Geography and
Geomorphology
The coastal strip situated between Punta Castellucio and Capo Murro
di Porco is to the east of I.G.M. table, called “Syracuse”, sheet
274, quadrant II SO.
This stretch of coast represents the eastern side of the Penisola
Maddalena to the south of Syracuse. “The Penisola Maddalena” is the
result of the area’s tectonic activity because of which a block,
moving to NW-SE, has separated and lifted. This tectonic element is
known in literature as a “horst”. Thus, a small plateau has formed
and slopes from its maximum altitude of 54 m above sea-level towards
the sea both to the east and west, sometimes gently through marine
terraces belonging to the Pliocene and Pleistocene epoch, sometimes
through marine slopes of the same age owing to bradyseism or
positive movements of the sea.
The same situation appears in the coastline which is low, with
stretches of shore, or high and rugged. In this latter kind of coast
a series of very important caves, due to marine abrasion and where
there are characteristic microenvironments, developed.
That part of coast characterized by ground of calcarenitic nature
(P.ta della Mola, P.ta Tavola) has been interested by anthropic
changes. Actually, some stone quarries that supplied the town with
building material by boat haulage bear witness of these changes.
Besides the caves due to marine abrasion other morphologic elements
develop in the abrasion planates that marine splashes wet: the
so-called abrasion basins.
Other interventions of anthropic nature we can find along the coast
are the cylinder-shaped hollows between Punta Castelluccio and Punta
della Mola, interpreted by some as graves by others as Syloi (Fiore)
built to contain wheat and footstuffs.
The part of coast we are interested in is the continuation on land
of a tectonic element of primary importance for the geology of the
whole area, namely the ibleo-maltese slope. It is due to this slope
the seabed sinking from 0 to hundred meters in a brief stretch of
sea in front of the coast. Furthermore, the strong tectonic activity
created considerable fissures particularly near Murro di Porco where
wave breaking for an hydropneumatic effect determines on land sprays
of water like “geysers”.
The whole area is characterized by mainly calcareous grounds, in the
highest part of the Peninsula and on the eastern coast there is a
prevalence of almost compact white-cream calcarenites alternated to
calcareous marls, in the lowest part we can observe the calcarenites
of Pleistocene epoch rich in thanatocoenosis to Pectenidae and
Brachiopoda.
In the first rocky formation there are several underground paths,
not yet dated, being probably building stones quarries as important
as the sea ones. Instead, it is due to karst phenomena, therefore to
the circulation of underground waters, the formation of Grotta
Pellegrina, where it is possible ton observe buildings of
stalactites and stalagmites.
Archeology and human
landscape The eastern coast of the Penisola Maddalena, well-known by
local people as “Isola”, has always been characterized, because of its
proximity to Syracuse, by human interventions for different reasons
which show the close relationship between this strip of coast and the
Greek town. You only need to think that in six kilometres of coast (if
we consider only the area characterized by strict restrictions) human
witnesses from prehistory up to now are gathered.
After several studies on
“Grotta Pellegrina” we have succeeded in identifying this cave as a
prehistoric man’s shelter. At Punta della Mola there is a necropolis
belonging to the Bronze Age with the ruins of the annexed village.
Along the coast there are six latomies (mining quarry of the Greek
age) in witness of the ancient suburban quarter of Plemmyriom once
located in this area. At Punta della Mola and Capo Murro di Porco
there are also wide underground tunnel complexes, employed as an
anti-aircraft artillery during the second world war.
In the area of Grotta Pellegrina, two interesting cisterns for
rainwater probably going back to the 19th century, bear witness of
ancient cultivations.
This landscape is surrounded by ancient dray-stone walls of the best
iblea tradition extending for various kilometres.
Not far away from the area characterized by strict restrictions you
can see some wonderful farms and residences, today in a complete
state of neglect, such as Baron Beneventano del Bosco’s residence.
Flora and Fauna
The flora in this area is that of rocky, arid sub-tropical areas characterized
by typical essences of the Mediterranean basin. The alofilo-rocky vegetation and
the dwarf palm garigue (a protected species), here represented with the widest
palm grove of the province (almost a square kilometer), are widespread.
Only in the areas less
facing south, and therefore damper, you can come across scrubs made
of myrtle and lentisk.
