Papers by Marilena Cozzolino
Landscape 3: una sintesi di elementi diacronici. Uomo e ambiente nel mondo antico: un equilibrio possibile?, 2023
The paper presents the results of the Hyblaean Archaelogical Landscapes Survey Project, carried o... more The paper presents the results of the Hyblaean Archaelogical Landscapes Survey Project, carried out in southeastern Sicily (Italy). Located in a focal point of the Mediterranean region, the area forms a perfect case for research on settlement and routes networks in a diachronic perspective. Project’s first stage was carried out through the application of a spectrum of methods within preventive archaeology activities: the integrated use of the ‘traditional’ field survey with remote and proximal sensing and micro- to large-scale geophysical prospection (i.e. extensive use of seismic refraction and geomagnetic survey; intensive use of ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography) was designed for a new understanding of the Hyblaean territory, moving from an essentially site-based approach to a landscape-scale perspective.
in Heritage 8, 37. Free download at: https://doi.org/ 10.3390/heritage8020037, 2025
The UNESCO site of Arslantepe is located in Eastern Anatolia in the Malatya Plain (Türkiye) about... more The UNESCO site of Arslantepe is located in Eastern Anatolia in the Malatya Plain (Türkiye) about 10 km from the Euphrates River. Here for about a century archaeological excavations have been carried out, reconstructing a long sequence of human frequentation starting from 5000 years BC up to the Middle Ages. The settlement, one of the most important and largest in the region, has undergone numerous changes over time, resulting in a complex superposition of structures, palaces, temples, and burials concentrated on the hill. With the aim of extending the knowledge of the site, in 2022, geophysical surveys were carried out through the application of electrical resistivity tomography, covering a surface of approximately 4300 m 2 in an unexplored area at the foot of the hill. In this paper, the Extended data-adaptive Probability-based Electrical Resistivity Tomography Inversion approach (E-PERTI), recently published as a development of the probability tomography imaging approach, has been applied to a large apparent resistivity field dataset, providing the best estimate of the most probable estimate of the resistivity distribution through an intrinsic linear regression model implementing standard least squares routines. The results seem to prove the effectiveness of the E-PERTI approach in noise dejection, enhancing associated resistivity highs that can be ascribable to the trace of a potential fortification. The obtained information represents new, unexpected data that open new frontiers of archaeological research, adding value to the knowledge of the site.
in 2023 IMEKO International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (Roma 19-21 ottobre 2023) pp. 447-451, 2023
The research project aims to uncover the unknown territory and trace its origins. It's conducted ... more The research project aims to uncover the unknown territory and trace its origins. It's conducted by the ISPC CNR to study the historical and archaeological context of Borbona (Rieti, Italy) with the collaboration of the Department of Agricultural Environmental and Food Sciences (University of Molise) for the geophysical prospections. Despite the limited historical and archaeological studies on Borbona, unexpected discoveries emerged during the research. Through various activities, including surveys and analysis of findings, the project has identified ancient habitation areas and significant Roman architectural fragments. The research seeks to transmit the history and culture of Borbona to future generations, fostering a sense of belonging. Protecting historical heritage and areas at archaeological risk, enhancing and promoting existing cultural assets, represent fundamental actions to increase the country's attractiveness in the present and preserve its identity in the future.
Integration of 3D topographic survey and geophysical prospection in urban geoarchaeology
Late Holocene deposits stored beneath the modern deltaicalluvial plains are excellent sedimentary... more Late Holocene deposits stored beneath the modern deltaicalluvial plains are excellent sedimentary archives to explore in detail the succession of landscapes developed, since the Proto-historic period (ca. 3000 yr BC), under the mutual interaction of natural and anthropogenic forcing factors. The recent coring campaign performed in the Pisa plain, in the context of “MAPPA project”, has represented a great opportunity to highlight the history of human-environment relationships in a long-settled city area. Several studies (Bellotti et alii 2004; Bruneton et alii 2001; AMoroSi et alii 2004), focused on Holocene coastal sedimentary successions of the western Mediterranean area, have evidenced a characteristic similar depositional trend. During the maximum marine flooding, around 6000-5000 yr BC (FAirBAnKS et alii 1989), the coastal zones were occupied by wide lagoon basins. The following combined effect of sea-level steadying and increasing river sediment supply led to the gradual siltation of the lagoons and the development of modern deltaic-alluvial plains, which experienced a lengthy and intense human land-use history. These mid-late Holocene fluvio-deltaic successions, accumulated during the last four millennia, recorded the palaeoenvironmental changes occurred at time scales comparable to those involving human civilization and society evolution. Therefore, high-resolution stratigraphic analysis of these deposits, 15-20 m-thick beneath the Pisa urban and periurban area, integrated with multispectral images interpretation constitute a fundamental step toward an accurate and in-depth knowledge of the recent past landscape evolution and to the elaboration of palaeogeographic maps. Matching this objective has required an interdisciplinary approach joining the expertise of Pisa University Earth and Human scientists. This research was performed in the context of the broader project M.A.P.P.A. (Metodologie Applicate alla Predittività del Potenziale Archeologico www. mappaproject.org), funded by the Regional Board of Toscana and carried out by Pisa University in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Ministry and the Municipality of Pisa. The project is aimed at contributing to the protection, research and governance of the city and of its underground archaeological heritage.
