Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally... more Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally formed from calcareous mica schist and metabasalt, have impeded travel across the major cols for millennia. As documented by Polybius and Livy in the ancient literature, Hannibal's Army was blocked by a two-tier rockfall on the lee side of the Alps, a rubble sheet of considerable volume that delayed his exit into the upper Po River Country. An in-depth study of the possible cols reveals that the only such two-tier landform lies below the Col de ...
The regrouping area, where Hannibal is thought to have reformed his army after forging a path thr... more The regrouping area, where Hannibal is thought to have reformed his army after forging a path through a massive rockfall in the Cottian Alps, has been reshaped by a blanket of sediment deposited from debris flows following heavy rain in spring, 2008. Analysis of precipitation data for the period mid-May to mid-June, 2008, shows that 722 mm of rain fell at 2150 m, falling off to half that amount at 3325 m on the flanks of Mon Viso. Following exhaustive analysis of environmental factors connected with the invasion of Italy at the start of the Second Punic War (218 bc), identification of the regrouping area for the Carthaginian Army centred on the presence of an ancient stone wall system which possibly dates from Hannibalic times. Lichen cover, lichen diameters, weathering characteristics, degree to which boulders had sunk into the resident soil, and presence of ancient hearths all combined to make this area a choice locale for reconstructive geoarchaeology. Large scale mass wasting off a prominent bedrock bar adjacent to the wall system in the Upper Po River Valley resulted in burial of most of the prominent wall structures which will complicate any exploration geoarchaeology attempts in future.
Several relatively well-preserved last interglacial (Eemian, marine oxygen isotope substage 5e; c... more Several relatively well-preserved last interglacial (Eemian, marine oxygen isotope substage 5e; ca. 130-116 ka) deposits containing marine diatom flora have been found in Finland. In addition to these Finnish sites, more numerous Eemian (Mikulino) marine deposits are known from the northwestern part of Russia and from Estonia.
Controversy over the alpine route Hannibal of Carthage followed from the Rhône Basin into Italia ... more Controversy over the alpine route Hannibal of Carthage followed from the Rhône Basin into Italia has raged amongst classicists and ancient historians for over two millennia. Motivation for identifying the route taken by the Punic Army through the Alps lies in its potential for identifying sites of historical archaeological significance and for the resolution of one of Archaeometry Page
As discussed in Part I, a large accumulation of mammalian faeces at the mire site in the upper Gu... more As discussed in Part I, a large accumulation of mammalian faeces at the mire site in the upper Guil Valley near Mt. Viso, dated to 2168 cal C14 yr, Archaeometry
Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally... more Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally formed from calcareous mica schist and metabasalt, have impeded travel across the major cols for millennia. As documented by Polybius and Livy in the ancient literature, Hannibal's Army was blocked by a two-tier rockfall on the lee side of the Alps, a rubble sheet of considerable volume that delayed his exit into the upper Po River Country. An in-depth study of the possible cols reveals that the only such two-tier landform lies below the Col de ...
At Pedregal, more than 40 m of sediments are exposed within a 'fan complex' formed between latera... more At Pedregal, more than 40 m of sediments are exposed within a 'fan complex' formed between lateral moraines of the adjacent Mucuchache and El Caballo valleys. Early and late Mérida (Wisconsinan) glaciations are represented by till and till plus proglacial sediments, respectively. A middle Wisconsinan interstadial event, here termed the Pedregal interstade, began at the end of the Early Mérida glaciation at approximately 60 ka BP. Following the retreat of ice from the small Pedregal Basin, a lake formed when the local drainage was blocked due to movement of the Mesa de Caballo along the Boconó Fault. Shallow lake or no-lake phases lasted approximately a few hundred to, at most, 2000 years, and each lake phase was marked by peat accumulation. Four of seven peats identified formed during sufficiently long intervals for soil profiles (incipient to mature Spodosols) also to develop. The Spodosol with the strongest development (Eb/Bsb/Coxb/Cub horizons) is found adjacent to the lowest peat and reflects ongoing early Mérida stadial (MIS 3) conditions; the youngest peats, associated with weak podzolic soils (Eb/Bsb horizons), formed under slightly warmer interstadial conditions, presumably with less soil water. Cyclic lacustrine deposition is related to lake level and relative depth fluctuations, due in part to variable shoreline/delta progradation and shallowing as the lake deepened in general. Whereas final drainage of the lake is related to movement of the Boconó Fault and breach of the moraines that form the Mesa de Caballo, earlier lake level fluctuations appear related to climate change. Radiocarbon dating of the peats suggests they are related to warmer periods and may tentatively correlate with small 'interstadials' or 'D-O events' detected in the oxygenisotope record of Greenland ice cores and North Atlantic marine sediments. q
Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, ... more Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, whilst others prefer one or more variants to the north. Correlation of geological and topographical variables of all possible approaches via cols in the Alps against the ancient literature indicates that the only feasible gateway is the southern route. Major deviations in the line-of-march, some due to the presence of unfriendly tribes and others from the impact of topography on time and motion variables, created “hinge” points in the invasion route from Cartagena in Spain to the Po River in northern Italy: First at the confluence of the Drôme and Rhône rivers where a north vector to the Rhône/ Isère confluence would take more time in difficult terrain; second at Luc en Dios just east of Die; third, the march north along the Durance, ostensibly towards the Col de Genèvre deviated into the Guil Catchment; and fourth, in the upper Guil where three passes—Agnel, Traversette or de la Croix—o...
