Monte Circeo or Cape Circeo (Italian: Promontorio del Circeo[promonˈtɔːrjodeltʃirˈtʃɛːo], Latin: Mons Circeius) is a mountain promontory that marks the southwestern limit of the former Pontine Marshes, located on the southwest coast of Italy near San Felice Circeo. At the northern end of the Gulf of Gaeta, it is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long by 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) wide at the base, running from east to west and surrounded by the sea on all sides except the north. The land to the northeast is the former ancient Pontine Marshes. Most of the ancient swamp has been reclaimed for agriculture and urban areas.
Mount Circeo as seen from the beach of dunes in Sabaudia, Italy."Torre Paola" at Sabaudia, a 16th-century watchtower built by will of Pope Pius IV at the west end of the promontory, guarding the canal.The Acropolis (High Place) of Mount Circeo as seen from the Ancient Tower Ruins with Sabaudia in the distance.
The mountain, the coastal zone as far north as Latina, including the only remaining remnant of the swamp, and two of the Pontine Islands offshore, Zannone and Ponza, have been included in the Circeo National Park.
Although a headland, it was not formed by coastal erosion – as headlands are usually formed – but is a remnant of the orogenic processes that created the Apennines. The entire coast of Lazio, on which the mountain and the marsh are located, was a chain of barrier islands that was formed on a horst and made part of the mainland by sedimentation of the intervening graben.
In 1939, the skull of a Neanderthal man was found in the Guattari Cave by a team led by Alberto Carlo Blanc. Several other findings also show that the mountain was inhabited in prehistorical times.[1][2] In May 2021, the remains of 9 Neanderthal men were discovered in the same Guattari cave. The Minister of Culture in Italy declared the site to be one of the most significant in the world regarding the Neanderthal period.[3][4]
^"Guattari Cave". NESPOS - Pleistocene People and Places. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
^. NESPOS - Pleistocene People and Places. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
^(in French) Les restes de neuf Néandertaliens découverts dans une grotte en Italie, Buzz-europa.com, 19 May 2021
^Elisabetta Povoledo, These Neanderthals Weren’t Cannibals, So Who Ate Them? Stone Age Hyenas., Nytimes.com, 8 May 2021
External linksedit
Holiday, sea, places to visit
At the site of the Circeo National Park
Hystory and Legends
April 12, 2024
mount, circeo, monte, circeo, cape, circeo, italian, promontorio, circeo, promonˈtɔːrjo, tʃirˈtʃɛːo, latin, mons, circeius, mountain, promontory, that, marks, southwestern, limit, former, pontine, marshes, located, southwest, coast, italy, near, felice, circeo. Monte Circeo or Cape Circeo Italian Promontorio del Circeo promonˈtɔːrjo del tʃirˈtʃɛːo Latin Mons Circeius is a mountain promontory that marks the southwestern limit of the former Pontine Marshes located on the southwest coast of Italy near San Felice Circeo At the northern end of the Gulf of Gaeta it is about 5 kilometres 3 1 mi long by 1 5 kilometres 0 93 mi wide at the base running from east to west and surrounded by the sea on all sides except the north The land to the northeast is the former ancient Pontine Marshes Most of the ancient swamp has been reclaimed for agriculture and urban areas Mount CirceoMount Circeo as seen from Terracina ItalyHighest pointElevation541 m 1 775 ft Prominence541 m 1 775 ft Coordinates41 14 00 N 13 03 00 E 41 2333 N 13 05 E 41 2333 13 05GeographyMount CirceoItalyLocationSan Felice Circeo Lazio ItalyMount Circeo as seen from the beach of dunes in Sabaudia Italy Torre Paola at Sabaudia a 16th century watchtower built by will of Pope Pius IV at the west end of the promontory guarding the canal The Acropolis High Place of Mount Circeo as seen from the Ancient Tower Ruins with Sabaudia in the distance The mountain the coastal zone as far north as Latina including the only remaining remnant of the swamp and two of the Pontine Islands offshore Zannone and Ponza have been included in the Circeo National Park Contents 1 Geology 2 Prehistory 3 History 4 Today 5 References 6 External linksGeology editAlthough a headland it was not formed by coastal erosion as headlands are usually formed but is a remnant of the orogenic processes that created the Apennines The entire coast of Lazio on which the mountain and the marsh are located was a chain of barrier islands that was formed on a horst and made part of the mainland by sedimentation of the intervening graben The mountain is composed mostly of marl and sandstone from the Paleogene and of limestone from the lower Early Jurassic Prehistory editIn 1939 the skull of a Neanderthal man was found in the Guattari Cave by a team led by Alberto Carlo Blanc Several other findings also show that the mountain was inhabited in prehistorical times 1 2 In May 2021 the remains of 9 Neanderthal men were discovered in the same Guattari cave The Minister of Culture in Italy declared the site to be one of the most significant in the world regarding the Neanderthal period 3 4 History editFurther information CirceiiToday editMount Circeo is today included in the National Park of Circeo established in 1934 on 5 616 ha 56 16 km2 13 880 acres 21 68 sq mi over the territories of Latina Sabaudia San Felice Circeo and Zannone Island minor island of Ponziane Archipelago References edit Guattari Cave NESPOS Pleistocene People and Places Retrieved 9 January 2020 Guattari Cave cranium NESPOS Pleistocene People and Places Archived from the original on 9 January 2020 Retrieved 9 January 2020 in French Les restes de neuf Neandertaliens decouverts dans une grotte en Italie Buzz europa com 19 May 2021 Elisabetta Povoledo These Neanderthals Weren t Cannibals So Who Ate Them Stone Age Hyenas Nytimes com 8 May 2021External links editHoliday sea places to visit At the site of the Circeo National Park Hystory and Legends Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mount Circeo amp oldid 1176294708, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
