quarry in the northern sector of the Siena Basin, one of the most extended Neogene-Quaternary post-collisional basins of the northern Apennines. The section is composed almost exclusively of marine mudstone containing a rich fossil assemblage and has been extensively investigated in past and recent times. It represents a key section to define the time interval of marine deposition in the Siena Basin and more generally in the inner northern Apennines, with important structural and stratigraphic implications. The marine infill of the Siena Basin is traditionally attributed to the Zanclean-Piacenzian (Pliocene) age. However, recently published data provided a more recent age for the “I Sodi” section (Calabrian, Lower Pleistocene) and, consequently, for the Siena Basin. This paper provides new data on this scientific debate, from sedimentological and biostratigraphical investigations. Analyses of planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils have been carried out in order to better constrain the depositional age of the section. As a result, this section is now dated more accurately to the Piacenzian.
and possibly to the lowermost Gelasian in its upper part.mixedMartini, Ivan; Foresi, Luca Maria; Bambini, Anna Maria; Riforgiato, Federica; Ambrosetti, Elisa; Sandrelli, FabioMartini, Ivan; Foresi, Luca Maria; Bambini, Anna Maria; Riforgiato, Federica; Ambrosetti, Elisa; Sandrelli, Fabi
Geologia dell’area di Rapolano Terme in Provincia di Siena (Appennino Settentrionale)
This paper deals with the geological setting of the Rapolano
Terme area (Siena) located in southern Tuscany, inner Northern
Apennines. The Rapolano area is part of an important morpho-tectonic
feature NNW-SSE oriented, ranging from the Chianti Mts to
the Cetona Mt, separating the Siena-Radicofani and the Valdichiana
Basins in the western and eastern sides, respectively.
In the study area the Late Triassic-Early Miocene succession of
the Tuscan Nappe, as well as the Eocene succession belonging to the
Morello Unit (external Ligurian Unit) and the Pliocene-Pleistocene
post-orogenic marine to continental deposits are broadly exposed.
The oldest cropping out Tuscan Nappe formation consists of the
«Calcari e marne a Rhaetavicula contorta» Fm. It is mainly composed
of dark limestone beds with decimeter thick grey marls
interbedded. The occurrence of Triasina hantkeni MAIZON allows
referring this formation to the Rhaetian. The underlying formation
(the base of the Tuscan Nappe), represented by the «Formazione
anidritica di Burano» was encountered at depth (900 m below the
ground level) by the Rapolano 1 borehole, and was partially drilled
for 114 m. The «Calcare massiccio» Fm (Early Lias) overlies on the
«Calcari e marne a Rhaetavicula contorta» Fm. This formation
broadly crops out in the study area. It is mainly composed of grey
massive limestones, often dolomitic, containing meter thick lenses of
sin-sedimentary breccias formed by centimeter to decimeter carbo -
nate clasts. The «Calcare massiccio» Fm is overlain by the «Calcare
selcifero» Fm. Such a formation consists of bedded grey cherty limestones
(Late Hettangian-Domerian). The «Calcare selcifero» Fm is
overlain by the «Calcare Rosso Ammonitico» Fm, giving rise to an
anomalous stratigraphic succession with respect to that described
for the Tuscan Nappe exposed in the western Tuscany. The «Calcare
Rosso Ammonitico» Fm is composed of Toarcian-Aalenian red and
yellow nodular limestones and marly limestones, with heteropic
relationships with the uppermost part of the «Calcare selcifero» Fm
and with the lower part of the «Marne a Posidonomya» Fm. The
«Marne a Posidonomya» Fm is mainly composed of Toarcian-Callo -
vian meter thick beds consisting of red, grey and yellow marly limestones
and marls, often interlayered with red and grey siltstones.
Such a formation is discontinuously exposed in the northern part of
the study area (mainly between Rapolano and Serre di Rapolano villages),
where it directly overlies the «Calcare selcifero» Fm. The
«Marne a Posidonomya» Fm is characterized by a thin succession
occurring in the southern part of the study area. In few areas such a
formation is substituted by the «Calcare Rosso Ammonitico» Fm.
