Imp.DiStefano&


THE HOLOCENE MARINE DEPOSITIONAL EVENT
IN THE HISTORICAL CENTRE OF PALERMO 

Enrico Di Stefano, Sergio Bonomo & Alessandro Incarbona  
Università degli studi di Palermo - Dipartimento di Geologia e Geodesia - Corso Tukory , 131 - 90134 Palermo -

edist@unipa.it 

ABSTRACT: Di Stefano E., Bonomo S., Incarbona A., The Holocene marine depositional event in the historical centre of Palermo. (IT
ISSN 0394-3356, 2004).
Recent data have pointed out that, above the classical depositional sequence of the Quaternary marine sediments of the Palermo
Coastal plain, post-Tyrrhenian sediments occur. In order to determine the age of these sediments and to confirm the deposition of a
recent sedimentary cycle, microfossil assemblage of several samples, coming from geognostic drillings, have been analysed. Using
the calcareous nannofossil ecobiozone scheme recently proposed for the last deglaciation of the central Mediterranean (Sicily
Channel), examined sediments can be ascribed to the Holocene. Radiocarbon analysis confirmed such an attribution providing a more
accurate stratigraphic determination. 

RIASSUNTO: Di Stefano E., Bonomo S., Incarbona A., The Holocene marine depositional event in the historical centre of Palermo. (IT
ISSN 0394-3356, 2004).
Studi recenti hanno indicato come al di sopra della classica sequenza del Quaternario marino della Piana di Palermo ricorra, in alcuni
siti del Centro Storico, un limitato spessore di depositi marini di età post-tirreniana. Con lo scopo di precisare l’età di tali depositi sono
state studiate le associazioni di microfossili di campioni provenienti da sondaggi geognostici. Utilizzando lo schema ecobiozonale a
nannofossili calcarei recentemente proposto per l’ultima deglaciazione nel Mediterraneo centrale (Canale di Sicilia) detti depositi con-
tengono nannoflore attribuibili all’Olocene. Un'analisi al radiocarbonio ha confermato tale attribuzione, limitando alla parte bassa
dell'Olocene la pertinenza stratigrafica di tali depositi. 

Keywords: Holocene, Calcareous Nannofossils, Foraminifera, Radiocarbon Convention Age, Northern Sicily.

Keywords: Olocene, Nannofossili Calcarei, Foraminiferi, Età radiocarbonio, Sicilia Settentrionale.

Il Quaternario
Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences
17(2/1), 2004, 285-291

INTRODUCTION

Since the last century, Palermo’s coastal plain has
been considered as a classical reference for marine
Quaternary studies. After Doderlain (1872), several
authors developed studies on Pleistocene chronostrati-
graphy, biostratigraphy and palaeoclimatology, based
on these marine sediments (De Stefani 1891-2; Gignoux
1913; Emiliani et al. 1958; Gradstein 1970; Ruggieri &
Sprovieri 1977; Di Stefano & Rio 1981; Buccheri 1984).

The central part of the coastal plain consists of a
series of little plateau, moulded by marine action during
the Late Quaternary. During the Last Glaciation (Würm),
they were isolated from each other for the deepening of
two converging river-beds (Kemonia fossil river and
Papireto fossil river). Till historic age, when the town
was confined within the “Paleopoli” and the “Neapoli”,
the mouths of these two rivers flowed together in a
deep inlet used as a seaport (Fig. 1). Then these rivers
were hidden by human settlement, even though their
course is also observable by the topographical and
town-planning structure of the Historical Centre (Fig. 2).

Several geognostic drillings were carried out during
the last decades, to safeguard the main sites of monu-
mental interest, contributing to improving the stratigraphic
knowledge of the area (Todaro 1995; Giammarinaro et al.
2000). Micropaleontological data based on calcareous
nannofossils and foraminifera, coming from several core
segments, will now be presented.

GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

M a r i n e  q u a t e r n a r y  s e d i m e n t s  s e t t l e d  i n
Palermo’s coastal plain can be ascribed to two main
lithologies: silty-clays and/or calcarenites having a
maximum thickness of about 80-100 metres. They
cover the Tectonic Units of Panormide Carbonate
Platform and Imerese Basin, which are orogenetically
deformed. These Tectonic Units are overlained by the
Oligo-Miocene Numidian Flysch deposit (Catalano et
al. 1998).

