Pagliarulo Rosa, 2017, Coastal hazard on the evolution of archaeological site of Egnathia (Southern Italy), III International Workshop " Methods and technologies for Environmental monitoring and modelling_ Emerging Signals, risk perception and management", Matera, September 14-16, 2017,
URL: http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/377555

The archaeological site of Egnathia is located along the present Apulian Adriatic coastline. The coastal hazard that comprises coastal/land processes, past sea level and climatic changes greatly influenced the evolution of the historical place until the abandonment. The ancient ruins, present both emerged and submerged such as docks and harbour, are special markers. They provide a more precise chronological correlation with the events and play a remarkable role in understanding the coastal morphodynamics and past sea level stands. These structures can be considered real archaeo- geodetic bench-marks giving a basic contribution to recognize and correlate paleo sea level and, indirectly pointing out the main climatological events. During glacial and interglacial periods, sea level has changed due to astronomic, climatic and biological causes. In coastal morphodynamic, the climatic changes have a main role also in the balance between sea and land; that is the destructive and constructive processes caused by sea actions. The coastal morphological evolution of the coastal stretch facing the ancient Egnathia has been reconstructed applying an original numerical model that takes into account the wave motion energies occurred longshore and the flux energy applied by the wind -induced wave actions to the shorelines. The amount of sediments drifted by wave motions and longshore currents, particularly during the storms occurred in the years 1951-2000 has been considered. In consecutive steps, the model defines the energy obtained by each breaker wave to the shoreline. The correlation among the model results, the geological set up, the amount of sediments moved by wave actions and currents, particularly during storms, the chronological data of the archaeological structures and the location and the vicissitudes of the ancient port, allow the reconstruction of the morphological evolution of the area facing the ancient site. The amount of sediments drifted is related to the past climatic conditions. The erosional and depositional phases have greatly controlled the geomorphological changes of the coastline and, as a consequence, also the town-planning choices during the life of the ancient town.

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