IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VON HUMBOLDT DISCOVERING CENTRAL LIGURIA GEOLOGY

Alexander von Humboldt (1769 – 1859) was a versatile scholar, who had a holistic approach to nature: he could be defined an explorer of the natural world.Among his interests, geology played an important role. Humboldt visited Liguria twice, aiming at studying the rocks, and in particular the outcrops of central Liguria which, at the beginning of the 19th century, were along the only vehicular road connecting Genova with the Po plain. Here he observed many different and contrasting lithologies, either of ophiolitic or carbonatic nature, and gave proof of his great analytical and synthesis skills. The geologic area he visited, known in literature as the “Sestri-Voltaggio Zone”, has long been the object of scientific debate because it has been considered a possible limit between the Alps and the Apennines.