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05 Welcome Ted Nield has a Homeric moment
NLINE
of London
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Professional Matters) Jim Riding and John Powell are fed up with different
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president, Regional Groups) BRYDONE’S
Miss Jessica Smith 20 Calendar Society activities this month
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Chartership) DOUGLAS PALMER
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:
Lineage of leaves
H
earing James Diggle, Professor of Latin and Greek conclusion, despite many discrepancies, while at the same time
at Cambridge, recite the first passage of Homer’s managing to praise Homer’s realism! This rang false. Like Luce,
Odyssey in the original, was one of the most and Schliemann, I wanted to believe old Homer was an accurate
memorable moments in my 20 years at Burlington topographer. His audience would have known their world; but if he
House. He was introducing a London Lecture, by had really meant Ithaki, crucial passages made no sense.
John Underhill in 2008, on what has become known After reading Odysseus Unbound, 30 years later, I encouraged John
as the ‘Bittlestone Theory’ (propounded in the 2005 book, Odysseus Underhill to write about the project for Geoscientist, and several
Unbound) that the Paliki Peninsula (the westernmost tip of articles on the subject subsequently appeared - as well as a
Kefalonia), was once an island itself, separated by a narrow marine memorable day-trip in 2006, when John and Robert met me off the
channel that became infilled sometime after the late Bronze Age. Zakynthos ferry, and showed me around (picture). Since then,
The theory had already caught my eye. My father was an much more research has been published – including a PhD thesis;
enthusiast for things Attic, and even practised declaiming it as I lay and this month, John Underhill and our very own Peter Styles (who
in my cradle (reasoning that the voice was what mattered to an became involved subsequently on the geophysical side) bring us
infant, not what it said). Later, he read to me from both Iliad and up to date.
Odyssey (in translation!), and bought me books with titles like ‘Tales Alas, Robert Bittlestone, the dynamic and brilliant inspiration
from Homer’; so when, in my teens, I finally read E V Rieu’s prose behind it all, died in 2015, tragically early. However, Odysseus
versions of these two founding documents of western culture, they Unbound lives on. So far, geological evidence has done nothing but
were already very familiar. lend his exciting idea support. I am proud that this magazine has
Like most people, I just assumed that Ithaca was modern Ithaki, played a part in bringing it to wider notice, and delighted that this
and in 1974 came across a collection of essays (by W B Stanford and J update should appear in my penultimate issue as Editor.
V Luce of Trinity College, Dublin) entitled The Quest for Ulysses, in
which Professor Luce (rather flabbily) talked himself into the same * “As the lineage of the leaves so too is that of man.” Homer. Iliad VI, 146
At the AGM Fellows will be asked to elect the following members of Nigel Platt 907 (44.0%)
Council as Officers for 2018/19: Max Coleman 895 (43.4%)
President: Prof Nicholas Rogers Vice-Presidents: Mr Keith Seymour, Mr
John Talbot Secretaries: Dr Colin North; Dr Katherine Royse; Dr Alexander The seven candidates receiving the most votes (above the
Whittaker Secretary, Foreign & External Affairs: Dr Sarah Gordon line) will go forward to the Annual General Meeting on 6 June
Treasurer: Mr Graham Goffey 2018 for election as Council members. At over 17%, this is
the highest turnout for a Society election in living memory.
President’s Day Previous ballots have struggled to reach 10%. The Society
interprets this near doubling in participation as a vindication of
its decision to move its voting procedure to Electoral Reform
President’s Day at Burlington House on 6 June will begin with the Annual Services (ERS), and the simplification of the online voting
General Meeting at 11.00am followed by a buffet lunch with the award process which this has entailed. Dawne Riddle
winners (members with ticket only – £27.50 per head). As in previous
years, the recipients of the major medals have been invited to give a short talk
on their subject, and the Awards Ceremony will be followed by presentations
by the Lyell, Murchison, William Smith and Wollaston medallists (details on
the website: www.geolsoc.org.uk/GSL-Presidents-Day-2018). The timetable for
President’s Day and the agenda for the AGM are below. To obtain
luncheon tickets please send cheques (made payable
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Please also contact Stephanie if you wish to
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Chartership news
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Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils are exceedingly rare, but new discoveries from the
Isle of Skye, Scotland, are beginning to fill this gap. We here describe a new dinosaur
tracksite found in the Lealt Shale Formation (Bathonian) of the Great Estuarine Group
at Rubha nam Brathairean (Brothers’ Point) on Skye. The site preserves an abundance
of small sauropod manus and pes prints and several isolated and broken medium-to-
large tridactyl footprints. The main site occurs on a single horizon of shaley limestone
that formed in a lagoonal environment. The sauropod tracks are tentatively assigned
to the ichnotaxon Breviparopusdue to the narrow gauge of the trackways, the digital
characteristics of the pes, and the ratio of heteropody observed between the manus
and the pes. A theropod trackmaker is inferred for some of the tridactyl impressions
with several indicative of the ichnotaxon Eubrontes. This new site strengthens the
inference, originally based on a previously discovered locality near Duntulm Castle
(Duntulm Formation) in northern Skye, that sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons
during the Middle Jurassic.
Time to bang
some Eds?
Why do journals still have different formats for
references? ask Jim Riding and John Powell*
W SOAPBOX
hen writing a paper or differences that persist are unequivocally
technical report, are you cosmetic. This palpable fact, however, is not
ever frustrated over obvious if one peruses certain ‘instructions
formatting references and
text? This problem must be
all too familiar to many Geoscientist readers.
for authors’, which may leave one with the
strong impression that one false comma in a
single reference will result in out-of-hand
CALLING!