Roughly, the calcarenitic facies lies on the silty-
clays, except for the eastern part of the coastal plain,
where the fossiliferous silty clays outcrop (Acqua dei
Corsari and Cava Puleo – Ficarazzi – Sicilian Strato-
type) (Fig. 3). These two litho-facies are part of a
depositional sequence, chronostratigraphically span-
ning the upper part of the Emilian, the entire Sicilian
and the lowermost part of the Medium Pleistocene (Di
Stefano & Rio 1981; Catalano et al. 1998). Recent
micropaleontological data pointed out, for the first
time, that the classical sequence just described is
overlained by post-Tyrrhenian marine sediments (Di
Stefano 1998a). The aim of the present note is to spe-
cify the age of post-Tyrrhenian marine sediments,
making use of a recent calcareous nannofossil eco-
biozonation (Sprovieri et al. 2003) and of a 14C radio-
carbon dating.



286 E. Di Stefano, S. Bonomo & A. Incarbona

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Analysed material comes from two cores (indica-
ted as cores 1 and 2 in Fig. 2). Core 1 was recovered in
the northern part of a depression, known as “Conca del
Papireto”, bordering a promontory of sicilian calcareni-
tes where the Paleopoli (VII-VIII century B.C.) was foun-
ded. The studied materials were sampled at -16 and -4
metres from the roadway. The second drilling is located
in a street (Via dei Candelai) whose line coincides with
the last part of the Papireto bed-river, reclaimed in the
XVI century. The studied samples were collected at -22
and -16 metres from the roadway.

The calcareous nannofossil assemblages were
studied following the standard procedure on the smear
slide preparations and without performing any process
that could affect the natural status of the sediment.
Quantitative analyses were conducted using a polarized
microscope (transmitted light and crossed nicols) at
about 1000 X magnification. The occurrence of
Emiliania huxleyi was checked by Scanning Electron
Microscope (SEM) observations.

Fig 1 - Satellite photo of Palermo. In white the traces of
Kemonia and Papireto fossil river-beds. Arrow points out the
location of the “Paleopoli - Neapoli” (modified from La Duca
1999).

Fig 2 - City plan of the Historical Centre of Palermo and loca-
tion of the geognostic drillings. In grey the track of the fossil
river-beds hidden by human settlement. 

The foraminifera study was performed washing
about 25 cc of dried sediments with a 63 µm sieve.

To evaluate the absolute age (14C method) of the
post-Tyrrhenian fossiliferous clay level of “Conca del
Papireto”, about thirty specimens of epiphyte benthic
foraminifera (Cibicides lobatulus, Elphidium crispum,
Rosalina sp.) were picked. The selected specimens
were perfectly preserved and at a different ontogenetic
development degree. The analysis was performed at
the Center for accelerator mass spectrometry of
Lawrence (Livermore National Laboratory).

RESULTS

Conca del Papireto
Examined samples are representative of two litho-

logic levels located at -16 and -4 metres. They are
respectively grey sandy-clays with fossils and vegeta-
ble remains and blue clays with small molluscs, echino-
derm remains and vegetable carbonaceous remains.

Calcareous nannofossils: (-16 metres sample)
Examined sample indicated the total absence of auto-
chtonous nannofloras. Only very rare specimens of
reworked paleogenic taxa, coming from the Numidian
Flysch deposit, were observed.

(-4 metres sample) The calcareous nannofossil
assemblage is scarcely diversified but rich in speci-
mens, characterized by the dominance of E. huxleyi
(Fig. 4a). Quantitative analyses, by countings on the
first 300 specimens, pointed out that this taxon occurs
with abundance values exceeding 45%. Common spe-
cimens of Gephyrocapsa oceanica (Fig. 4b) and rare



ones of small Gephyrocapsa and Braarudosphaera
bigelowii were also detected. Genus Helicosphaera
occurs with common helicoliths belonging to three dif-
ferent species. On the basis of the above compositional
and quantitative data, the assemblage was ascribed to
the MNN21b biozone (Rio et al. 1990). Moreover, quite
a shallow marine environment with a temperate climate
can be supposed. A slightly lowered salinity can be
invoked on the basis of the occurrence of B. bigelowii
that has been often reported as a species of coastal
environment and/or low salinity (Bukry 1971; Müller
1979). Again specimens of reworked paleogenic taxa
(Sphenolithus conicus and Sphenolithus sp.) occur.

287The Holocene marine depositional ...

