Holocene evolution of Portus Pisanus, the lost harbour of Pisa

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 11625 - 14
• Main Authors: Kaniewski, D., Marriner, N., Morhange, C., Vacchi, M., Sarti, G., Rossi, V., Bini, M., Pasquinucci, M., Allinne, C., Otto, T., Luce, F., Van Campo, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23-08-2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 704/158/2462; 704/445/215; 704/844/4081; Archaeology and Prehistory; Earth Sciences; Environment and Society; Environmental Sciences; Environmental studies; Evolution; Geographical distribution; Geomorphology; Harbors; Holocene; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lagoons; multidisciplinary; Ports; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sciences of the Universe; Palaeoecology; Environmental impact; Geomorphology
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29890-w

The ancient harbour of Pisa,
Portus Pisanus
, was one of Italy’s most influential seaports for many centuries. Nonetheless, very little is known about its oldest harbour and the relationships between environmental evolution and the main stages of harbour history. The port complex that ensured Pisa’s position as an economic and maritime power progressively shifted westwards by coastal progradation, before the maritime port of Livorno was built in the late 16
th
century AD. The lost port is, however, described in the early 5
th
century AD as being “a large, naturally sheltered embayment” that hosted merchant vessels, suggesting an important maritime structure with significant artificial infrastructure to reach the city. Despite its importance, the geographical location of the harbour complex remains controversial and its environmental evolution is unclear. To fill this knowledge gap and furnish accurate palaeoenvironmental information on
Portus Pisanus
, we used bio- and geosciences. Based on stratigraphic data, the area’s relative sea-level history, and long-term environmental dynamics, we established that at ~200 BC, a naturally protected lagoon developed and hosted
Portus Pisanus
until the 5
th
century AD. The decline of the protected lagoon started at ~1350 AD and culminated ~1500 AD, after which time the basin was a coastal lake.