The mapping of the Lombard geologists in the XIX Century from Brocchi to Taramelli

Lamberto Laureti
Formerly at Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università di Pavia. Corresponding author e-mail: laureti@unipv.it.

The purpose of this paper is to show the contribution given, during the XIX century, from the Lombard researchers in order to carry out geological maps able to support the comparison with those realized by foreign geologists as L. von Buch, F. R. von Hauer, H.T. de La Bèche and others. Indeed still in the first quarter of the century in Italy, the geological mapping was scarce and inadequate in order togive reliable information, surely owing to lack of suitable mapping proceedings and topographical basis. But it is really in this time the Lombard geology becomes animated by strong personalities as G.B. Brocchi and S. Breislak, inclined to work on the field because their public offices (and in the same conditions will be also G. Curioni), all skilled in the mining researches, but also scrupulous observers of the soil features. On the basis of the experiences matured in contact with the French, Swiss German and Austrian geologists, one must remember the researches and monographs made by G. Omboni, the maps made by E. Cornalia, C.F. Parona and others. Lastly, the best contribution to the Lombard and Italian geological mapping is that given by T. Taramelli, loyal disciple of A. Stoppani, indefatigable surveyor of the Carnic and Julian Alps of which he leaved very extraordinary documents. The remarkable level reached by the Italian geological mapping will be esteemed, during the second International Geological Congress in Bologna in 1881, by means also of the first edition of the official great Geological Map of Italy made by the Royal Geological Survey of Italy.

History of Geology, Italian geologists, Geological mapping.