The following taxa were recognized:
Braarudosphaera bigelowii
Calcidiscus leptoporus 
Emiliania huxleyi 
Gephyrocapsa oceanica 
small Gephyrocapsa
Helicosphaera hyalina 
Helicosphaera carteri 
Helicosphaera wallichii

Foraminifera: (-16 metres sample) Only few spe-
cies and specimens of coastal benthic foraminifera
were observed, representative of a very reduced bathy-

Fig 3 - Simplified geologic map of Palermo's coastal plain and schematic stratigraphic columns (modified from Abate B. et al. 1982).

Fig 4 - a - Emiliania huxleyi (SEM). b - Gephyrocapsa oceanica (MOP, X nicols).



288

metry. Among them Ammonia beccarii, Elphidium cri-
spum and rare Miliolids.

(-4 metres sample) A diversified assemblage, with
well preserved specimens at different ontogenetic
levels, were observed. Benthic foraminifera are very
abundant, characterized by the dominance of epiphyte
taxa: Planorbulina mediterranensis, Rosalina sp.,
Cibicides lobatulus together with A. beccarii, E. crispum
and Miliolids. This assemblage testifies an evolution in
the depositional environment towards deeper condi-
tions (several tens of metres). Such a consideration is in
agreement to the occurrence of very few specimens of
planktonic foraminifera: Globigerina bulloides and
Globorotalia inflata.

Via dei Candelai
Examined samples are representative of two sedi-

mentary levels located at -22 and -16 metres. They are
respectively representative of fossiliferous grey sandy-
clays and dark silty-clays with small molluscs.

Calcareous nannofossils: (-22 metres sample) The
nannofloral assemblage is not well diversified with over
45% of small placoliths of E. huxleyi. G. oceanica and
B. bigelowii are also significantly present. On these
basis the assemblage might be again considered as
indicative of the biozone MNN21b and belonging to a
stratigraphic level correlatable with the considered
higher sample of “Conca del Papireto”.

(-16 metres sample) Furthermore, the calcareous
nannofossil assemblage resulted less diversified, almo-
st entirely constituted by small placoliths of E. huxleyi
and  representative of the biozone MNN21b.

STRATIGRAPHY

In the two investigated sites, calcareous nan-
nofossil assemblages pertaining to the biozone
MNN21b were detected. Such data can be considered
as an innovation relative to the known stratigraphic fra-
mework. Firstly, the younger marine sediments which
settled in the coastal plain were ascribed to the blue
clays and/or to the calcarenites that are in transgres-
sion on the Oligo-Miocene deposits (Numidian Flysch).
Both litofacies belong to a sedimentary cycle begun
with the marine transgression of the Emilian substage
and they are bounded in the upper part by a erosive
surface that is surely more recent than the Marine
Isotopic Stage (MIS) 22 (Di Stefano & Rio 1981;
Buccheri 1984; Di Stefano 1998b). The first mention of
the existence of more recent marine sediments, althou-
gh with a relatively little thickness, is linked to the
detection of E. huxleyi acme in sediments referable to
the MNN21b biozone (Di Stefano 1998a). This biozone
covers the uppermost part of the Latest Pleistocene
and Holocene. Using recent biochronologic data,
mainly obtained by sediments recovered during the
cruise of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP - Leg 160),
E. huxleyi's increase in abundance always occurs
above MIS 5 and sapropel S3 in the Mediterranean Sea
(Castradori 1993; Sanvoisin et al. 1993; Flores et al.
1997; Di Stefano 1998b; Sprovieri et al. 1998; de Kanel
et al. 1999). Therefore these sediments are an insight
that a post-Tyrrhenian sea re-entrance occurred, at

least in the central sector of Palermo’s coastal plain. 
Quantitative abundance data on the calcareous

nannofossil assemblages of the uppermost Late
Pleistocene-Holocene and the recently proposed eco-
biozonation of the last ca. 20 kyrs in the Sicily Channel
(ODP-Site 963) strongly enhanced the stratigraphic
resolution of the upper part of the biozone MNN21b.
On these basis, the above mentioned transgression of
sea water on the coastal plain can be restricted to the
Holocene. Infact, the occurrence of several specimens
of G. oceanica, is compatible only with ecozones 3N,
2N and 1N (Sprovieri et al. 2003). 

This taxon marks a re-entrance event just above
the base of the Holocene (Di Stefano & Incarbona 2004)
(Fig. 5) after an interval of virtual absence that covers
the entire Würm (Di Stefano & Incarbona - unpublished
data).

AGE DATING

In order to reach a more accurate age determina-
tion of the above mentioned depositional event, a 14C
radiocarbon analysis was performed. About thirty spe-
cimens of epiphyte benthic foraminifera (C. lobatulus, E.
crispum and Rosalina sp.) at a different ontogenetic
development were selected. The obtained result was
7780 ± 60 B.P. (radiocarbon convention age) (Tab. 1).