The «Marne a Posidonomya» Fm and the «Calcare selcifero» Fm are
overlain by the «Diaspri» Fm, mainly composed of centimeter beds
of Late Callovian-Early Titonian red, yellow and green radiolarites
with interbedded very thin claystones levels. The «Diaspri» Fm gradually
passes to the overlying succession represented by the «Calcari
ad Aptici» Fm. Such a formation is mainly composed of thin bedded
Titonian yellow and red limestones and marly limestones. This formation
gradually passes to the «Maiolica» Fm that occurs in an
about 100m thick succession, unusual with respect to that documented
for the southern Tuscany. The «Maiolica» Fm consists of
thin bedded white and grey cherty calcilutites (Berriasian-Aptian).
Nodular cherts are very abundant, often black or red in color. The
«Maiolica» Fm is overlain by the Albian-Late Eocene (Priabonian)
Scaglia Toscana Group which is composed of, from the bottom to
the top: i) the «Argilliti di Brolio» Fm; ii) the «Marne siltose ed
argilliti marnose rosse di Pod. Le Rossole» correlatable with the
«Marne del Sugame» Fm described for the Chianti Mts; iii) the «Calcareniti
di Montegrossi» Fm containing a megabreccias with volcanic
blocks; iv) the «Argilliti e calcareniti di Dudda» Fm. The
«Macigno» Fm is the topmost formation of the Tuscan Nappe. This
is mainly composed of a turbidite succession broadly exposed in the
northern part of the study area. The «Macigno» Fm consists mainly
of arkosic sandstones with interbedded micaceous siltstones and
rare thin carbonate levels. The «Macigno» Fm can be subdivided in
three main depositional units: i) the lowermost depositional unit is
mainly composed of sandstones facies referred to distal or intermediate-
distal lobe; ii) the middle depositional unit is characterized by
coupled siltstones and sandstones beds, referred to a very distal
depositional environment; iii) the topmost depositional unit is
mainly composed of siltstones with subordinate sandstones suggesting
the migration of the foredeep system. The «Macigno» Fm is
referred to the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene.
The Ligurian Units are represented by the Morello Unit only
composed of the «Monte Morello Fm». Such a formation is exposed
in small outcrops located in the southern part of the study area, near
Pod. S. Bernardino. In the attached geological map the Morello Unit
has been erroneously attributed to the «Scaglia Toscana» Group
(labeled as Mc). The «Monte Morello» Fm consists of brown to grey
marls and subordinate calcilutites and marly-limestones, with local
intercalation of centimeter and decimeter beds of ophiolite bearing
turbidite sandstones. The age is Early-Middle Eocene.
The Tuscan Nappe and the Morello Unit are unconformably
overlain by the Pliocene marine deposits filling the Neogene Siena
Basin. The Pliocene deposits consist, from the top to the bottom (see
the attached geological map): i) «Argille e argille sabbiose grigie, talvolta
fossilifere» consisting of clays and sandy-clays; ii) «Sabbie talvolta
argillose ed arenarie poco cementate gialle a luoghi arrossate, Arenarie
ben cementate gialle» consisting of sands and clayey-sands; iii)
«Conglomerati e ciottolami poligenici, non classati, saltuariamente
con fori di Litodomi» consisting of polygenic conglomerates and pebbles
with borings of lithophagid bivalves. The lower part of this succession
is characterized by the absence of Globorotalia puncticulata.
The overlying part is characterized by the occurrence of Bulimina
marginata and Discoaster pentaradiatus. On the whole, marine
deposits can be ascribed to the Piacenzian even though we cannot
exclude the lowest Gelasian at least for the uppermost part of the
succession.
The Quaternary deposits unconformably overlie both the
Pliocene deposits and the pre-Neogene formations. They are exposed
from 190 m to 375 m above the sea level. These deposits consists of
broad Middle-Late Pleistocene and Holocene travertine deposits,
mainly exposed in the quarries close to Serre di Rapolano and Ra -
polano Terme villages, and the alluvial deposits of the Piano del
Sentino, Piano della Bestina and Borgo ai Piani. The sedimentological
and stratigraphic features, as well as the lithological association
coupled with the rare fossil remains, allow to refer such deposits to a
fluvio-lacustrine depositional environment.