"We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake A¨ ntu Sinija¨rv, northern Es... more "We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake A¨ ntu Sinija¨rv, northern Estonia, which has a modeled basal age 12,800 cal yr BP. Our multi-proxy approach focused on the stable oxygen isotope composition (d18O) of freshwater tufa. Our newpalaeoclimate information for the Eastern Baltic region, based on high-resolution d18O data (219 samples), is supported by pollen and plant macrofossil data. Radiocarbon dates were used to develop a core chronology and estimate sedimentation rates. Freshwater tufa precipitation started ca. 10,700 cal yr BP, ca. 2,000 years later than suggested by previous studies on the same lake. Younger Dryas cooling is documented clearly in Lake Antu Sinijarv sediments by abrupt appearance of diagnostic pollen (Betula nana, Dryas octopetala), highest mineral matter content in sediments (up to 90 %) and low values of d18O (less than -12 %). Globally recognized 9.3- and 8.2-ka cold events are weakly defined by negative shifts in d18O values, to -11.3 and -11.7 %,
respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from -11.5 to -10.5 %. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in d18O (up to 1 %) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in d18O, reaching the most negative value (-12.7 %) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP."
On both the distal and proximal sides of the Palivere end-moraine zone on the West Estonian Archi... more On both the distal and proximal sides of the Palivere end-moraine zone on the West Estonian Archipelago, a sporadic distribution of up to 25 m thick subaqueous waterlain glacial diamicton (WGD) was observed. The WGD lies at an altitude between -15 and + 10 m relative to contemporary sea level. During the Palivere stadial the distribution area of the WGD was at least 50-60 m below the water table of the Baltic Ice Lake. The WGD was deposited at the grounding zone of the glacier by continuous subaqueous basal meltout from floating ice with minor involvement of sediment flows, dumping, and grounding. In texture, the WGD resembles glaciolacustrine clay with increased amounts of gravel and clay fractions. Compared to the basal tills of the area, the WGD contains less gravel (21.5% and 6.8%, respectively) but is rich in silt and clay fractions. Petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses show a similar source for the Palivere basal till and the WGD.
Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, ... more Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, whilst others prefer one or more variants to the north. Correlation of geological and topographical variables of all possible approaches via cols in the Alps against the ancient literature indicates that the only feasible gateway is the southern route. Major deviations in the line-of-march, some due to the presence of unfriendly tribes and others from the impact of topography on time and motion variables, created “hinge” points in the invasion route from Cartagena in Spain to the Po River in northern Italy: First at the confluence of the Drôme and Rhône rivers where a north vector to the Rhône/ Isère confluence would take more time in difficult terrain; second at Luc en Dios just east of Die; third, the march north along the Durance, ostensibly towards the Col de Genèvre deviated into the Guil Catchment; and fourth, in the upper Guil where three passes—Agnel, Traversette or de la Croix—o...
