Il “Montone” di Terracina, una cavità nascosta

Abstract

This paper shows the results of a microgravity study carried out in the area of the ancient harbour of Terracina (Lt), built by the Emperor Traianus. Geophysical survey has allowed us to define several features of the harbour complex (400 m in diameter), which is today partialy buried underrecent sediments and modern river mouth. In particular, the Traianus basin was protected by two curved piers separated by a wide entrance facing the open sea. The basin was approximately 5-7 m in depth and was filled for the most part during the Middle Ages by marine and alluvial sediments. Negative gravity anomaly (200 m x 100 m) is delimited at the hill with the name of Montuno or Montone. The mean density values obtained (1100 kg/m3) for this anomaly exclude the purely dune nature of the hill or linked to the partial excavation of the Trajan port as hypothesized by archaeological interpretations; the gravimetric interpretation suggests a system of cavities buried, so far unknown, and identifiable as the ancient horrea of the Roman harbour.