The tectonic setting is characterized by superposed deformational
events developed during the structural evolution of the Northern
Apennines. The structures related to the different deformational
events are, from the youngest: i) Late Pliocene-Late Pleistocene
oblique to strike-slip faults, E-W to NE-SW striking, giving rise to
hydrothermal circulation, as well as the occurrence of thermal
springs and gas emissions (mainly CO2); ii) Early-Middle Pliocene
normal faults, NNW-SSE and N-S oriented, interfering with the
Pliocene sedimentation and driving the architecture of the eastern
side of the Siena Basin; the most important structure belonging to
this fault system is the Rapolano normal fault, N-S striking and
west-dipping, which separates the pre-Neogene successions from the
Pliocene deposits; iii) extensional detachments with top-to the east
sense of shear giving rise to significant tectonic elisions within tectonic
units forming the Chianti Mts-Cetona Mt. ridge (serie ridotta
Auctt); iv) east-verging folds with N-S and NNW-SSE axial trend;
458 A.M. BAMBINI ET ALII
they are the most representative contractional structures in the
whole study area (see the geological map) and developed after the
emplacement of the Ligurian Units on the Tuscan Nappe; v) thrust
and related minor contractional structures (folds and reverse faults)
developed during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene stacking of the
tectonic units. In the last part of the paper, the relationships
between tectonic activity and travertine deposition and hydrothermal
circulation are discusse
Geologia dell’area di Rapolano Terme in Provincia di Siena (Appennino Settentrionale)
This paper deals with the geological setting of the Rapolano
Terme area (Siena) located in southern Tuscany, inner Northern
Apennines. The Rapolano area is part of an important morpho-tectonic
feature NNW-SSE oriented, ranging from the Chianti Mts to
the Cetona Mt, separating the Siena-Radicofani and the Valdichiana
Basins in the western and eastern sides, respectively.
In the study area the Late Triassic-Early Miocene succession of
the Tuscan Nappe, as well as the Eocene succession belonging to the
Morello Unit (external Ligurian Unit) and the Pliocene-Pleistocene
post-orogenic marine to continental deposits are broadly exposed.
The oldest cropping out Tuscan Nappe formation consists of the
«Calcari e marne a Rhaetavicula contorta» Fm. It is mainly composed
of dark limestone beds with decimeter thick grey marls
interbedded. The occurrence of Triasina hantkeni MAIZON allows
referring this formation to the Rhaetian. The underlying formation
(the base of the Tuscan Nappe), represented by the «Formazione
anidritica di Burano» was encountered at depth (900 m below the
ground level) by the Rapolano 1 borehole, and was partially drilled
for 114 m. The «Calcare massiccio» Fm (Early Lias) overlies on the
«Calcari e marne a Rhaetavicula contorta» Fm. This formation
broadly crops out in the study area. It is mainly composed of grey
massive limestones, often dolomitic, containing meter thick lenses of
sin-sedimentary breccias formed by centimeter to decimeter carbo -
nate clasts. The «Calcare massiccio» Fm is overlain by the «Calcare
selcifero» Fm. Such a formation consists of bedded grey cherty limestones
(Late Hettangian-Domerian). The «Calcare selcifero» Fm is
overlain by the «Calcare Rosso Ammonitico» Fm, giving rise to an
anomalous stratigraphic succession with respect to that described
for the Tuscan Nappe exposed in the western Tuscany. The «Calcare
Rosso Ammonitico» Fm is composed of Toarcian-Aalenian red and
yellow nodular limestones and marly limestones, with heteropic
relationships with the uppermost part of the «Calcare selcifero» Fm
and with the lower part of the «Marne a Posidonomya» Fm. The
«Marne a Posidonomya» Fm is mainly composed of Toarcian-Callo -
vian meter thick beds consisting of red, grey and yellow marly limestones
and marls, often interlayered with red and grey siltstones.
Such a formation is discontinuously exposed in the northern part of
the study area (mainly between Rapolano and Serre di Rapolano villages),
where it directly overlies the «Calcare selcifero» Fm. The
«Marne a Posidonomya» Fm is characterized by a thin succession
occurring in the southern part of the study area. In few areas such a
formation is substituted by the «Calcare Rosso Ammonitico» Fm.
