The location of the La Galite Archipelago on the Internal/External Zones of the Maghrebian Chain ... more The location of the La Galite Archipelago on the Internal/External Zones of the Maghrebian Chain holds strong interest for the reconstruction of the geodynamic evolution of the Mesomediterranean Microplate-Africa Plate Boundary Zone.New stratigraphic and petrographic data on sedimentary successions intruded upon by plutonic rocks enabled a better definition of the palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic evolutionary model of the area during the early-middle Miocene.The lower Miocene sedimentary units (La Galite Flysch and Numidian-like Flysch) belong to the Mauritanian (internal) and Massylian (external) sub-Domains of the Maghrebian Chain, respectively. These deposits are related to a typical syn-orogenic deposition in the Maghrebian Flysch Basin Domain, successively backthrusted above the internal units. The backthrusting age is post-Burdigalian (probably Langhian-Serravallian) and the compressional phase represents the last stage in the building of the accretionary wedge of the Maghrebian orogen. These flysch units may be co-relatable to the similar well-known formations along the Maghrebian and Betic Chains.The emplacement of potassic peraluminous magmatism, caused local metamorphism in the Late Serravallian-Early Tortonian (14\u201310 Ma), after the last compressional phase (backthrusting), during an extensional tectonic event. This extensional phase is probably due to the opening of a slab break-off in the deep subduction system.La Galite Archipelago represents a portion of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin tectonically emplaced above the southern margin of the \u201cMesomediterranean Microplate\u201d which separated the Piemontese-Ligurian Ocean from a southern oceanic branch of the Tethys (i.e. the Maghrebian Flysch Basin).The possible presence of an imbricate thrust system between La Galite Archipelago and northern Tunisia may be useful to exclude the petroleum exploration from the deformed sectors of the offshore area considered
This paper presents the results of the archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from the... more This paper presents the results of the archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from the archaeological site of Sidi Zahruni (Beni Khiar, NE Tunisia), where this pottery was massively produced. A set of 43 amphorae was analysed with a combined approach consisting of thin-section petrography, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), to establish a homogeneous reference group for this production. Although all the amphorae are petrographically very similar, three petro-fabrics were identified in terms of grain-size distribution and abundance of inclusions. Detailed digital image analysis, carried out on SEM-BSE images of some representative samples of each petro-fabric, was used to quantify the differences among them. Cluster analysis of XRPD data patterns also revealed groups of samples for which similar raw materials/paste and firing conditions were used, contributing to better assessment of information on the production process. Statistical multivariate treatment (principal component and cluster analyses) of chemical data and comparisons with 10 samples previously attributed to the Sidi Zahruni potteries show that the potsherds analysed here are similar from the geochemical viewpoint. Similar trends in the abundance and ratio of some trace and rare earth elements (REE) also indicate that the Sidi Zahruni amphorae were produced from a local clayey material collected from nearby outcrops of Upper Miocene deposits. Highlights • Archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from Sidi Zahruni site, northeastern Tunisia. • Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns of both studied amphorae and those from literature data with local clayey materials allow defining the area from which the clay was supplied at Sidi Zahruni. • New and consistent "reference group" for Keay 25.2 amphorae is established for Sidi Zahruni.
Provenance and reference groups of African red slip ware based on statistical analysis of chemica... more Provenance and reference groups of African red slip ware based on statistical analysis of chemical data and REE
Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science, 1999
Reponse aux commentaires de H. Rouvier et al. ii la note Tectonique en radeaux au toit d'un ((gla... more Reponse aux commentaires de H. Rouvier et al. ii la note Tectonique en radeaux au toit d'un ((glacier de set)) sous-marin albien de Tunisie du Nord-Ouest : exemple du secteur minier de Gueurn Halfaya
Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by ... more Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and chemical data were statistically treated by multivariate (principal component and cluster) analyses, which defined a geochemically homogeneous reference group. According to our results, potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira are compositionally compatible with the six reference samples from the same site already published in the literature, and form a single group. A larger reference group is now well established for this site. In addition, comparisons with previous data from other sites in both northern and central Tunisia show that terra sigillata from Henchir Es-Srira is chemically more similar to that of the northern sites than the central ones. Neutron activation analysis (NAA), an extremely valuable tool for provenance studies, was also performed on a set of selected potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira and clay materials collected nearby, with the aim of identifying the possible clayey raw materials used for this ceramic production. Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns show that most of the objects were locally produced from a Neogene base-clay, probably collected from the "Saouaf Formation".
Comptes Rendus de l'Academie de Sciences - Serie IIa: Sciences de la Terre et des Planetes, 1998
In northwestern Tunisia, the new study of the Gueurn Halfaya mining area allows us to define the ... more In northwestern Tunisia, the new study of the Gueurn Halfaya mining area allows us to define the relationships of the Triassic masses with the surrounding Cretaceous and Miocene formations, and to specify the genesis of several mineralizations (Fe, Sr, Pb-Zn), from an Aptian-Albian tilted block extensional setting, later tectonically inverted during the Tertiary. During the Lower-Middle Cretaceous, a sedimentary slope
Mineral Deposit Research: Meeting the Global Challenge, 2005
Page 1. Abstract. Mineralogical and geochemical data of hydrothermal sedi-ments collected from th... more Page 1. Abstract. Mineralogical and geochemical data of hydrothermal sedi-ments collected from the Saldanha site are presented. The Saldanha hydrothermal field is located at the top of a serpentinized massif Mount Saldanha ...