Joint Use of GPR Surveys, Terrestrial and Aerial Photogrammetry for the Study of the Portico of the Cathedral of S. Pietro (Isernia, Italy)
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2022
Geosciences
The aim of this paper is to present a 3D Probability-based Earth Density Tomography Inversion (PE... more The aim of this paper is to present a 3D Probability-based Earth Density Tomography Inversion (PEDTI) method derived from the principles of the Gravity Probability Tomography (GPT). The new method follows the rationale of a previous Probability-based Electrical Resistivity Inversion (PERTI) method, which has proved to be a fast and versatile user-friendly approach. Along with PERTI, PEDTI requires no external a priori information. In this paper, after recalling the GPT imaging method, the PEDTI theory is developed and concluded with a key inversion formula that allows a wide class of equivalent solutions to be computed. Two synthetic cases are discussed to show the resolution that can be achieved in the determination of density contrasts and to examine the nature of the gravity non-uniqueness problem. Regarding the first issue, it is shown that the estimate of the density by PEDTI can change by about two orders of magnitude and get closer to reality with a more focused solution on a...
Contributo Della Geofisica Nello Studio Delle Forme Insediative Del Sannio in Territorio Molisano
Aesernia: l’urbanistica della colonia latina
ITA, 2021
Applied Sciences, 2022
A geoelectrical survey was carried out outside the walls of the ancient Egnazia (Puglia, Italy) w... more A geoelectrical survey was carried out outside the walls of the ancient Egnazia (Puglia, Italy) with the aim of enriching the knowledge about its defense system. Nine Electrical Resistivity Tomographies (ERTs) were realized using the dipole-dipole (DD) electrode array, approximately transversal to the walls and equally spaced. The new Extended data-adaptive Probability-based Electrical Resistivity Tomography Inversion Method (E-PERTI) was applied, for the first time, to model the resistivity distribution of a large dataset. Considering some peculiar aspects of the general theory of probability, an optimization of results was reached giving major emphasis to one dataset portion rather than another and inspecting selectively vertical or lateral resistivity variations. In this way, sets of aligned resistivity lows attributable to the trace of an ancient ditch were found.
Preliminary notes of the research on the Roman aqueduct of Alba Fucens (AQ) in Italy. The geophysical prospecting in the study of the free-flowing channel and the inverted siphon
Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién (Colombia), the first Spanish city in Tierra Firme: a systematic archaeological and geophysical prospection
The archeological site of the city of Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién is located in Colombia... more The archeological site of the city of Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién is located in Colombia, within the municipality of Unguía, in the Chocó Department, on the western coast of the Gulf of Urabá. In 1510, Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién was the first Spanish city to be founded on the American mainland. About 900 archaeological test pits were realized with the purpose to delimit the area of the city. Evidences gathered by on-site prospections were supported by the study of high-resolution satellite imagery and the analysis of soils. Moreover geophysical prospections were realized in two principal areas with a great density of archaeological materials and results revealed important anomalies useful to understand the sites and program the future activity of excavation.