The «Marne a Posidonomya» Fm and the «Calcare selcifero» Fm are
overlain by the «Diaspri» Fm, mainly composed of centimeter beds
of Late Callovian-Early Titonian red, yellow and green radiolarites
with interbedded very thin claystones levels. The «Diaspri» Fm gradually
passes to the overlying succession represented by the «Calcari
ad Aptici» Fm. Such a formation is mainly composed of thin bedded
Titonian yellow and red limestones and marly limestones. This formation
gradually passes to the «Maiolica» Fm that occurs in an
about 100m thick succession, unusual with respect to that documented
for the southern Tuscany. The «Maiolica» Fm consists of
thin bedded white and grey cherty calcilutites (Berriasian-Aptian).
Nodular cherts are very abundant, often black or red in color. The
«Maiolica» Fm is overlain by the Albian-Late Eocene (Priabonian)
Scaglia Toscana Group which is composed of, from the bottom to
the top: i) the «Argilliti di Brolio» Fm; ii) the «Marne siltose ed
argilliti marnose rosse di Pod. Le Rossole» correlatable with the
«Marne del Sugame» Fm described for the Chianti Mts; iii) the «Calcareniti
di Montegrossi» Fm containing a megabreccias with volcanic
blocks; iv) the «Argilliti e calcareniti di Dudda» Fm. The
«Macigno» Fm is the topmost formation of the Tuscan Nappe. This
is mainly composed of a turbidite succession broadly exposed in the
northern part of the study area. The «Macigno» Fm consists mainly
of arkosic sandstones with interbedded micaceous siltstones and
rare thin carbonate levels. The «Macigno» Fm can be subdivided in
three main depositional units: i) the lowermost depositional unit is
mainly composed of sandstones facies referred to distal or intermediate-
distal lobe; ii) the middle depositional unit is characterized by
coupled siltstones and sandstones beds, referred to a very distal
depositional environment; iii) the topmost depositional unit is
mainly composed of siltstones with subordinate sandstones suggesting
the migration of the foredeep system. The «Macigno» Fm is
referred to the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene.
The Ligurian Units are represented by the Morello Unit only
composed of the «Monte Morello Fm». Such a formation is exposed
in small outcrops located in the southern part of the study area, near
Pod. S. Bernardino. In the attached geological map the Morello Unit
has been erroneously attributed to the «Scaglia Toscana» Group
(labeled as Mc). The «Monte Morello» Fm consists of brown to grey
marls and subordinate calcilutites and marly-limestones, with local
intercalation of centimeter and decimeter beds of ophiolite bearing
turbidite sandstones. The age is Early-Middle Eocene.
The Tuscan Nappe and the Morello Unit are unconformably
overlain by the Pliocene marine deposits filling the Neogene Siena
Basin. The Pliocene deposits consist, from the top to the bottom (see
the attached geological map): i) «Argille e argille sabbiose grigie, talvolta
fossilifere» consisting of clays and sandy-clays; ii) «Sabbie talvolta
argillose ed arenarie poco cementate gialle a luoghi arrossate, Arenarie
ben cementate gialle» consisting of sands and clayey-sands; iii)
«Conglomerati e ciottolami poligenici, non classati, saltuariamente
con fori di Litodomi» consisting of polygenic conglomerates and pebbles
with borings of lithophagid bivalves. The lower part of this succession
is characterized by the absence of Globorotalia puncticulata.
The overlying part is characterized by the occurrence of Bulimina
marginata and Discoaster pentaradiatus. On the whole, marine
deposits can be ascribed to the Piacenzian even though we cannot
exclude the lowest Gelasian at least for the uppermost part of the
succession.
The Quaternary deposits unconformably overlie both the
Pliocene deposits and the pre-Neogene formations. They are exposed
from 190 m to 375 m above the sea level. These deposits consists of
broad Middle-Late Pleistocene and Holocene travertine deposits,
mainly exposed in the quarries close to Serre di Rapolano and Ra -
polano Terme villages, and the alluvial deposits of the Piano del
Sentino, Piano della Bestina and Borgo ai Piani. The sedimentological
and stratigraphic features, as well as the lithological association
coupled with the rare fossil remains, allow to refer such deposits to a
fluvio-lacustrine depositional environment.
