SESS 0_retro e indice edi.pub


  

 

  Il Quaternario 
Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences 
24, (Abstract AIQUA, Roma 02/2011),  

Congresso AIQUA 
Il Quaternario Italiano: conoscenze e prospettive 

Roma 24 e 25 febbraio 2011 

THE GROTTA DEI FIORI (SARDINIA) STRATIGRAPHIC SUCCESSION: 
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH 

 
Rita Teresa Melis1, Maria Rita Palombo2, Bassel Ghabel3,, Roberto Boldrini2,& Paola Iacumin4 

1 Dipartimento Scienze della Terra, Università di Cagliari 
2 Dipartimento Scienze della Terra,Università “Sapienza” Roma, 
3 GEOTOP-UQAM, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada 

4Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università, Parma 
Corresponding author: Rita T. Melis <rtmelisl@unica.it>  

 
ABSTRACT: Melis R.T. et al., The Grotta dei Fiori (Sardinia) stratigraphic succession; a multidisciplinary approach. (IT 
ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
Grotta dei Fiori Cave is one of the many limestone caves in South Western Sardinia containing well-stratified fossiliferous 
deposits intercalated with flowstones. A multidisciplinary methodological approach (paleontological, sedimentological, 
stable isotope analyses) and U/Th datation, has been used to define the palaenvironmental context and chronology of 
fossiliferous deposits in the cave. 
 

RIASSUNTO: Melis R.T. et al., La successione stratigrafica di Grotta dei Fiori (Sardegna): approccio multidisciplinare. (IT 
ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
Grotta dei fiori è una delle numerose grotte nella Sardegna Sud occidentale caratterizzata da sedimenti ricchi in resti 
fossili intercalati con flowstones. La correlazione e l’interpretazione dei risultati di uno studio multidisciplinare 
(paleontologico, sedimentologico, analisi isotopica) e datazioni U/Th, sono stati utilizzati per definire il contesto paleoam-
bientale e precisare l’ intervallo cronologico dei depositi fossiliferi presenti nella grotta.  
 

Key words: Pleistocene, Biochronology, Sardinia. 
 

Parole chiave: Pleistocene,, Biocronologia, Sardegna  

Grotta dei Fiori Cave (Carbonia, Sardinia) is one of 
the many caves in South western Sardinia that 
contains fossiliferous deposits with large and small 
mammals intercalated with flowstones. The cave is 
localized nearby the Carbonia town and developed 
in a Cambrian limestone (“Gruppo di Gonnesa”) 
slightly metamorphosised by Ercinic tectonic 
(Fig.1). The hypogean karstification started at 
Lower Cambrian and continued at different times 
until the Quaternary. The cave evolution was made 
through various spelaeogenetic cycles 

characterised by a succession of sedimentation, 
erosion and collapsing phases. Probably 
sedimentation started in the Permo-Trias, as 
supported by data on karst evolution in the Iglesias 
area (CIVITA et al. 1986). The oldest (?) deposits 
likely correspond to fine sediments filling some 
fissures in the ceiling of main cavities. The Plio-
Pleistocene deposits, mainly fine and coarse 
sediments, are the most abundant and are 
characterised by rich small mammal remains 
(MELIS et al. 2002b). 
A multidisciplinary study has been carried out with 
the aim of reconstructing the cave evolution and 
finding a more accurate attribution of fossiliferous 
deposits cropping out in the karstic cave, through 
the correlation and interpretation of the results of 
different disciplinary approaches (palaeontology, 
geochemistry, sedimentology, soil 
micromorphology and U/Th datation). Three 
fossiliferous sequences have been identified 
outside, on the first and on the third cavity of 
“Grotta dei Fiori” cave (Fig.2). 
The sequence U, localized outside the cave in a 
man-made cut of the second entrance, is 
characterized, in the bottom, by clayed deposits 
with mudcracks filled by calcite. Follows a 
flowstone, about 30 cm thin, covered by cemented 
chaotic coarse deposits composed by large 
fragments of the previous flowstone, limestone 

Fig. 1, Location of Grotta dei Fiori.  
Ubicazione di Grotta dei Fiori. 

