Prospezione speleoarcheologica della falesia «Piana di Sopra» a San Vito lo Capo (TP)

Abstract

The northern coast of Trapani is characterised by a series of phenomena linked to Quaternary glaciations. These phenomena have modeled esplanades, terraces, cliffs, leaf grooves and caves of great natural beauty. The extreme strip of the Peninsula of S. Vito lo Capo, the Piana di Sopra, is made up of parareciphal limestones with Orbitoline and Rudist from the Cretaceous. This area has a strong density of cavities of marine origin estimated at four cavities per kilometer. These cavities are an important anthropological testimonly to a continual human presence from deep prehistory onwards. A fundamental prerequisite for a study of the prehistory of an area is its geomorphologic description which includes the mapping of sites of paleontological and anthropological interest. Here we present the unpublished research of this territory carried out in 1987-88 by Giovanni Mannino and his collaborators. This research, although it makes a signficant contribution to our knowledge of the prehistory of this region, was unfortunately never published. Now, a few months after Giovanni's death we are offer, with its publication here, a sign of our fond memory and our esteem.