Abstract: The enigmatic black mat sediment complex in the northern Andes, previously considered t... more Abstract: The enigmatic black mat sediment complex in the northern Andes, previously considered the product of a high-grade lightning strike and low grade brush fire, has been upgraded recently to a conflagration resulting from incoming asteroid/comet impact over the Laurentide Ice Sheet at approximately 12.9 ka. Previous evidence from the black mat beds of disrupted quartz and orthoclase grains and intense firing from incoming C-rich ejecta is further supported by new SEM/EDS and FIB analyses of fine grain silt and clay spherules ( ...
ABSTRACT A thickness map of Quaternary deposits in the south-eastern sector of the last Scandinav... more ABSTRACT A thickness map of Quaternary deposits in the south-eastern sector of the last Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS) and in areas of Middle Pleistocene Moscow (Warthe) and the Dniepr (Drente) stages of the Late Saalian glaciation on the East European Plain is presented (Main Map). The map of the thickness and related statistics of the Quaternary deposits were calculated from the difference between the current digital terrain model and the bedrock surface topography model. The distribution of Quaternary deposits shows that 29% of the mapped territory has sediments less than 25 m thick, 16% more than 100 m and 1.2% more than 200 m. Within the SIS area, the thickness of sediments in the southern sector exceeds threefold the sediment thickness in the eastern flank. This difference is attributed to the bedrock depression in the south-east of the Baltic Syneclise rather than to glacial dynamics. The calculated average thickness of the sediments within the SIS area is ca 50 m, in the formerly glaciated area outside the LGM it is ca 61 m and outside the glaciated area ca 14 m. Our study confirms that, in formerly glaciated areas, the spatial distribution of sediments did amplify the differences in glacial bed topography with the exception of the southern and eastern flanks of the Moscow glaciation area where exceptionally thick Quaternary deposits have inverted bedrock depressions into elevated areas in recent terrain. We suggest that the map presented improves existing knowledge of this area by adding detail and thus contributing to the on-going development of numerical ice-sheet models.
Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally... more Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally formed from calcareous mica schist and metabasalt, have impeded travel across the major cols for millennia. As documented by Polybius and Livy in the ancient literature, Hannibal's Army was blocked by a two-tier rockfall on the lee side of the Alps, a rubble sheet of considerable volume that delayed his exit into the upper Po River Country. An in-depth study of the possible cols reveals that the only such two-tier landform lies below the Col de ...
The regrouping area, where Hannibal is thought to have reformed his army after forging a path thr... more The regrouping area, where Hannibal is thought to have reformed his army after forging a path through a massive rockfall in the Cottian Alps, has been reshaped by a blanket of sediment deposited from debris flows following heavy rain in spring, 2008. Analysis of precipitation data for the period mid-May to mid-June, 2008, shows that 722 mm of rain fell at 2150 m, falling off to half that amount at 3325 m on the flanks of Mon Viso. Following exhaustive analysis of environmental factors connected with the invasion of Italy at the start of the Second Punic War (218 bc), identification of the regrouping area for the Carthaginian Army centred on the presence of an ancient stone wall system which possibly dates from Hannibalic times. Lichen cover, lichen diameters, weathering characteristics, degree to which boulders had sunk into the resident soil, and presence of ancient hearths all combined to make this area a choice locale for reconstructive geoarchaeology. Large scale mass wasting off a prominent bedrock bar adjacent to the wall system in the Upper Po River Valley resulted in burial of most of the prominent wall structures which will complicate any exploration geoarchaeology attempts in future.
Several relatively well-preserved last interglacial (Eemian, marine oxygen isotope substage 5e; c... more Several relatively well-preserved last interglacial (Eemian, marine oxygen isotope substage 5e; ca. 130-116 ka) deposits containing marine diatom flora have been found in Finland. In addition to these Finnish sites, more numerous Eemian (Mikulino) marine deposits are known from the northwestern part of Russia and from Estonia.