Fig 5 - Quantitative distribution pattern of Gephyrocapsa ocea-
nica in the sedimentary record of ODP Hole-963D compared
with calcareous nannofossil ecozones, with the Stages of the
Event Stratigraphy and with the stratigraphic subdivision of
Mangerud et al. 1974. On the right the available age control
based on three age determinations (radiocarbon convention
age) is reported (modified from Di Stefano & Incarbona 2004).

E. Di Stefano, S. Bonomo & A. Incarbona



289

So the sediments can be referred to the lower part of
the Holocene during the last phase of the deglaciation,
while the sea-level was reaching the maximum high-
stand (Bjørck et al. 1998). Such an age is nearly corre-
spondent to that obtained in the middle part of the eco-
zone 2N (7510 ± 60 B.P. - radiocarbon convention age)
of Sprovieri et al. (2003) (Fig. 5).

DISCUSSION

The marine sedimentation established at least in
the central sector of Palermo’s coastal plain at about
7.8 kyrs B.P. (radiocarbon convention age), provides
remarkable indications on the possible depositional
history of this coastal region.

Recent palaeoclimatic studies outlined the
sequence of the most important fluctuations in the cli-
matic system during the last deglaciation, mainly on the
basis of the isotopic record of Greenland ice cores
(Chappelaz et al. 1990; Alley et al. 1993; Bond et al.
1993; Grootes et al. 1993). A significant warming event
marked the end of the Younger Dryas (GS-1) (Fig. 6) and
characterized the lower part of the Holocene. As a con-
sequence a fast sea level raising has been reported on
the eustatic curves. The raising of the sea level was eva-
luated in about 120 metres in coincidence of the degla-
ciation culmination (Fairbanks, 1989). The radiometric
age obtained for “Conca del Papireto” sample, links the
deposition of Holocene Palermo’s coastal plain sedi-
ments to the deglaciation culmination event. Sea waters
flowed on the coastal sectors of the plain using as a
preferential way the fossil river-beds of Kemonia and
Papireto, lowered during the glacial Würm period.
Further samples, coming from small segments of cores
of the Historical Centre, with nannofloras again referable
to the Holocene has been recently recovered, demon-

Fig 6 - δ18O profile from Greenland ice core GISP2, compared
with the classical sequence of events related to the last degla-
ciation (Mangerud et al. 1974).

Tab. 1 - Report on 14C radiocarbon analysis, performed on the Papireto sample

The Holocene marine depositional ...



290

strating that the sea re-entrance interested several pla-
ces and had therefore a significant extension (Fig. 2).

The collected foraminiferal data infers that during
this sea water re-entrance, a water column estimated in
several tens of metres existed on the sea floor in the
Papireto site.

CONCLUSIONS

Micropaleontological analyses based on calca-
reous nannofossils and foraminifera were carried out on
some samples of the Historical Centre of Palermo,
selected as possible indicators of a post-Tyrrhenian
depositional sequence. Samples within the Papireto
fossil river-beds are characterized by the dominance of
E. huxleyi together with the occurrence of several spe-
cimens of G. oceanica. They are compatible with
Holocene nannofossil ecozones. Moreover, faunistic
and floristic assemblages point out a shallow water
marine environment and a temperate climate. An age
determination was performed and the result was 7780
± 60 yrs BP (radiocarbon convention age). It confirms
that, in this area, marine sediments were deposited
during the lower part of the Holocene. This age is indi-
cative of the last phase of the deglaciation and is almo-
st coincident with the maximum high-stand of the sea
level. We suggest that the sea water flowed on the coa-
stal plain of the Historical Centre of Palermo using as a
preferential way the Kemonia and Papireto fossil river-
beds, deeply eroded during the Würm glacial period.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Studied samples were provided by “Studio dia-
gnostico del Centro Storico della Città di Palermo” and
MIUR Project, coordinators R. Catalano and M. S.
Giammarinaro. We are thankful to them and to their co-
workers. Thanks are also due to Sicilsonde s.n.c. for
providing the sample of “Conca del Papireto”.

This research has been supported by MIUR ex
60% grants to E. Di Stefano.

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291

Ms. ricevuto il 21 maggio 2004
Testo definitivo ricevuto il 28 settembre 2004

Ms. received: May 21, 2004
Final text received: September 28, 2004

The Holocene marine depositional ...