SESS 4_17022011.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 

PALAEOENVIRONMENT RECONSTRUCTION USING POLLEN AND PLANT MACROFOSSILS: 
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF VIA NERONIANA (MONTEGROTTO TERME – PADOVA)  

 
Michele Maritan1, Barbara Gaudioso2 & Antonella Miola2 

1Dipartimento di Geografia, Università degli Studi di Padova 
2Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova 

Corresponding author: M. Maritan <michele.maritan@unipd.it> 
 
ABSTRACT: Maritan M., Gaudioso B. & Miola A., Palaeoenvironment reconstruction using pollen and plant macrofossils: 
the archaeological site of via Neroniana (Montegrotto Terme - Padova). (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
This presentations shows the results of a palaeobotanical research in an archaeological site occupied from the Copper 
Age to the Medieval time in the thermal area of Euganean Hills. The results of pollen and plant macrofossils‘ analysis 
help in the reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment evolution back to the Last Glacial Maximum, with new insight on the 
thermal water influence on the site and the human presence before the construction of a Roman villa. 
 

RIASSUNTO: Maritan M., Gaudioso B. & Miola A., Ricostruzione paleoambientale tramite polline e macroresti vegetali: il 
sito archeologico di via Neroniana (Montegrotto Terme – Padova) (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
Questa comunicazione presenta i risultati delle ricerche paleobotaniche in un sito archeologico frequentato dall’Età del 
Rame fino al Medioevo nell’area termale dei Colli Euganei. I risultati dall’analisi del polline e dei macroresti vegetali aiuta-
no a ricostruire l’evoluzione del paleo ambiente fin dall’Ultimo Massimo Glaciale, con nuovi sviluppi sull’influenza 
dell’acqua termale sul sito e la presenza umana precedente alla costruzione di una villa romana 
 

Key words: palaeoenvironment, Montegrotto Terme, Euganean hills, pollen, plant macrofossils 
 

Parole chiave: paleo ambiente, MontegrottoTerme, Colli Euganei, polline, macroresti vegetali 

Archaeobotanical analyses are widely applied to 
the reconstruction of past landscapes. Recently, 
the demand for a more detailed information on cli-
mate and environmental history, including the im-
pact of man on natural landscapes, has stimulated 
a multi-proxy approach to the study of palaeoenvi-
ronments (BIRKS & BIRKS, 2006). 
This approach has been adopted in the archaeo-
logical site of “via Neroniana” at Montegrotto 
Terme (Padova) in the Euganean thermal area. 
The area is well known since protohistory and ex-
ploited in Roman times for leisure and healing. 
Since the Copper Age the human presence in the 
site is well documented. Particularly important are 
the archaeological findings of a monumental Ro-
man villa (I sec. a.D.) and a of a medieval settle-
ment (IX-XI sec. a.D.)(Fig. 1). Huge effort in 
ground lifting and draining of the site is docu-
mented in both occupations (ZANOVELLO & BASSO, 
2007; 2008). The almost continuous human pres-
ence suggests that the environmental features 
should be determinant in the reoccupation of the 
site.  
The reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment in a 
thermal area was approached by means of geo-
morphological, sedimentological, palaeo-botanical, 
stratigraphic, soil micromorphological and radiocar-
bon dating methods. Sediments were collected in 
several drillings and archaeological open sections. 
Pollen, plant macro remains and a variety of algal, 
fungal and zoological micro remains have been 

investigated. Biological indicators were selected in 
the fossil records. The cores’ lithology has been 
studied and used for stratigraphic correlations. The 
results integrate archaeology in providing a com-
prehensive framework of human-environment in-
teractions. This presentation shows palaeobotani-
cal results (pollen, macrofossils) from 8 cores, 4 to 
10 meters deep, and an open section (Section P in 
Fig. 1). 
On the basis of biological data the natural and cul-
tural landscape can be reconstructed in the follow-
ing periods: 
i) The Last Glacial Maximum. The area was water-
logged; pollen and other palynomorphs (NPPs) in 
a sequence of clay, sand and silt sediments docu-
ment that a steppe environment was around the 
basin. The finding of fossil seeds of the alophilous 
specie Juncus gerardi is quite important to recon-
struct the palaeoenvironment as the thermal water 
of Montegrotto is characterized by salinity compa-
rable to marine water (PANICHI et al, 1976). J. ger-
ardi was abundant around the thermal springs be-
fore the urbanization of the Euganean thermal area 
in 1904, as reported by BEGUINOT (1904). More-
over the presence of fossil thermal diatoms and 
gastropods indicate that thermal waters fed the 
shallow basin. A well dated layer of clay defines 
the geomorphological profile of the basin at the 
age of about 19,000-18.000 cal yrs BP. 
ii) The beginning of the Late Glacial. Pollen and 
macro remains in lacustrine sediments record the 

 
 