This paper presents a detailed tectonic analysis of the Jebel Bou Khil, formerly interpreted as a... more This paper presents a detailed tectonic analysis of the Jebel Bou Khil, formerly interpreted as a diapiric structure crowned by a large saliferous Triassic overhanging. In the present study two tectonically superimposed units separated by an overthrust are distinguished. ...
At La Galite Archipelago peraluminous granitoids, cutting through the sedimentary succession, con... more At La Galite Archipelago peraluminous granitoids, cutting through the sedimentary succession, contain abundant entrained material [1, 2]. Enclaves of sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic origin and xenocrysts of cordierite and garnet were identified. The plutons are related to Miocene anatexis of the crystalline basement buried beneath the Maghrebian Chain [3].
We report on the meteorite search campaign of April 2008, conducted by a joint Tunisian-Italian s... more We report on the meteorite search campaign of April 2008, conducted by a joint Tunisian-Italian scientific expedition in southern Tunisia (Dahar region). Nine likely unpaired meteorites (seven H-class and two L-class chondrites) totalling ~1.3 kg were recovered by exploring an approximately 45 km 2 area, therefore demonstrating that southern Tunisia is a suitable terrain for systematic searches for meteorites.
Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by ... more Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and chemical data were statistically treated by multivariate (principal component and cluster) analyses, which defined a geochemically homogeneous reference group. According to our results, potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira are compositionally compatible with the six reference samples from the same site already published in the literature, and form a single group. A larger reference group is now well established for this site. In addition, comparisons with previous data from other sites in both northern and central Tunisia show that terra sigillata from Henchir Es-Srira is chemically more similar to that of the northern sites than the central ones. Neutron activation analysis (NAA), an extremely valuable tool for provenance studies, was also performed on a set of selected potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira and clay materials collected nearby, with the aim of identifying the possible clayey raw materials used for this ceramic production. Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns show that most of the objects were locally produced from a Neogene base-clay, probably collected from the "Saouaf Formation".
The location of the La Galite Archipelago on the Internal/External Zones of the Maghrebian Chain ... more The location of the La Galite Archipelago on the Internal/External Zones of the Maghrebian Chain holds strong interest for the reconstruction of the geodynamic evolution of the Mesomediterranean Microplate-Africa Plate Boundary Zone.New stratigraphic and petrographic data on sedimentary successions intruded upon by plutonic rocks enabled a better definition of the palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic evolutionary model of the area during the early-middle Miocene.The lower Miocene sedimentary units (La Galite Flysch and Numidian-like Flysch) belong to the Mauritanian (internal) and Massylian (external) sub-Domains of the Maghrebian Chain, respectively. These deposits are related to a typical syn-orogenic deposition in the Maghrebian Flysch Basin Domain, successively backthrusted above the internal units. The backthrusting age is post-Burdigalian (probably Langhian-Serravallian) and the compressional phase represents the last stage in the building of the accretionary wedge of the Maghrebian orogen. These flysch units may be co-relatable to the similar well-known formations along the Maghrebian and Betic Chains.The emplacement of potassic peraluminous magmatism, caused local metamorphism in the Late Serravallian-Early Tortonian (14\u201310 Ma), after the last compressional phase (backthrusting), during an extensional tectonic event. This extensional phase is probably due to the opening of a slab break-off in the deep subduction system.La Galite Archipelago represents a portion of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin tectonically emplaced above the southern margin of the \u201cMesomediterranean Microplate\u201d which separated the Piemontese-Ligurian Ocean from a southern oceanic branch of the Tethys (i.e. the Maghrebian Flysch Basin).The possible presence of an imbricate thrust system between La Galite Archipelago and northern Tunisia may be useful to exclude the petroleum exploration from the deformed sectors of the offshore area considered
This paper presents the results of the archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from the... more This paper presents the results of the archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from the archaeological site of Sidi Zahruni (Beni Khiar, NE Tunisia), where this pottery was massively produced. A set of 43 amphorae was analysed with a combined approach consisting of thin-section petrography, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), to establish a homogeneous reference group for this production. Although all the amphorae are petrographically very similar, three petro-fabrics were identified in terms of grain-size distribution and abundance of inclusions. Detailed digital image analysis, carried out on SEM-BSE images of some representative samples of each petro-fabric, was used to quantify the differences among them. Cluster analysis of XRPD data patterns also revealed groups of samples for which similar raw materials/paste and firing conditions were used, contributing to better assessment of information on the production process. Statistical multivariate treatment (principal component and cluster analyses) of chemical data and comparisons with 10 samples previously attributed to the Sidi Zahruni potteries show that the potsherds analysed here are similar from the geochemical viewpoint. Similar trends in the abundance and ratio of some trace and rare earth elements (REE) also indicate that the Sidi Zahruni amphorae were produced from a local clayey material collected from nearby outcrops of Upper Miocene deposits. Highlights • Archaeometric study of African Keay 25.2 amphorae from Sidi Zahruni site, northeastern Tunisia. • Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns of both studied amphorae and those from literature data with local clayey materials allow defining the area from which the clay was supplied at Sidi Zahruni. • New and consistent "reference group" for Keay 25.2 amphorae is established for Sidi Zahruni.