The tectonic setting is characterized by superposed deformational
events developed during the structural evolution of the Northern
Apennines. The structures related to the different deformational
events are, from the youngest: i) Late Pliocene-Late Pleistocene
oblique to strike-slip faults, E-W to NE-SW striking, giving rise to
hydrothermal circulation, as well as the occurrence of thermal
springs and gas emissions (mainly CO2); ii) Early-Middle Pliocene
normal faults, NNW-SSE and N-S oriented, interfering with the
Pliocene sedimentation and driving the architecture of the eastern
side of the Siena Basin; the most important structure belonging to
this fault system is the Rapolano normal fault, N-S striking and
west-dipping, which separates the pre-Neogene successions from the
Pliocene deposits; iii) extensional detachments with top-to the east
sense of shear giving rise to significant tectonic elisions within tectonic
units forming the Chianti Mts-Cetona Mt. ridge (serie ridotta
Auctt); iv) east-verging folds with N-S and NNW-SSE axial trend;
458 A.M. BAMBINI ET ALII
they are the most representative contractional structures in the
whole study area (see the geological map) and developed after the
emplacement of the Ligurian Units on the Tuscan Nappe; v) thrust
and related minor contractional structures (folds and reverse faults)
developed during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene stacking of the
tectonic units. In the last part of the paper, the relationships
between tectonic activity and travertine deposition and hydrothermal
circulation are discusse
Produzioni etrusche in ‘pietra fetida’ nell’Etruria settentrionale: materie prime e loro provenienza
Gli scavi di numerosi siti etruschi della Toscana
sud-orientale hanno restituito sculture funerarie
realizzate con un particolare tipo di calcare tenero
chiamato ‘pietra fetida’ a causa del caratteristico odore
che essa rilascia quando viene percossa. La mancanza
di informazioni di dettaglio sulle ragioni per le quali
gli Etruschi abbiano frequentemente utilizzato questa
pietra, e sulle potenziali aree estrattive della stessa,
hanno suggerito uno studio petrografico di questa
roccia che ne chiarisca la natura ed i possibili luoghi
di estrazione.
La ‘pietra fetida’ è una roccia calcarea tenera,
porosa e leggera, di colore beige e grana finissima,
caratteri che ne permettono un facile riconoscimento.
La sua originaria deposizione sarebbe da collocarsi
nella Toscana meridionale durante la fase di regressione
marina del Pliocene inferiore, in zone costiere
al limite tra l’ambiente marino e quello continentale.
Ciò sembra confermato dalla presenza di resti fossili
di organismi di acqua dolce o salmastra come Ostracodi
(Cyprideis) ed oogoni di Characeae . Questo
litotipo talvolta viene citato come ‘sasso porco’ o, più
impropriamente, come ‘tufo puzzolo’, ‘lapis suillus’,
‘stink stone’ ed infine ‘etruscite’ per l’ampio impiego
che ne fecero gli Etruschi per la realizzazione di
sculture, sarcofagi, cippi e urne cinerarie.
Nel secolo scorso studi geologici dedicati alla
stratigrafia e alla tettonica dei sedimenti pliocenici
della Toscana meridionale, hanno consentito di
individuare affioramenti di litotipi riconducibili
alla ‘pietra fetida’ variamente associati a lignite,
conglomerati, sabbie, argille e calcari organogeni,
nei pressi di Chiusi, Montefollonico, Petroio, San
Quirico d’Orcia e Pienza.
Proprio per le sue caratteristiche di resistenza e di
facile lavorabilità anche nei dettagli scultorei, questo
tipo di pietra è stata utilizzata per la realizzazione di
sculture anche di notevoli dimensioni; tra queste la
più nota è la Mater Matuta, conservata nel Museo
Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze. La ‘pietra fetida’
è stata utilizzata in gran parte per la realizzazione di
sarcofagi e di urnette, alcune delle quali decorate a
rilievo e spesso dipinte, mentre i materiali provenienti
da stratificazioni sottili, quindi non adatte a ricavarne
manufatti di grandi dimensioni, sono state usate per
realizzare piccoli oggetti, tra i quali numerose basi
per statuette in metallo.
Manufatti etruschi in ‘pietra fetida’ sono attestati
in una vasta area compresa tra Chiusi, Sarteano,
Chianciano Terme e Pienza, ma sono stati
rinvenuti anche in altri siti etruschi tra cui Murlo,
Montalcino, S. Quirico d’Orcia, S. Giovanni d’Asso
e Trequanda in provincia di Siena, oltre a quelle di
Cortona e Pieve a Socana in provincia di Arezzo