New dating of palaeokarst features at Torricelle hills (Verona, Italy)

New research challenges the long-held belief about the formation timeline of palaeokarst features at Torricelle hills near Verona, Italy. The study reveals that ochre formation, karst development, and fossilization began much earlier than previously thought, spanning from the early Eocene to the Miocene—over 30 million years. This contradicts the current interpretation that these processes occurred only between the Oligocene and early Miocene. Researchers discovered terrigenous-calcarenitic layers with foraminifera assemblages dating back to the upper Eocene, along with ochre fragments embedded in Ypresian and Bartonian limestones, providing evidence of emerged land and pedogenesis during the early and middle Eocene. The findings were based on detailed exploration of palaeokarst cavities and surrounding areas, offering a revised understanding of the geological history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gonzato, G., Castellarin, A., Chignola, R., Lazzeri, P., & Veronese, U. S. (2014). New dating of palaeokarst features at Torricelle hills (Verona, Italy). Italian Journal of Geosciences, 133(3), 427–438. https://doi.org/10.3301/ijg.2014.14