We find it incredible that, in 2018, there is rejection. Perhaps we are being a tad
not an international industry standard dramatic, hyperbolic and paranoid here, but Soapbox is open to contributions
format for listing previously published we feel sure many readers will agree. from all Fellows. You can always
items in bibliographies/reference lists and This is not a plea for reference anarchy; we write a letter to the Editor, of
within text. fully realise that they must be 100% accurate course: but perhaps you feel you
In less joined-up times, it was perhaps and totally consistent - perhaps following need more space?
understandable that journals wished to be American Psychological Association (APA)
distinctive. Prior to the 1980s, each guidelines. We understand the important If you can write it entertainingly in
manuscript was typed individually, so this technical niceties of referencing, for example 500 words, the Editor would like
was really not a major issue. But these days, that one should always use an ‘en dash’, and to hear from you. Email your piece,
when you can easily store a list of not an ‘em dash’ or a hyphen between and a self-portrait, to
frequently-used references in a MS Word numbers in a page range. ted.nield@geolsoc.org.uk.
file, why does one have to agonise over the We would simply welcome an end to the Copy can only be accepted
(frankly irrelevant) minutiae of, for somewhat arcane reference and in-text electronically. No diagrams, tables
example, ensuring that the volume numbers formatting differences. Editors and or other illustrations please.
are in bold, or moving the year from after publishers should get together and agree a
the authors’ names to the end? simple, readily understandable format that does Pictures should be of print
True, most journals have broadly similar away with minor cosmetic differences – similar quality – please take photographs
reference formats. However, substantial to lexicographic conventions for SI units. on the largest setting on your
differences stubbornly remain. Laboriously If this situation came about, perhaps camera, with a plain background.
customising references and text formats can authors would be able to focus more on the
waste a lot of time. Digital ‘reference science and their writing style. Maybe Precedence will always be given to
management systems’ are available, but geoscience journals could lead the way? Over more topical contributions.
why are these even needed? to you Editors – or should that be ‘Eds.’? Any one contributor may not
For example, should one put ‘and’ or an appear more often than once per
ampersand before the final co-author’s ~
volume (once every 12 months).
name? Sometimes it’s neither! Some journals
abbreviate journal titles while others don’t.
Certain periodicals italicise them, and some WE FIND IT
prefer Roman font. Punctuation and spacing
after the year of publication varies, as it does
INCREDIBLE THAT, IN
before and after the volume number. 2018, THERE IS NOT
‘Editors’ or ‘Eds’? What about AN INTERNATIONAL
DOI numbers?
These are some principal differences but, INDUSTRY STANDARD
almost incredibly, there are others. FORMAT FOR
Furthermore, other idiosyncrasies apply to
formatting the running text. Should you
LISTING PREVIOUSLY
italicise ‘et al.’? Is ca, c. or ~ preferred? Is it PUBLISHED
~
‘Figure/Figures’ or ‘Fig./Figs’? ‘Personal ITEMS
communication’ in full, or ‘pers. comm.’?
This multiplicity frankly makes no sense. * Drs Jim Riding (jbri@bgs.ac.uk) and John
No single journal or publisher surely has a Powell work at British Geological Survey, Keyworth, JIM RIDING &
monopoly on wisdom here. The minor Nottingham NG12 5GG UK. JOHN POWELL
I
John Underhill, f you are writing a very long and
intricate historical narrative, it
that he had discovered Troy. While,
over the centuries, many suggestions as
Peter Styles, is hard enough to have to invent
characters and their exploits
to the true location of Homeric Ithaca
have been made - including some
Kosmas without also having to invent
the world they inhabit. It is far easier,
hundreds of miles away in the Balkans.
Various Peloponnese islands - Ithaki,
Pavlopoulos indeed, to present the geography of
the real world as their stage. Perhaps
Lefkada, Kefalonia – as well as Sicily
and even the Spanish Coast near Cadiz,
and George therefore we should not be surprised have all been proposed.
if Homer’s descriptions of the places Kefalonia (or parts of it) have figured
Apostolopoulos* that Odysseus visits on his arduous strongly, with authors often selecting
travels, and of his homeland, the fabled the northern peninsula, near the
report on the latest ‘rocky Ithaca’ - relate to landscapes still modern village of Fiskardo, as their
Fig. 1: Location
of the major
geological
and tectonic
features
associated with
Kefalonia and
the surrounding
islands (from
Valkaniotis
2014)
εἴµ’ Ὀδυσεὺς Λαερτιάδης, ὃς πᾶσι The fourth word in the penultimate line (Professor of Greek and Latin, Cambridge
δόλοισιν ἀνθρώποισι µέλω, καί µευ - πανυπερτάτη (panhupertate), meaning University) and Professor John Underhill
κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει. ναιετάω δ’ Ἰθάκην ‘furthest of all’ - clearly indicates that (Chief Scientist, Heriot-Watt University,
ἐυδείελον: ἐν δ’ ὄρος αὐτῇ Ithaca is the most westerly of the islands Edinburgh) first noted that Paliki,
Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἀριπρεπές: in that region. Some other translations the western peninsula of Kefalonia
ἀµφὶ δὲ νῆσοι πολλαὶ ναιετάουσι µάλα render it thus: ‘last of all in the sea to mentioned above, would fit Homer’s
σχεδὸν ἀλλήλῃσι, ∆ουλίχιόν τε Σάµη westward’ (W H D Rouse); ‘nearer the description had it once been an island,
τε καὶ ὑλήεσσα Ζάκυνθος. αὐτὴ δὲ west than its neighbours’ (T E Lawrence); geographically separated from the rest of
χθαµαλὴ πανυπερτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται ‘farthest out to sea, rearing into the Kefalonia. It would then be west-facing
πρὸς ζόφον, αἱ δέ τ’ ἄνευθε πρὸς ἠῶ τ’ western dusk’ (Robert Fagles). (‘towards dusk’), while the surrounding
ἠέλιόν τε, Modern-day Ithaki (unsurprisingly) islands face east (‘towards dawn’), as well
claims to be ancient Ithaca. But it is as the ‘furthest out to sea’, and
I am Odysseus, Laertes’ son, world-famed manifestly not the ‘furthest west’; ‘low-lying’.
For stratagems: my name has reached the that honour belongs to Kefalonia and, In their 2005 book Odysseus Unbound:
heavens. Bright Ithaca is my home: it has particularly, its western peninsula Paliki, The Search for Homer’s Ithaca (Cambridge
a mountain, Leaf-quivering Neriton, far which is also much less mountainous UP) they also highlighted descriptions of
visible. Around are many islands, close than Ithaki (i.e., ‘lies low’ - Figure 1). Kefalonia by Greek writer Strabo, in his
to each other, Doulichion and Same and 17-volume Geography. That seminal tome
wooded Zacynthos. Ithaca itself lies low, Bittlestone was composed sometime in the first two
furthest to sea Towards dusk; the rest, In 2003, the former classical scholar, decades of the Christian (Roman) era and
apart, face dawn and sun. economist and business adviser Robert describes the known world, employing an
(Odyssey 9.19-26, Transl. J Diggle) Bittlestone, together with James Diggle astute combination of personal
▼
▼
Fig. 2:
Conventionally Describing Kefalonia, Strabo wrote:
accepted Cephallenia lies opposite Acarnania, at a
configuration
distance of about fifty stadia from Leucatas
of the plate
boundaries (some say forty), and about one hundred and
near Kefalonia eighty from Chelonatas. It has a perimeter of
and important about three hundred stadia, is long, extending
localities (from
Briole et al 2015)
towards Eurus [east or south-east], and is
mountainous. The largest mountain upon
it is Aenus, whereon is the temple of Zeus
Aenesius; and where the island is narrowest it
forms an isthmus so low-lying that it is often
submerged from sea to sea. Both Paleis and
Kranioi are on the gulf near the narrows.
This 2000-year-old description contains
some surprisingly precise and accurate
measurements, which inspire confidence
in the veracity of Strabo’s reference to a
low-lying narrow isthmus near Paleis and
Kranioi that is often (but by implication,
not always) covered by the sea from end
to end.
The location of the two settlements is
not in doubt, since their remains are still
Fig. 3: Aerial View
looking NE across visible on Paliki and near Argostoli today.
Thinia over the Strabo therefore provides an independent
buried site where reference to a marine channel, in just the
‘Strabo’s Channel’
right place to make an island of the Paliki
would have run.
The valley is peninsula – a place now occupied by the
6kms in length, isthmus, and specifically, the valley of
up to 2km wide Thinia. Bittlestone et al. also identified a
and rises to a
height of c.180m
series of locations on Paliki as candidates
at its saddle and for key Ithaca sites, mentioned in the
watershed Odyssey, that seemed to fit Homer’s
descriptions. But the hypothesis faced
a major obstacle. Today, the valley lies
well above sea-level (up to 180m) - which
inevitably prompted some scepticism
(Figure 3).
Fugro
Fig. 9: Clustering
Their work led to Fugro’s supporting
Analysis of
Aegean Seismicity research to resolve this conundrum
showing that by deploying geotechnical teams and
the Kefalonia sponsoring a NERC PhD project by Dr
region has the
highest significant Kirsten Hunter (2013), which enabled key
clustering in the geological and geophysical tests to put
context of the flesh on the theory’s bones.
extremely active
These investgations showed evidence
regional seismic
activity (from of marine sediments on the coast and near
Weatherill and offshore in the last Post-Glacial period,
Burton 2009) while seismic analysis demonstrated
that the Thinia valley had indeed been a
marine channel in the Quaternary, some
400,000 years ago.
More recently, significant evidence
has emerged that the southern end of
the Thinia valley became blocked by a
massive translational and rotational mass
movement of a single block measuring
c. 4km by 1km - most likely following
GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE
a major tectonic event - with smaller event (M7.2, 1953) had its epicentre on distributed in deformation across the
landslides infilling the valley’s northern Kefalonia, probably on the Ionian thrust, western part of Kefalonia, the Paliki
end. Such a large rotational slump (Figure an oblique convergence with a left–lateral peninsula, or even that it runs east of
4 - online) may well account for the 180m component (Figures 1 and 2). Paliki through the Thinia valley before
rise in elevation we see today. The Odysseus Unbound team have skimming Lefkada.
Analogous situations are indeed recently (summer 2017) undertaken new The conspicuous topographic
common in seismically active regions. surveys to compile new geophysical discontinuities seen in Figure 7 and,
A notable example is the collapse and maps, integrating the data with more significantly, the series of en echelon
rotational translation of a hillside at earlier data from FUGRO, which was offset features, are exactly what we
Hebgen Lake in Montana, USA that presented in Hunter (2013). The new would expect if a significant amount
dammed outflow and created ‘Quake gravity/magnetic/resistivity and of transcurrent dextral shear had taken
Lake’ (Figure 5 - online). The shape, geomorphological images of the Thinia place along a distributed major transform
scale and form of the feature is precisely valley and adjoining regions are shown or transform-related boundary. It seems
analogous to the situation in the Thinia in Figure 7, which shows LIDAR evident therefore that the KTF is not a
valley - right down to a toe of displaced derived images of slope (a) and aspect single structure but a wide distributed
material, running up the hillside to the (b) (Pavlopoulos 2017) and geophysical zone as it crosses continental Kefalonia,
right, and the damming of a river to images of apparent resistivity (c) and including splays off the main structure.
create a lake. Figure 6 shows a mass magnetic anomaly (d) (Apostolopoulos This interpretation would define the
movement feature of similar scale, created 2017). All these images show sets of Kefalonia Transform Fault as a major
by the Christchurch Earthquake (7.8ML) NNE-striking features along the southern trans-continental shear zone akin to the
in 2011 on the New Zealand Alpine Fault Thinia valley, and also that these are Dead Sea Shear, the North Anatolian
- an area of similar tectonic complexity to segmented and offset to the NNW - Fault, the San Andreas Fault and the
the Kefalonian region. indicative of right lateral (dextral) shear. New Zealand Alpine Fault, where
The two key questions are, therefore: (Figure 8 - online) also shows that enormous mass translations have
1. Did sea level rise sufficiently after the the Kefalonia Transform Fault is either significantly changed the
▼
last Ice Age to flood the Thinia valley
again - and, critically, when? Was it
before the Late Bronze Age, c.3200 years
ago, usually considered the time of
Odysseus?
2. When did the tectonic event - and
its resultant huge translational slump
- occur? Was this after the Late Bronze
Age? Perhaps even, given Strabo’s
description, within the last 2000 years?
If the answer to both these questions is
‘yes’ then the case for Paliki as Homer’s
Ithaca becomes compelling. But first, a
slight digression.
Kefalonia transformed
The current consensus is that the
Kefalonia Transform Fault - the major
tectonic boundary which shifts the
Hellenic Arc Subduction Zone (African
Plate beneath Aegean Plate) some 200km
northwards until it is converted into
the continental collision zone between
the Apulian platform and NW Greece
(Adriatic against Eurasian Plate) - lies Fig. 7: TEM-derived
west of Kefalonia. It is usually drawn and geophysical
images of the
thus - see Figures 1 and 2. Thinia valley
The Kefalonia Transform Fault revealing the
probably eventually becomes the North presence of en-
Anatolian Fault - one of the major trans- echelon features
indicative of right
continental fracture zones of the world, lateral (dextral)
at least equivalent to the New Zealand shear through
Alpine Fault on which we have already the area in the
same orientation
seen huge disturbances and uplift.
and sense as
However, the largest Kefalonian (indeed the Kefalonia
the largest recorded Greek) earthquake Transform Fault
topographic profile (Figure 6). deep, albeit possibly narrow, channel. Closure
▼
Figure 9 confirms the importance of So, let us return to our two key Fortunately, a relatively simple resolution
Kefalonian seismicity. The clustering questions about timing and mechanism. is possible. There is what appears to be
analysis of earthquakes in the Aegean a historically recent settlement on the
shows the very highest significance Sea level western (Paliki) side of the southern
around Kefalonia. Figure 10 (online) Previous offshore seismic interpretation entrance to the Thinia valley, whose
shows the concentration of significant (Hunter 2013) has demonstrated the walls end abruptly at the edge of landslip
geological disturbance on the Lixouri and presence of onlapping sediment fill, material (Figure 12, foreground).
Thinia peninsulas. related to the last glacial lowstand (22,500 The satellite image appears to show
B.P.) when sea levels were c.125m lower that the toe of this landslide overruns
Intense deformation than they are now. Figures 14 and 15 and covers the southern part of this
There seems to be very strong evidence (online) show this northwards-directed settlement which, if this occurred in,
that the Thinia valley is the site of onlapping deposition, which records Late say, the last 2000 years, would suggest
intense geological deformation and that Quaternary and Holocene post-glacial that it happened during the last two
significant major modification of the transgression and infill. millennia - and so provide a robust
topographic profile is not implausible, But to show that the Thinia valley was dating mechanism for establishing the
even in the relatively short period since marine during Homer’s time, we must chronology of the seismic and ground
Homeric times. demonstrate that seawater reached the uplift event(s). We plan further high-
The elevation of over 100 metres along head of the Gulf of Livadi more than resolution geophysical investigations
the postulated route of a marine channel 3200 years ago, and identify and date the in the Thinia valley, to determine firmly
across the isthmus separating Paliki subsequent landslide deposits that closed whether the landslide did indeed cover
from Kefalonia remains a problem for the channel and turned Paliki from an relatively recent walls or other artefacts.
even a narrow seaway. However, recent island into a peninsula. Evidence suggesting that these walls were
electrical resistivity geophysical surveys Although biostratigraphic sampling simply built ‘up to’ landfill material would
in the southern region (Figure 11- online) of boreholes drilled in the Thinia valley not invalidate the hypothesis, but would
show significant thicknesses of very demonstrate that there was a marine mean that other dating mechanisms would
poorly consolidated materials more than channel 400,000 BP, evidence of its need to be considered. For example, a small
60m thick, which extend even further (well continued existence within the past 5000 palaeo-lake bed, (Lake Katochori), sits on
below 120m). Further, a traverse across the to 10,000 years BP is essential to make top of the landslide material onlapping the
frontal (toe) zone of the landslip material the case. We plan further onshore and rockfall debris - clearly indicating that
that covers the western hillside (Figures offshore sampling and biostratigraphic it formed on top of the landslide, which
12, 13) suggests that it may have infilled a and microfossil analysis to resolve this. had cut off an earlier stream. Sampling and
Fig. 12: View looking west across Lake Katochori at the southern end Fig. 6: The 7.8 Magnitude, 2011 Kaikoura earthquake
of the Thinia Valley showing the triangular, wooded area(circled) where caused major landslides blocking valleys and
the toe of rockfall and landslide material covers the hillside on which damming lakes very much in the manner suggested
walls, apparently historically recent, have been discovered for the Thinia valley
GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE
dating the deepest lake bed material would envisaged, and be the ultimate driver for Peter Styles is Emeritus Professor in Applied
offer an alternative ‘upper’ co-seismic landslides and rockfalls. Its and Environmental Geophysics at the University of
time constraint, since the existence of immediate impact in the Thinia valley Keele, Staffordshire, England.
the lake was the basis for a later and Gulf of Livadi is to cause dextral fault E: p.styles@keele.ac.uk
Venetian settlement. offset seen on seismic data and topographic Professor John Underhill is Chair of Exploration
Remains of apparent Bronze Age features. This is consistent with earthquake Geoscience & Chief Scientist, Heriot-Watt
structures on Paliki suggest that the area fault-plane solutions and the sense of University, Edinburgh, Scotland. E: j.r.underhill@
was important at this time. Preliminary movement along the major plate boundary hw.ac.uk.
geophysical surveys have revealed sub- between Europe and Africa. Kosmas Pavlopoulos is Professor of Geology-
surface structures in some areas, suggesting Electrical resistivity data indicate great Geomorphology, Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.
construction activity in ancient times. thicknesses (>60m) of poorly consolidated George Apostolopoulos is Professor at the National
Further detailed investigations are planned, (landslide) material overlapping an Technical University of Athens, School Of Mining And
Metallurgical Engineering, Mining Engineering Section,
to define the optimal sites where excavation archaeological site associated with what seems
Laboratory Of Applied Geophysics.
might reveal the layout of buildings and to be a relatively recent historic settlement, and
valued possessions, aiding understanding of may suggest that a deep channel (‘Strabo’s
the relative sophistication of the civilisation Channel’) once existed there.
➤ A CKNOWLEDGEMENT
on Paliki and whether it was Late Bronze Further geophysical investigations We acknowledge the contributions of the
Age (c.1200 BC), earlier, or later. should provide clues as to whether following to the most recent phase of scientific
the landslide over-ran the settlement research and analysis conducted in and
Conclusions – strongly indicating a post-Homeric around the Thinia valley: Professors Kosmas
Geological investigations carried out after age for this intense geological and Pavlopoulos, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu
Dhabi, and George Apostolopoulos, National
the recent major earthquake on Kefalonia geomorphological activity and
Technical University of Athens, and their
(2014), together with our own geophysical strengthening significantly the case for a very capable teams, who collected field and
surveys, provide new insights into the narrow seaway separating Paliki from the geoscientific data, performed comprehensive
intriguing question as to whether Homer rest of Kefalonia. technical analyses, and created the graphics
was describing the Paliki peninsula as the Although much remains to be done, depicting their findings.
site of Odysseus’ Ithaca. geological support for the intriguing
It seems likely that the major plate possibility that the site of Homer’s Ithaca
boundary, the Kefalonia Transform Fault, might eventually be reconciled with FURTHER READING
which has traditionally been drawn as Homer’s geographical descriptions on the
running west of Kefalonia, may be more Paliki peninsula, is getting stronger. A list of selected references may be read in the
Online version of this article Editor.
diffuse, affect a wider region than previously To be continued! ◆
Fig. 13: Satellite image looking south (from Google Maps) showing a historically recent
Roman settlement apparently over-run by onlapping landslide material which would
provide a means of determining the age of the major mass-wasting events which
might have closed the marine channel. Blue line - profile, Fig 11 (online)
THE
DALESMAN DON
Sedgwick at 82
This year is the bicentenary of Adam Sedgwick’s
appointment as Woodwardian Professor.
Douglas Palmer* writes.
A
dam Sedgwick (1785-1873) was evidently reciprocated, as invitations
graduated from Trinity to Osborne (1847), Balmoral (1859) and
College, Cambridge in 1808, Windsor (1863) duly followed.
became a Fellow of the If young geologists today have heard
College in 1810 and Vice- Sedgwick’s name at all they will probably
master in 1845. To fulfill the conditions associate it with the Sedgwick Museum
of fellowship, he was ordained in 1817 in Cambridge. However, anyone delving
and later granted a prebendary stall in into the details of Lower Palaeozoic
Norwich Cathedral (1834). In 1818 he was biostratigraphy will become more
elected to the Woodwardian professorship, aware of Adam Sedgwick’s geological
and to fellowship of the Geological achievements.
Society of London (becoming President So, beyond the bald facts of his career,
1830-1831, winning the Wollaston Medal who was Adam Sedgwick? Is it possible
in 1851), followed by fellowship of the to get a sense of how he rose from being a
Royal Society in 1821 (where he won the Yorkshire grammar-school boy to a pillar
Copley Medal in 1863). Sedgwick had of Victorian Establishment?
undoubtedly arrived – becoming part of
the established network of British science Bootstraps
and one of the most important geologists Sedgwick’s early life and education was
of the 19th Century. a successful 19th Century aspirational
parable of good genes, a supportive
Cambridge family and social environment, and hard
As a lifelong Cambridge don, the work. Born in 1785 and bred in Dent,
Reverend Professor delivered his first Yorkshire, Adam was one of the seven
lecture course in 1819 (becoming one children of a local schoolmaster – the Rev.
of the first to fulfill this requirement John Sedgwick and his wife Margaret.
in Woodward’s bequest!). Sedgwick’s Clever but relatively unrefined
lectures proved popular with ‘town Dalesmen, Adam, his father and two of
and gown’ - including women, whose his younger brothers all gained entry
admission to lectures was unusual for the to the University of Cambridge - Adam
time. However by 1870 and his last lecture helped by tutoring from local physician
course, three years after the foundation and mathematician, John Dawson.
of the first women’s college (Girton), Without much money, and again like his
Sedgwick was referring to aspiring female father, Adam was assisted by a sizarship
undergraduates as ‘nasty forward minxes’. (a sizar is an undergraduate at Cambridge
Despite this, Sedgwick was a university or Trinity College, Dublin, who received
reformer, campaigning in 1834 for the financial help from the college, formerly
abolition of the religious test, which in return for certain menial duties) before
only allowed members of the Church winning a Trinity College scholarship
of England to enter the University (it (1807) and graduating as 5th Wrangler in
was finally removed in 1869). When 1808 (A ‘wrangler’ is a person placed in
Prince Albert became Chancellor of the first class of the mathematical tripos).
the University in 1847, he appointed Further hard work precipitated a
Sedgwick as his secretary and then as breakdown in his health; but in 1810 he
a member of the Royal Commission on was awarded a college Fellowship. He
University Reform in 1850. still had to earn his living by the tutorial
teaching of undergraduate mathematics,
Royal connections which he found unrewarding (both
Sedgwick’s Royal connection began in financially and intellectually). The subject
1843 when he showed Queen Victoria and just did not interest him. Nor did he
Prince Albert around the new University wish to follow in his father’s footsteps
Museum of Geology in the recently built as schoolmaster and priest. Seduced by
Cockerell building. Sedgwick’s admiration the intellectual stimuli of collegiate life
▼
in Cambridge, Adam needed a more “Woodward put the ban of domestic any examination until the foundation of the
▼
engaging subject than maths or theology - sterility upon his Professor, but my Natural Science Tripos in the 1850s. Under
but what? Museum is in the place of wife and Sedgwick, the Museum collections grew
children”. Clearly Sedgwick had not fully well beyond the core 11,000 specimens
A glorious & healthy field taken this into account when competing endowed by John Woodward in 1728.
None of Sedgwick’s biographers has for the post, vacated upon the marriage of Sedgwick himself collected thousands
found any evidence of particular interest the previous incumbent John Hailstone. of specimens and bought collections and
in geology prior to his entering the Sedgwick’s zeal as a lecturer, field important specimens from the likes of Mary
competition for the Woodwardian chair. geologist and collector firmly established Anning. He also pressured the University
Indeed when, in 1859, he looked back the science of geology within the authorities to provide more space for the
on his reasons for turning to geology, University - despite its having no part in collection.
Sedgwick wrote: “I knew very little indeed
of geology – just enough to know that it
was a glorious and healthy field in which
I might find ample enjoyment and better
health”. As a countryman used to being out
on the Fells in all weathers, he believed in
the restorative effects of nature.
With little or no geological background
Sedgwick might seem a surprising
choice for the Woodwardian chair; but
the position was something of a sinecure
since the subject was not examined at the
time. Its duties were not onerous but the
stipend was only £100 a year. Nevertheless,
Sedgwick was an inspired choice and
went on to fully justify his election. He
said: “hitherto I have never turned a stone;
henceforth I will leave no stone unturned”.
He kept his promise.
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Geologist and science was picked up by The Times on new London road now forming to he is unable to go on satisfying
writer Nina Morgan 6 January 1857 and such was shorten the distance from central the claimants, as the men
the interest that Stowe quickly Essex and the Lea-bridge-road have ceased to dig clay for
recalls a generous offer
found himself embroiled in a 19th to the metropolis, the workmen the season.”
that went viral Century version of a Twitterstorm. have within the last few days, at a
In an attempt to calm matters, depth of about 20 feet, dug into Whetting appetites
In 1856 workers cutting brick Stowe himself wrote to The Times a bed of sea sand, containing The Illustrated London News
clay from the glacial deposits on 9 January saying: numerous shells, both univalves piece probably did nothing
overlying the Middle Jurassic “Sir – The transference of a and bivalves of supposed extinct to stem the tide of specimen
Cornbrash limestones paragraph about fossils from a species, commingled with what requests. Their writer noted that
on a farm in Tingewick, local paper into your word-wide appears to be drift wood in large many of the fossils:
Buckinghamshire, owned by publication has overwhelmed pieces, now quite black, thus “... are like biscuits, others
a Mr Greaves, hit on a haul of me with applications for them, evidencing that at some period of like Lilliputian mince-pies and
‘concretionary objects’ at a having had about 70 in 24 hours, our world’s history the seashore oysters. Others are like roots
depth of about six feet – and which it is impossible to attend reached to Upper Clapton. For of ginger and compressed
kicked off a ‘Fossil Rush’. to at once. I propose sending those curious in the matter I mushrooms of all sizes – the
When the fossil material was them off as widely as I can, and, may add that the site of this smaller or button-shaped ones
first discovered, specimens in the meantime allow me to say discovery is not far from where simulating mince-pies, and the
were sent to the surgeon and that there are specimens to be Clapton-gate formerly stood – for larger ones so like biscuits that
natural history enthusiast, seen in the Geological Museum that barbarian barrier, with its at an evening party they were
William Stowe [c.1791 – in Jermyn-street, whither I sent ante-diluvian gatehouse is, if not put on the supper-table and
1860]. Stowe, in turn, them a week ago. Yours truly, W. fossilised, at least disintegrated, taken for real biscuits.”
reported his impressions Stowe, Buckingham, and now, like the inhabitants of With a description like
of the find to a local Oxford Jan 8.” the said uni and bi valves, among that, the temptation for many
paper, which noted that: The following day The Times the “things that were, but are a society hostess to claim
“... We are authorised to published a letter written under not” – and on the new line of the samples of the fossils to grace
say that Mr Stowe would the pseudonym Conchos, road thus thrown open opposite their buffet table must have
send specimens to any highlighting another source for its site, proceeding west and been great – the risk of broken
institution or individual who obtaining similar fossils: south-west towards London. teeth notwithstanding!
takes an interest in such “Sir – Perhaps the fossil The distance is about two and
matters on their paying the collectors who have overwhelmed a-half or three miles from the ➤ Acknowledgement
carriage by rail.” your Buckingham correspondent, Royal Exchange. I am, Sir, your End notes: Sources for
this vignette include:
W. Stowe, whose letter appears obedient servant. CONCHOS,
Geological Collecting and
News goes viralh in your columns of to-day, may London Jan. 9.” a Geological Career:
The Oxford report, including feel interested in the fact that, in But in spite of Conchos’s Daniel Jones (1836 –
Stowe’s generous offer, excavating for the sewers on the suggestion, requests for 1918) with notes on other
specimens Midlands Collections from
continued to pour the Jones Archive by
Hugh Torrens, Geological
into Mr Stowe’s
Curator, Vol. 4, pp. 493 –
letterbox. An 501; Letters to the Times
article about from W. Stowe, and
the Tingewick Conchus published on 8
fossil find in and 9 January 1857,
The Illustrated respectively; and Fossils
London News of Found in Buckinghamshire,
published in The
24 January 1857
Illustrated London News,
reported that: 24 January 1857, pp. 67
“We understand – 68.
that Mr Stowe
has been almost * Nina Morgan is a geologist and
overwhelmed science writer based near Oxford.
with some 170 Her latest book, The Geology of
letters applying for Oxford Gravestones, is available via
specimens; but www.gravestonegeology.uk
Northern exposures
Interested in a Postgrad Diploma in ‘The Geology of Yorkshire and northern England’
at York University? Amanda Pauw writes
This exciting two year part-time through a regional examination of the area.
programme is run entirely online by Students on the programme also assess the
The Society notes with
distance learning, but includes a residential the area’s importance with respect to current sadness the passing of:
week in York at controversies in Earth Aitkenhead, Neil
the beginning of sciences, from fracking Booth, Tony *
Bowen, Geoffrey Gordon *
each year, for field to climate change, while
Brierley, Malcolm Lawrence
and class-based also reflecting upon Chillingworth, Patrick Cecil Hamilton *
study. the region’s vital role in Drysdall, Alan Roy *
Dr Annette the history of geology. Droogmans, Serge L *
Elueze, Anthony Azbuike *
McGrath, We go on to examine
Fischer, Alfred*
Associate Lecturer human interactions Gladwell, David Robert *
leading the with the region’s rocks Helm, Derick *
programme, told and landscapes, Helm, Douglas George *
Howell, Frank Travis *
Geoscientist: “We from Palaeolithic to
Illing, Leslie Vincent
are so lucky in the present day.” Kelly, Desmond Michael *
UK to have a great The PG Diploma Kenna, Raymond *
diversity of rocks programme was Laws, Michael James *
Leighton, James *
and spectacular launched in September
Marshall, Mr John A *
landscapes on 2015 and has been a Morgans, Michael William *§
our doorstep, and great success. We are O’Reilly, Kevin J O *
northern England currently considering Shepherd, Colin*
Shingleton, Sam *
in particular has applications for
Whitlow, Roy *
an abundance of September 2018 Young, Paul Ivor *
world-famous and intake, so to know
classic geological more, or apply for a In the interests of recording its Fellows’
work for posterity, the Society publishes
sites. This exciting place, please visit:
obituaries online, and in Geoscientist.
and unique The most recent additions to the list are
diploma utilises the W: www.york.ac.uk/geology; contact in shown in bold. Fellows for whom no
geological wealth of northern England and E: lifelonglearning@york.ac.uk, or call obituarist has yet been commissioned are
marked with an asterisk (*). The symbol
explores the main principles of geology T: 01904 328482.