Provenance and reference groups of African red slip ware based on statistical analysis of chemica... more Provenance and reference groups of African red slip ware based on statistical analysis of chemical data and REE
Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science, 1999
Reponse aux commentaires de H. Rouvier et al. ii la note Tectonique en radeaux au toit d'un ((gla... more Reponse aux commentaires de H. Rouvier et al. ii la note Tectonique en radeaux au toit d'un ((glacier de set)) sous-marin albien de Tunisie du Nord-Ouest : exemple du secteur minier de Gueurn Halfaya
Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by ... more Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and chemical data were statistically treated by multivariate (principal component and cluster) analyses, which defined a geochemically homogeneous reference group. According to our results, potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira are compositionally compatible with the six reference samples from the same site already published in the literature, and form a single group. A larger reference group is now well established for this site. In addition, comparisons with previous data from other sites in both northern and central Tunisia show that terra sigillata from Henchir Es-Srira is chemically more similar to that of the northern sites than the central ones. Neutron activation analysis (NAA), an extremely valuable tool for provenance studies, was also performed on a set of selected potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira and clay materials collected nearby, with the aim of identifying the possible clayey raw materials used for this ceramic production. Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns show that most of the objects were locally produced from a Neogene base-clay, probably collected from the "Saouaf Formation".
Comptes Rendus de l'Academie de Sciences - Serie IIa: Sciences de la Terre et des Planetes, 1998
In northwestern Tunisia, the new study of the Gueurn Halfaya mining area allows us to define the ... more In northwestern Tunisia, the new study of the Gueurn Halfaya mining area allows us to define the relationships of the Triassic masses with the surrounding Cretaceous and Miocene formations, and to specify the genesis of several mineralizations (Fe, Sr, Pb-Zn), from an Aptian-Albian tilted block extensional setting, later tectonically inverted during the Tertiary. During the Lower-Middle Cretaceous, a sedimentary slope
Mineral Deposit Research: Meeting the Global Challenge, 2005
Page 1. Abstract. Mineralogical and geochemical data of hydrothermal sedi-ments collected from th... more Page 1. Abstract. Mineralogical and geochemical data of hydrothermal sedi-ments collected from the Saldanha site are presented. The Saldanha hydrothermal field is located at the top of a serpentinized massif Mount Saldanha ...
This paper presents a detailed tectonic analysis of the Jebel Bou Khil, formerly interpreted as a... more This paper presents a detailed tectonic analysis of the Jebel Bou Khil, formerly interpreted as a diapiric structure crowned by a large saliferous Triassic overhanging. In the present study two tectonically superimposed units separated by an overthrust are distinguished. ...
At La Galite Archipelago peraluminous granitoids, cutting through the sedimentary succession, con... more At La Galite Archipelago peraluminous granitoids, cutting through the sedimentary succession, contain abundant entrained material [1, 2]. Enclaves of sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic origin and xenocrysts of cordierite and garnet were identified. The plutons are related to Miocene anatexis of the crystalline basement buried beneath the Maghrebian Chain [3].
We report on the meteorite search campaign of April 2008, conducted by a joint Tunisian-Italian s... more We report on the meteorite search campaign of April 2008, conducted by a joint Tunisian-Italian scientific expedition in southern Tunisia (Dahar region). Nine likely unpaired meteorites (seven H-class and two L-class chondrites) totalling ~1.3 kg were recovered by exploring an approximately 45 km 2 area, therefore demonstrating that southern Tunisia is a suitable terrain for systematic searches for meteorites.
Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by ... more Terra sigillata from the Henchir Es-Srira archaeological site in central Tunisia was analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and chemical data were statistically treated by multivariate (principal component and cluster) analyses, which defined a geochemically homogeneous reference group. According to our results, potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira are compositionally compatible with the six reference samples from the same site already published in the literature, and form a single group. A larger reference group is now well established for this site. In addition, comparisons with previous data from other sites in both northern and central Tunisia show that terra sigillata from Henchir Es-Srira is chemically more similar to that of the northern sites than the central ones. Neutron activation analysis (NAA), an extremely valuable tool for provenance studies, was also performed on a set of selected potsherds from Henchir Es-Srira and clay materials collected nearby, with the aim of identifying the possible clayey raw materials used for this ceramic production. Comparisons of both bulk chemical composition and trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns show that most of the objects were locally produced from a Neogene base-clay, probably collected from the "Saouaf Formation".
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