Controversy over the alpine route Hannibal of Carthage followed from the Rhône Basin into Italia ... more Controversy over the alpine route Hannibal of Carthage followed from the Rhône Basin into Italia has raged amongst classicists and ancient historians for over two millennia. Motivation for identifying the route taken by the Punic Army through the Alps lies in its potential for identifying sites of historical archaeological significance and for the resolution of one of Archaeometry Page
As discussed in Part I, a large accumulation of mammalian faeces at the mire site in the upper Gu... more As discussed in Part I, a large accumulation of mammalian faeces at the mire site in the upper Guil Valley near Mt. Viso, dated to 2168 cal C14 yr, Archaeometry
Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally... more Numerous small, low volume rockfalls around the crest of the Italian and French Alps, principally formed from calcareous mica schist and metabasalt, have impeded travel across the major cols for millennia. As documented by Polybius and Livy in the ancient literature, Hannibal's Army was blocked by a two-tier rockfall on the lee side of the Alps, a rubble sheet of considerable volume that delayed his exit into the upper Po River Country. An in-depth study of the possible cols reveals that the only such two-tier landform lies below the Col de ...
At Pedregal, more than 40 m of sediments are exposed within a 'fan complex' formed between latera... more At Pedregal, more than 40 m of sediments are exposed within a 'fan complex' formed between lateral moraines of the adjacent Mucuchache and El Caballo valleys. Early and late Mérida (Wisconsinan) glaciations are represented by till and till plus proglacial sediments, respectively. A middle Wisconsinan interstadial event, here termed the Pedregal interstade, began at the end of the Early Mérida glaciation at approximately 60 ka BP. Following the retreat of ice from the small Pedregal Basin, a lake formed when the local drainage was blocked due to movement of the Mesa de Caballo along the Boconó Fault. Shallow lake or no-lake phases lasted approximately a few hundred to, at most, 2000 years, and each lake phase was marked by peat accumulation. Four of seven peats identified formed during sufficiently long intervals for soil profiles (incipient to mature Spodosols) also to develop. The Spodosol with the strongest development (Eb/Bsb/Coxb/Cub horizons) is found adjacent to the lowest peat and reflects ongoing early Mérida stadial (MIS 3) conditions; the youngest peats, associated with weak podzolic soils (Eb/Bsb horizons), formed under slightly warmer interstadial conditions, presumably with less soil water. Cyclic lacustrine deposition is related to lake level and relative depth fluctuations, due in part to variable shoreline/delta progradation and shallowing as the lake deepened in general. Whereas final drainage of the lake is related to movement of the Boconó Fault and breach of the moraines that form the Mesa de Caballo, earlier lake level fluctuations appear related to climate change. Radiocarbon dating of the peats suggests they are related to warmer periods and may tentatively correlate with small 'interstadials' or 'D-O events' detected in the oxygenisotope record of Greenland ice cores and North Atlantic marine sediments. q
Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, ... more Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, whilst others prefer one or more variants to the north. Correlation of geological and topographical variables of all possible approaches via cols in the Alps against the ancient literature indicates that the only feasible gateway is the southern route. Major deviations in the line-of-march, some due to the presence of unfriendly tribes and others from the impact of topography on time and motion variables, created “hinge” points in the invasion route from Cartagena in Spain to the Po River in northern Italy: First at the confluence of the Drôme and Rhône rivers where a north vector to the Rhône/ Isère confluence would take more time in difficult terrain; second at Luc en Dios just east of Die; third, the march north along the Durance, ostensibly towards the Col de Genèvre deviated into the Guil Catchment; and fourth, in the upper Guil where three passes—Agnel, Traversette or de la Croix—o...
"We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake A¨ ntu Sinija¨rv, northern Es... more "We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake A¨ ntu Sinija¨rv, northern Estonia, which has a modeled basal age 12,800 cal yr BP. Our multi-proxy approach focused on the stable oxygen isotope composition (d18O) of freshwater tufa. Our newpalaeoclimate information for the Eastern Baltic region, based on high-resolution d18O data (219 samples), is supported by pollen and plant macrofossil data. Radiocarbon dates were used to develop a core chronology and estimate sedimentation rates. Freshwater tufa precipitation started ca. 10,700 cal yr BP, ca. 2,000 years later than suggested by previous studies on the same lake. Younger Dryas cooling is documented clearly in Lake Antu Sinijarv sediments by abrupt appearance of diagnostic pollen (Betula nana, Dryas octopetala), highest mineral matter content in sediments (up to 90 %) and low values of d18O (less than -12 %). Globally recognized 9.3- and 8.2-ka cold events are weakly defined by negative shifts in d18O values, to -11.3 and -11.7 %,
respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from -11.5 to -10.5 %. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in d18O (up to 1 %) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in d18O, reaching the most negative value (-12.7 %) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP."