The article is a report on the results of the first campaign conducted in the Athenaion of Poseid... more The article is a report on the results of the first campaign conducted in the Athenaion of Poseidonia-Paestum by the University of Salerno as part of a three-year concession granted by the Italian Ministry of Heritage (2018-2020). The field investigations were started in 2018. They are the final outcome of a series of studies on the metal materials from the "Stipi di Cerere" (hoards of Ceres), unearthed in the 1928, 1929, 1937, and 1939 excavations directed by A. Maiuri. These studies included an examination of all the previous documentation, which had revealed the potential of further investigations, to be implemented both through non-invasive testing and by resuming excavation. It was evident that the old excavations in the sanctuary had not always reached down to the virgin travertine bank. Between June and September 2018, geophysical tests and two trial pits revealed part of a trench of the 1930s excavations, as well as layers with dates between the late sixth and early fifth century BC, only partly disturbed by early digging. The results achieved have opened new research perspectives not only on the history of the temple but also on the early years of the history of Poseidonia.
Aplicaciones de tomografia geoeléctrica para la localización de evidencias arqueólogicas en el subsuelo: resultados de la misión arqueólogica italiana en el Municipio de Nemocón (Departamento de Cundinamarca)
The fortress of Ighram Aousser is located in Morocco, 10 km W of M’rirt and 120 km S of Meknés, o... more The fortress of Ighram Aousser is located in Morocco, 10 km W of M’rirt and 120 km S of Meknés, on the so-called mines route. The lack of an organic and complete documentation and a concrete need to acquire new data about unexplored areas have required a multi-methodological research including the analysis of historical sources, archaeological surveys, topographic investigations, laser scanner modelling and geophysical prospections. All data were stored in a Geographic Information System, which allowed spatial analyses and the creation of thematic maps. The integrated geoarchaeological approach has led to a new archaeological map providing an updated view of the rich archaeological heritage in that territory. The article also offers a complete account of the valorization processes, the international promotion of the site and its long-lasting mining tradition.
In this paper we present the results of integrated urban geo-archaeology researches realized thro... more In this paper we present the results of integrated urban geo-archaeology researches realized through a combined use of historical sources, archaeological survey, 3D photogrammetric laser scanner and non-invasive geophysical methods such as ground high resolution penetrating radar and geoelectrical tomography. We propose the analysis of the Latin Colony of Aesernia. The city, founded in 263 BC, was developed on a river terrace bordered by steep escarpments and was surrounded by walls built using the technique of polygonal opus, opus quadratum, opus reticulatum and opus incertum. The temple of the Latin colony of Aesernia was built in that place within the walls considered by the colonists the most dominant of the city and was situated at the junction of the particular road system of the city consisting of a north-south oriented cardo major and different east-west oriented parallel decumani. The Latin colony of Aesernia had some thermal baths, both public and private, located in the s...
Archeologia e Calcolatori, 2019
The Molise Region, on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy, experienced human presence since preh... more The Molise Region, on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy, experienced human presence since prehistoric times. Site distribution is not homogeneous throughout the region and a comprehensive census of all known archaeological sites has never been performed. In this paper, we present the results of a three-year project for the GIS mapping and database creation for all the known archaeological sites of the Molise Region. As a result, 3111 archaeological sites have been mapped, stored in a GIS database and then analysed through Spatial Analyst tools. Most of the mapped sites have been classified as area of archaeological finds (57.1% of the total sites), followed by settlements (12.9%) and buildings (9.8%). Site distribution is mainly clustered along the Biferno river valley, in the central and in the south-western sectors of the Molise Region. The largest human occupation of the region occurred during the Samnite and Roman ages. Archaeological sites are also located at different eleva...
Il ruolo della diagnosi non invasiva nella scoperta del teatro ellenistico dell’antica Akragas.In:Agrigento. Nuove ricerche sull’area pubblica centrale
La Preistoria Del Territorio Colombiano: I Risultati Della Missione Archeologica Sul Sito DI Checua (Municipio DI Nemocon, Dipartimento DI Cundinamarca)
Tomografie elettriche tridimensionali presso la Villa del Casale, Piazza Armerina (EN)
Geosciences, 2020
The archaeological area of Saepinum is considered the symbol of the history of Roman civilization... more The archaeological area of Saepinum is considered the symbol of the history of Roman civilization in Molise region (Italy). It was a Samnite commercial forum and service center, then it became a Roman municipium, and, later, it was transformed into a medieval and modern rural village. Although the archaeological excavations brought to light different important public buildings, such as the theater, the forum, the basilica, different temples, and the main streets, today, there is still much to discover and study inside the well-preserved city walls. For this purpose, a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey was realized in the space between the theater and the decumanus, allowing imaging of a complex regular pattern of archaeological features belonging to thermal buildings still buried in the soil.
Uploads
Papers by Marilena Cozzolino