Geoheritage最新文献

In Piemonte (north-western Italy), an intense extraction activity of ornamental stones widely used for historical buildings, developed throughout centuries. This is due to the wide geodiversity of the region, characterised by mostly metamorphic and magmatic rocks in the Western Alps and by terrigenous and carbonate sedimentary rocks in the Alps-Apennines syn-orogenic basins. The work presents the description and classification of the main Piemonte ornamental stones, referring to a simplified lithological Map Legend. To enhance the remarkable historical and contemporary stone heritage of the region a database (DB) was developed addressing a proper cataloguing of the ornamental stones and related quarries. The classified instances have been referred to the geologic units of a regional-scale, interactive geological map, in which each ornamental stone was attributed to few geo-lithological classes. The map was developed as a WebGIS service hosted on a geoportal (https://webgis.arpa.piemonte.it/agportal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6ea1e38603d6469298333c2efbc76c72) that allows interactive querying and download of the DB information, regarding the main rock types and the corresponding quarries, as well as their historical-architectural uses, to underline their value as witness of cultural heritage. The WebGIS service is progressively fed by new data, in order to become a relevant source of information for those working in the field of cultural heritage and geo-environmental sciences.

In India, Rajasthan, the northwestern part of India, possesses geological diversity comparable to its cultural richness. This paper focuses on evaluating a promising geological heritage site in Rajasthan, the Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic Stromatolite Park at Bhojunda (District Chittorgarh). The Bhagwanpura Limestone Formation of the Lower Vindhyan Group hosts well-preserved stromatolites at this geosite. The paper assesses, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the potential of this stromatolite-bearing site and based on the available data and analysis considers it to be a strong candidate for a potential geoheritage site. SWOT analysis also suggests that the site has immense potential but at the same time, is in urgent need of geoconservation. Stromatolites provide valuable insights into the early life on Earth; the Stromatolite Park at Bhojunda holds a significant potential as a Geoheritage site due to its extensive geological exposure. Stromatolites are layered sedimentary structures formed mainly by photosynthetic microorganisms that include cyanobacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and Pseudomonadota. They produce cementing materials that bind sediments (sand and other rocky materials) to form “microbial mats”. In the present study, species from seven genera, namely Conophyton cylindricus, Baicalia baicalica, Collenia columnaris, and Kussiella kussiensis, Tungussia sp., Stratifera rara, and Weedia walcott are recorded suggesting a lower‒middle Riphean age. Petrographically, the Bhagwanpura Limestone is composed of fine grains of calcite and dolomite with dispersed grains of cryptocrystalline silica, iron oxide, chert fragments, and veinlets of quartz and calcite. Present analysis suggests that the Bhojunda Stromatolite Park meets all standards to become a Global Geopark. It is crucial to take the necessary actions to apply for UNESCO confirmation, advocating not just community-driven conservation of the region’s geological heritage but also fostering sustainable development by improving the native tribes’ standard of living.

Most historical structures that have survived to the present day are constructed from natural stones. One such natural stone is andesite. This study conducted a series of characterization studies on andesites used as building stones in Afyonkarahisar (Turkey). The building stones in question were determined by the petrographic-mineralogical (polarizing microscope, XRD, SEM), chemical, pore diameter distribution, and physico-mechanical properties. Although the İscehisar andesite is not as well-known as the İscehisar marble, it is a volcanic rock widely used in cultural heritage sites such as mosques, fountains, and bridges that have survived from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods to the present day in Afyonkarahisar. Despite the presence of pink, brown, and gray-black colors in the İscehisar andesite, it is evident that the preference in historical buildings is mainly for gray-black variants. Andesite, marble, and limestone, such as İscehisar Bridge from the Hellenistic period, Kırkgöz Bridge from the Byzantine era, Altıgöz Bridge from the Seljuk period, and Kanlı Göl Bridge from the Ottoman period, were used together in various combinations. Mosques are another group of structures in which andesite and other volcanic rocks are heavily used, such as bridges. While tuff is commonly used in examples of Seljuk and Ottoman architecture that have survived to the present day, andesite and other volcanic rocks along with bricks have also been used to construct dozens of mosques. Andesites found in the İscehisar region continue to be widely extracted, cut, and shaped using different surface processing techniques and are used today.

The medieval period Ahom dynasty which ruled Assam in North-East India from 13th to 19th century CE has unique Moidams (or Maidams) built all across the upper Brahmaputra valley in Assam. The Moidams and history of Ahom rulers with reference to their relationship with landscape of the region has been scantily studied till date. The Moidams were built on piedmont to alluvial zone of the colluvial deposits of the Naga Thrust, located in the North-East part of Assam in India. The transit of Ahom rulers from Yunnan (China borderlands to Charaideo, Assam, India), where the Ahoms established their first capital, via Burma (Myanmar) and Nagaland showcases a unique historical account of the region. The lifestyle, practices and the quest for newer land of the Ahoms, which would justify their long-term occupational goals, also highlighted their understanding of climate, tectonics and man-environment relationships. The architecture of Moidams and their sitting at the piedmont at Charaideo is unique in terms of their long-standing history of 600 years in the face of natural wrath of disasters like earthquakes and seasonal floods. Based upon detailed investigation and assessment carried out by several researchers for geoheritage sites and geoarcheosites, the Moidams at Charaideo, best exemplifies. The Moidam sites warrants detailed geological, geophysical and botanical investigation aspects for illuminating its rich cultural history in light of man-environment / anthropological landscape characteristics.

Archaeological investigations in the rural settlements of the Po Valley in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, particularly in the Monferrato area, have revealed a wide range of structures dating from the Roman to the Early Medieval periods. This rural architecture is of great heritage value, as it provides insights into the historical development of Piedmont.

This paper focuses on the analysis of lime, one of the oldest and most important building materials, used as binder of bedding mortars of three archaeological rural buildings sites dating from the Early Roman imperial Period to the Late Antique phases of medieval fortified centers of Piedmont region.

A low-cost and efficient diagnostic geochemical-based method based on the characterization of two oxides present in the lime of mortars and in carbonate rocks of the area (MgO and CaO) is presented. Exploited limestone quarries exploited often have a fairly constant chemical composition and therefore a typical geological Mg/Ca ratio. The variation in this ratio is useful for the relative dating of building walls and for identifying of geological formations and quarries possibly used during the different architectural phases. This paper focuses on this second objective: the study of potential supply areas across the ages related to the ancient communication routes.