Understanding rock materials exploitation along the Ancient Appia route by means of integrated geoarchaeological and microstratigraphic analyses

A comparison between Mesozoic carbonates and ancient Roman ashlars was performed by microstratigraphic analyses to complete a geoarcheological characterization of a rock cave system featuring the Ancient Appia route where it crosses the Aurunci ridge along the San Andrea Valley, between the modern villages of Fondi and Itri (southern Latium). This research is part of a FIRB project led by the CNR-ITABC in collaboration with the Second University of Naples - Department of Literature and Cultural Heritage, to which other Universities, CNR Research Institutes and private societies have occasionally collaborated. The understanding of the anthropogenic landscape modifications required a multidisciplinary approach. Results show the preferential use of coarsegrained Aptian limestones on the northern part of the road tract and Cenomanian-Turonian limestones in correspondence of the southern zone.