On both the distal and proximal sides of the Palivere end-moraine zone on the West Estonian Archi... more On both the distal and proximal sides of the Palivere end-moraine zone on the West Estonian Archipelago, a sporadic distribution of up to 25 m thick subaqueous waterlain glacial diamicton (WGD) was observed. The WGD lies at an altitude between -15 and + 10 m relative to contemporary sea level. During the Palivere stadial the distribution area of the WGD was at least 50-60 m below the water table of the Baltic Ice Lake. The WGD was deposited at the grounding zone of the glacier by continuous subaqueous basal meltout from floating ice with minor involvement of sediment flows, dumping, and grounding. In texture, the WGD resembles glaciolacustrine clay with increased amounts of gravel and clay fractions. Compared to the basal tills of the area, the WGD contains less gravel (21.5% and 6.8%, respectively) but is rich in silt and clay fractions. Petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses show a similar source for the Palivere basal till and the WGD.
Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, ... more Controversy surrounds Hannibal’s exact route into Italia in 218 BC. Some favor a southern route, whilst others prefer one or more variants to the north. Correlation of geological and topographical variables of all possible approaches via cols in the Alps against the ancient literature indicates that the only feasible gateway is the southern route. Major deviations in the line-of-march, some due to the presence of unfriendly tribes and others from the impact of topography on time and motion variables, created “hinge” points in the invasion route from Cartagena in Spain to the Po River in northern Italy: First at the confluence of the Drôme and Rhône rivers where a north vector to the Rhône/ Isère confluence would take more time in difficult terrain; second at Luc en Dios just east of Die; third, the march north along the Durance, ostensibly towards the Col de Genèvre deviated into the Guil Catchment; and fourth, in the upper Guil where three passes—Agnel, Traversette or de la Croix—o...
Abstract: The enigmatic black mat sediment complex in the northern Andes, previously considered t... more Abstract: The enigmatic black mat sediment complex in the northern Andes, previously considered the product of a high-grade lightning strike and low grade brush fire, has been upgraded recently to a conflagration resulting from incoming asteroid/comet impact over the Laurentide Ice Sheet at approximately 12.9 ka. Previous evidence from the black mat beds of disrupted quartz and orthoclase grains and intense firing from incoming C-rich ejecta is further supported by new SEM/EDS and FIB analyses of fine grain silt and clay spherules ( ...
ABSTRACT A thickness map of Quaternary deposits in the south-eastern sector of the last Scandinav... more ABSTRACT A thickness map of Quaternary deposits in the south-eastern sector of the last Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS) and in areas of Middle Pleistocene Moscow (Warthe) and the Dniepr (Drente) stages of the Late Saalian glaciation on the East European Plain is presented (Main Map). The map of the thickness and related statistics of the Quaternary deposits were calculated from the difference between the current digital terrain model and the bedrock surface topography model. The distribution of Quaternary deposits shows that 29% of the mapped territory has sediments less than 25 m thick, 16% more than 100 m and 1.2% more than 200 m. Within the SIS area, the thickness of sediments in the southern sector exceeds threefold the sediment thickness in the eastern flank. This difference is attributed to the bedrock depression in the south-east of the Baltic Syneclise rather than to glacial dynamics. The calculated average thickness of the sediments within the SIS area is ca 50 m, in the formerly glaciated area outside the LGM it is ca 61 m and outside the glaciated area ca 14 m. Our study confirms that, in formerly glaciated areas, the spatial distribution of sediments did amplify the differences in glacial bed topography with the exception of the southern and eastern flanks of the Moscow glaciation area where exceptionally thick Quaternary deposits have inverted bedrock depressions into elevated areas in recent terrain. We suggest that the map presented improves existing knowledge of this area by adding detail and thus contributing to the on-going development of numerical ice-sheet models.
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Papers by Volli Kalm
respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from -11.5 to -10.5 %. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in d18O (up to 1 %) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in d18O, reaching the most negative value (-12.7 %) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP."
respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from -11.5 to -10.5 %. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in d18O (up to 1 %) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in d18O, reaching the most negative value (-12.7 %) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP."