Autori: E. Lodolo, A. Caburlotto, S. Ceccarelli, G.M. Ferrante, J. Fonseca, N. Markezic, C. Palmiotto, F.G. Smith, R. Tattini and M.F. Loreto*
Titolo: BRIDGES2 – The former Scily-malta land bridge
Numero pagine: 26
Anno: 2026
ISSN: 2611-4070
Abstract: In this project, we aimed to reconstruct the palaeo-geographic configuration of the former land bridge between southeastern Sicily and Malta/Gozo, an area of the central Mediterranean that was completely exposed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 26.5 to 19 kyrs BP). This period is defined as the most recent time when Northern Hemisphere continental ice sheets reached their maximum extent and sea level was at its lowest (about -130 m), as evidenced by numerous proxy records. The melting of the ice sheets began around 20–18 kyrs BP and caused a progressive rise in sea level, and by around 13 kyrs ago, according to current reconstructions, the terrestrial connection between Malta and Sicily had disappeared. The two landmasses are now separated by more than 90 kilometers of water.