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190  

onset of the climatic improvement (rare but con-
stant presence of thermophilous and mesophilous 
plants and the expansion of pioneering elements 
as Pinus). The findings of J. gerardi seeds and an 
exceptionally high percentage of Chenopodiaceae 
pollen suggest that thermal water still fed the basin 
and a saline soil developed around. Almost twice 
the clay sedimentation has been interrupted by 
alluvial sedimentation in the South Eastern part of 

the area. Differently the North Western part was 
continuously waterlogged and a thicker layer of 
clay than in the central part of the area was depos-
ited. Very high sedimentation rates produced min-
erogenic deposits entirely devoid of recognisable 
plant remains. At the top a soil developed in the 
entire area (P. MOZZI and C. NICOSIA pers. comm.). 
iii) The beginning of the Holocene. In the North 
Western part of the archaeological area a new 

Fig. 1, Map of the archaeological area of via Neroniana with localization of the cores and Section P (MARITAN M., 2010, 
modified) 
Mappa dell’area archeologica di via Neroniana, con localizzazione dei carotaggi e della sezione P (MARITAN M., 2010, 
modificata)  

M. Maritan, B. Gaudioso & A. Miola  



  

 191 

 
 
Ms. received: 
Testo ricevuto il 

brief phase of lacustrine sedimentation preserved 
pollen associations with increasing Quercus, They 
can be compared with the pollen associations at 
the base of the Lake of Fimon Holocene sequence 
(VALSECCHI et al., 2008). The upper part of the pol-
len sequence is disturbed by human activities.  
iii) The late Holocene before the construction of the 
villa. A sedimentary sequence of a shallow water 
body is well preserved in an open archaeological 
section under the foundations of the villa (section P 
in Fig. 1). The clay layer at the bottom of the se-
quence preserved pollen of rye, Vitis and of many 
anthropogenic indicators. The increasing Picea 
and Abies and decreasing thermophilous elements 
suggest a period of less warm and more humid 
climate respect to the Holocene sequence already 
described. It could be correlated with the top of 
Holocene (Iron Age?) by comparison with other 
pollen sequences in the region (VALSECCHI et al., 
2008). The curves of several aquatic and hydrophi-
lous plants, as Juncus gerardi, Typha latifolia/
angustifolia, Ranunculus subgen. Batrachium, 
Chara vulgaris and Nitella tenuissima suggest pro-
gressive dryer conditions and the filling up of the 
water body. Pollen of Secale, Verbena officinalis 
and Poa palustris/P. pratensis seeds points to cul-
tivation. Thermal springs still fed the water body as 
it is suggested by the presence of Juncus gerardi 
seeds. In a quite close (3 m apart) core, M01, 
stratigraphically correlated to the sequence of sec-
tion P, several pips of Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera, 
with seeds of Euphorbia helioscopia, (a common 
weed of grapevine cultivations) have been found. 
The seeds have been recorded in Late Glacial 
sediments and have been interpreted as evi-
denceof a grapevine cultivation over the old Late 
Glacial soil before the construction of the villa.  
v) The Roman Age. The sediments dated by ar-
chaeological findings and analyzed so far did not 
preserve any plant remains. The hydrological con-
ditions of the area and the attractive thermal 
springs lead to the building of the villa, through 
reclamation of part of the swampy lake shore by 
means of 1-2 m thick landfills. 
vi) The Medieval occupation. A new settlement (IX-
XII cent. A.D.) occupies the site of the villa. Land 
reclamation works were done in the area before 
the occupation. A variety of archaeobotanical find-
ings hint at diversified agricultural and mostly food 
processing activities, as cereal and legumes culti-
vation and processing (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum 
aestivum/T. durum, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria 
italica, Lens culinaris ), grapevine cultivation and 
wine making (Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera), textile 
and possibly dying activities (Linum usitatissimum, 

Reseda luteola, Sambucus ebolus). 
The most relevant archaeobotanical results are: i) 
the continuous presence of thermal water springs 
in the area, since the LGM period. This environ-
mental peculiarity should explain the reoccupation 
of the site till the modern time; ii) the finding of Se-
cale that has been rarely found in Northern Italy 
before the Roman Age (MERCURI et al, 2006). This 
is the first record of cultivation of rye in the 
Euganean area; iii) the new record of an agricul-
tural phase with cereal and grapevine cultivation 
before the Roman occupation (Imperial Age villa). 
Funds were supplied by the Dept. of Archaeology 
(University of Padova) in 2006-2008, MURST (ex 
60% A. Miola 2005-2010) and by the project 
PICAR - PRIN 2008FJCEF4. (Scient. coord. A. M. 
Mercuri).  
 
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BEGUINOT A. (1904) - Saggio sulla flora e sulla fitogeo-
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fica Italiana, 11, Roma. 

MARITAN M. (2010) - Primi risultati dell’analisi di macrore-
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VALSECCHI V., FISINGER W., TINNER W. & AMMANN B. 
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ZANOVELLO P. & BASSO P. (2007) - Montegrotto Terme - 
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 January 15, 2011 
 15 gennaio 2011 

Palaeoenvironment reconstruction using pollen and plant  ...