Vertical electric soundings and inductive electro-magnetism used to investigate the calcarenitic layer in the Selinunte Archaeological Park

One of the problems that we were faced with in adopting geophysical prospecting at the Selinunte Archaeological Park was to define the calcarenitic layer on the Eastern Hill. This was done with vertical electric soundings, and measurements of superficial resistivity by means of inductive electromagnetism. The study area can be subdivided into three zones: i) to the north of the Temples area, where the calcarenite layer is probably discontinuous; ii) corresponding to the Temples, where the calcarenite is up to 6-7 m thick and has a very high resistivity; and iii) to the south of the Temples, were the thickness and resistivity of the calcarenite decrease, although the formation is still somewhat continuous. In the zone to the north of the Temples, the clayey bedrock was found at a very different depth from that to the south of the Temples. This suggests the presence of a tectonic dislocation. As a final conclusion, it seems that the presence of calcarenitic layers intercalated at various depths as proposed by the geological field survey cannot be confirmed.