In the area of Punta della Mola you can find other interesting
essences such as the Sicilian tobacco and many species of
allochthonous cactus, such as the agave. The (allochthonous) prickly
pear is widely spread along the whole coast.
In order to achieve the flora outline we resume the study carried
out by the University of Catania and published in the Gazzetta
Ufficiale della R.S. dated 20th February 1993.
In close proximity to the sea there are species groups such as
Crithmum maritimum, Limonium, Lotus cytisoides, typical of coast
rocky environments, while towards the interior an higher prevalence
of Anthemis and Plantago. Furthermore, Calictome, Asparagus, and
frutescent species such as Sarcopoterim spinosum (spinaporci) and
Thymus capitatus (thyme) are, for their size and singular aspect,
the most expressive feature of this landscape. Moreover, the
spinaporci grows only in the province of Syracuse and in small areas
of Sardinia and Puglia.
On the cliff near Capo Murro di Porco, the rainwater accumulation
produces stagnations characterized by an interesting presence of
hydric-alophile vegetation for most of the winter.
The Penisola Maddalena has a national importance as an observation
point of migratory passeriformes and seabirds.
Other animal species are: the Sicilian lizard, the rabbit, the
painted Discoglosso (now very rare because of the neglect of “gebbie”)
the coluber, the turtle, the porcupine, the fox and the weasel.
The Sea
In spite of its proximity to Syracuse, the sea of the Penisola
Maddalena still offers lovers and experts several biological
surprises and wonderful seabed.
From Capo Castelluccio to Punta Tavernara, the seabed is low and
even for different hundred meters, then it falls suddenly to greater
depths. Instead, from Punta Tavernara to Capo Murro di Porco the
seabed is over 30-40 meters of depth even close to the shore.
Where the slope changes suddenly there are many underwater caves
characterized by benthic and nektonic organisms such as solitary
corals, sponges, squills, bryozoa, nudibranchs and many other fish
species. On the lower seabed you can see wide Posidonia beds with
huge specimens of Pinna nobilis, the greatest shell in the
Mediterranean sea. Still further, above all near the coast, there is
a prevalence of colonial corals such as the rich red-coloured
Astroides calycuris reminding us the clear tropical features of the
Jonian sea. Along the shoreline it’s easy to come across very
interesting bioconstruzioni (Trottoir) like barrier reefs in
miniature. The last groupers survived the strong hunt left the low
seabed to shelter at greater depths.
For its geographic features and its distinctive seabed, Capo Murro
di Porco is an exceptional place to observe great pelagic fish like
tunas, Greater amberjacks, sharks and marine mammals such as
dolphins, whales and sperm whales. In this connection let us mention
that six specimens of rorqual and Megattere were sighted in June
2004.
The benthic strip, in front of the abovementioned
marine area, is rich in several biodiversities of the Mediterranean
sea, this is because of various considerable natural factors, such
as the geomorphologic nature of the seabed which has fostered the
settling of numerous bivalve molluscs, indispensable in the
submarine food chain, besides the nutritional biologic value due to
the confluence of some rivers and streams flowing into this area.
This all has encouraged the development of several species of
Mediterranean fauna such as: Sparidae, Labridae, Serranidae,
Blenniidae, etc…Furthermore, there are several invertebrates such as:
Acrania, Tunicata, Echinodermata, Cephalopoda, Nudibranchs, Bryozoa
as well as different species of seaweeds and marine phanerogames,
including Oceanic Posidonia.
Due to its geographical location and the particular morphology of
its coastal area and seabed, the Cape is unique for many other
reasons; as a matter of fact, it’s possible to see emerged and
underwater caves, hollows, siphons and 300 meters away from the
coast, the seabed falls quickly in depth.
The variety and richness of marine fauna of Capo Murro di Porco are
not the only reasons we want to ask the prescribed use of this area;
it is generally known that seabed of the area in question are very
rich in several and important archaeological finds belonging to
different periods and civilisations. As a matter of fact, Syracuse
once was an important trade centre in the Mediterranean sea, its
harbour was a fixed leg in ancient naval routes, and, therefore,
shipwrecks were numerous. Many finds have been retrieved in this
area over the years. Today they are kept in Paolo Orsi Museum of
Syracuse.