 
 
 150 - 151  



  

 151 

 
 
Ms. received: 
Testo ricevuto il 

clasts and red fine matrix with abundant fossil 
remains confined to small areas. The upper 
sequence ends with a thick flowstone. 
The sequence C, is formed by sub-horizontal 
levels ending with a flowstone of 25 cm. This 
sequence, about 5 m thick, is subdivided into two 
units: lower unit (Unit A), characterised by fine red 
clay sediments with pedoretlicts interpreted as 
deposits which were washed into the back of the 
cave by gentle water flow of eroded soils 
developed outside. The transition from the lower to 
the upper unit B is marked by a level characterised 
by 3 thin flowstones alternated by levels of red clay 
sediments. This level is characterised by fine 
sediments interbedded with coarse clastic 
deposits. The coarse clastic deposits are poorly 
sorted and contain bone fragments. The amount of 
pedorelicts within the fine sediments matrix, 
suggests erosion of soils originated outside the 
cave, which fell into the cave. In the Unit B, the 
poorly to well-developed internal layering, the 
angular to subangular shape of clasts, the large 
amount of pedorelicts in the fine matrix with coarse 
sediments, indicates that soils from outside the 
cave were catastrophically and suddenly washed 
down the slope and deposited into the cave. 
The sequence D, about 8 m thick, is formed by 
clayed and coarse sediments. The lower unit (Unit 
A) is characterised by fine sediments, whereas the 

upper one (Unit B) mostly by coarse deposits. The 
lower Unit A, interbedded between two thin 
flowstones, consists of alternating clayed and 
sandy levels with poor fossil remains. The Upper 
Unit B is composed by predominantly coarse 
sediments and abundant fossil remains. The upper 
sequence ends with a flowstone about 10 cm thick. 
Fossiliferous levels occur in all the above 
described stratigraphic sequences. Small 
mammals (Microtus (Tyrrhenicola), Ragamys, 
“Nesiotites” and Prolgagus) are always present, 
but so far only voles from the sequence C have 
been preliminarily analysed. The Upper level 
sequence C, includes several fossiliferous levels 
from which a rich sample of small mammals have 
been retrieved. Scanty remains of a quite large 
Cynotherium aff. C. sardous and some no endemic 
birds (Ciconia nigra, Gypaetus barbatus, Aquila 
sp., Columba livia, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, 
Pyrrhocorax graculus, Corvus corone, Corvus 
corax, Emberiza cirlus/schoeniclus) have been 
found in the uppermost fossiliferous level (MELIS et 
al. 2002; PAVIA & BEDETTI 2003, BOLDRINI et al. 
2010). 
Data provided by sedimentology, soil 
micromorphology and geochemistry indicate that 
the fossiliferous sequences of “Grotta dei Fiori” 
was deposited under climatic conditions 
characterized by an alternation of wet and dry 
periods (BOLDRINI et al 2010). Taking into account 
results of palaeontological analysis, the hypothesis 
that the “Grotta dei Fiori” succession would be not 
older than the marine isotope stage (MIS) 11 
cannot be ruled out. U/Th dating of flowstones, 
directly associated with this deposits, roughly 
support this hypothes, indicating that depositional 
events in the Grotta dei Fiori cave, occurred during 
the Middle Pleistocene from MIS 11 to MIS 9?. 
 
REFERENCES 
 
BOLDRINI R., PALOMBO M.R., IACUMIN P. & MELIS R. 

(2010) - The Middle Pleistocene fossiliferous sequence 
of Grotta dei Fiori (Sardinia, Italy): multidisciplinary 
analysis. Boll. Soc. Palontologica It., 49 (2), 123-134. 

CIVITA M., COCOZZA T., FORTI P., PERNA G. & TURI B. 
(1986) - Identification of groundwater flow parameters 
of karstic aquifer in the mining district of Iglesiente 
(Sardinia-Italy). CEE "RESOURCES report EUR 10572 
EN, 1-56. 

MELIS R.T., PALOMBO M.R., BEDETTI C., FENZA P., PAVIA 
M., MUREDDU M. & VILLANI M. (2002). Evoluzione 
speleogenetica e paleoambientale della grotta dei Fiori 
SA/CA 218 (Carbonia-Sardegna sud-ccidentale). 
Anthéo Bollettino Gruppo SpeleoArcheo Giovanni 
Spano di Cagliari, 6, 71-88. 

PAVIA M. & BEDETTI C. (2003) - The late Pleistocene 
fossil avian remainsfrom Grotta dei Fiori, Carbonia (SW 
Sardinia, Italy). Boll. Soc. Paleontologica It., 42, 163-169. 

Fig. 2, Localization and plan of Grotta dei Fiori cave, 
from: Elenco Catastale delle grotte del Comune di 
Carbonia, Gruppo Ricerche Speleologiche “E. A. Martel” 
Carbonia (1977).  
Ubicazione e pianta della Grotta dei Fiori, da: Elenco 
Catastale delle grotte del Comune di Carbonia, Gruppo 
Ricerche Speleologiche “E. A. Martel” Carbonia (1977).  

 
 
 January 15, 2011 
 15 gennaio 2011 

The Grotta dei Fiori (Sardinia) stratigraphic succession ...