High Resolution Geophysical and Topographical Surveys for the Characterisation of Fumane Cave Prehistoric Site, Italy

Abstract

Small scale prehistoric archaeological sites, such as the Fumane cave, located north of Verona city in north
Italy, poses a lot of challenges both to archaeologists and geophysicists. The cave is considered as one of
the most important Middle and upper Prehistoric sites of Europe, discovered in 1884. It contains a wellpreserved
and impressive stratigraphic sequence of more than 12m thick where human activity remains are
accumulated. In this work, we applied high resolution geoelectrical resistivity tomography and seismic
passive geophysical methods to investigate, on one hand, the electrical properties of the shallowest part of
the deposit, where, a number of medium to low resistivity anomalies were localised. On the other, a test
using microtremors provide evidences on the probable maximum thickness of the deposit (4-5 m). In
addition a high resolution and georeferenced laser scanner survey was carried out so as to have an high
resolution topographic model that shall be used as a container to allocate in 3D the position of the already
achieved findings as well as the geophysical results. This shall constitute the first step for the planning of a
smart protocol for results conservation and dissemination both for cultural and scientific interests.