§ indicates that biographical material has
been lodged with the Society.
M
ichael Welland’s Distinguished oil-industry geologist who later wrote to Indonesia (Atlantic
death from two fine books for the general reader Petroleum, 2011-12) was a
cancer in relief.
October 2017 Meanwhile, Michael nursed
deprived us of the idea of a book about sand.
a versatile scientist, talented He built up an extraordinary
communicator, and good collection of samples as he
friend of The Geological researched how vital sand
Society. was to so many industrial
Only child of Dennis processes, and travelled to
Welland, Professor of remote regions of the Sahara
American Literature (and to hear the singing dunes.
later Pro Vice Chancellor) Sand (2009, OUP) received
at Manchester University good reviews, containing
and Joan, a teacher, Michael all the arenaceous facts you
was educated at Manchester could wish for, couched in an
Grammar School and Selwyn unforced, entertaining style.
College, Cambridge, where A documentary film (‘Sand
he won a place in 1965. We Wars’, dir. Denis Delestrac,
became friends during a 2013) followed.
field trip to Arran, puffing
along behind W B Harland, Deserts
who shot up hillsides like It was natural to go on
a mountain goat. Harland to write about deserts,
also organized expeditions driven by his admiration
to Spitsbergen; joining one for Ralph Alger Bagnold,
in 1967 cemented Michael’s who contributed so much
commitment to geology. to understanding sand’s
physics. He described desert
Harvard in Oman (kindling his love states; but Indonesian projects peoples, deserts’ place in
After graduation, he took of deserts) and publishing satisfied his wanderlust. He history, and the creatures
a Masters at Harvard on the Oman ophiolite. In eventually became Arco’s that live in them. The Desert:
University, and met his 1973 he took an adjunct Vice President (Exploration), lands of lost borders (Reaktion
wife Carol, a classicist from professorship at the but when he left, it was for Books) appeared in 2015.
Mount Holyoke College. They University of Pennsylvania three years in Indonesia, with Michael’s humour
married in 1969. The couple before moving to Wayne Lasmo. Work in Algeria and erupted into gruff laughter,
returned to Cambridge UK State University, Detroit the North Sea followed. particularly at the world’s
when Michael embarked on - researching in Nevada, Based now in north Dorset absurdities. Occasionally
a PhD (on the geology of the and making field trips to and with the oil business irascible, he was never
eastern Othris Mountains, Wyoming and Montana. in trouble, Michael quit uncharitable. For him,
Greece) under Alan B He quit academe in to set up the consulting geology always came first.
Smith. Carol, working at the 1977, working briefly for company Orogen (1997-2015). His last, precious field trip
University Library, typed geothermal company Alongside that, he took was to Iceland, shortly after
Michael’s thesis on one of Hydrosearch before joining contracts in Kazakhstan, his diagnosis.
the first electric typewriters, Arco (1978 – 1992). emerging chaotically from He is survived by Carol,
making it an unusually Soviet rule. Not all of them children Iain and Katherine,
splendid production in the era Dallas paid! Another job in Cairo and granddaughter Fotini.
of carbon copies. The Wellands enjoyed (with Regal Petroleum)
Michael joined BGS’s Dallas, Michael working came to an abrupt end, in a ➤ By Richard Fortey
Overseas Division, working mostly in the south-western boardroom coup. Returning
HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists by providing contacts, dates and
other information, and thus ensure that Fellows’ lives are accorded appropriate and accurate commemoration. Please send your CV and a photograph to Ted Nield at the Society.
B
ill Chaloner FRS died Lyell medallist, Vice-President and world-renowned then Head of the School of Life
13 October 2016. He pioneer of palaeobotany and palynology Sciences. He developed a technique
was born in London using stomata of fossil plants
on 22 November to reconstruct levels of carbon
1928, the youngest dioxide in ancient atmospheres.
of four. He attended Kingston He became interested in the
Grammar School and evening link between changes in carbon
classes at Chelsea Polytechnic dioxide and climate, believing that
where he became interested understanding past changes would
in Geology. help us to understand the future.
Bill went to Reading
University (1947) to study Honours
botany, chemistry and geology, Bill received numerous honours,
graduating with first class including election to the Royal
honours (1950) and remaining Society (1976). He was a trustee of
to study fossil plants with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;
Professor Tom Harris FRS. President of the International
For his doctorate Chaloner Organization of Palaeobotany
studied in situ spores from and President of the Linnean
Carboniferous lycopods and was Society in its bicentennial year.
able to determine the main coal- The House of Lords Select
forming vegetation of the time. Committee on Science and
Technology sought his services
Fellowship as a scientific adviser to their
Bill obtained a Commonwealth subcommittee on biological
Fellowship to spend two years systematics. He served on the
at Ann Arbor in the USA. On Natural Environment Research
the voyage home he met Judith Council, received both the
(née Carroll, known as Judy), Linnean and the Lyell medals,
whom he married in 1955 visiting professor in the and served as Vice-President of
and who remained a strong Department of Geosciences
HE PIONEERED the Geological Society of London.
influence and support. They at Pennsylvania State THE USE OF After retirement (1994),
had three children. Judy died University and in 1965-66 GROWTH-RINGS IN Chaloner was made Emeritus
in 2017. was seconded to teach at Professor in the Department of
Bill was conscripted into the University of Nigeria
FOSSIL WOODS TO Geology (now Earth Sciences),
the Army and spent much at Nsukka. RECONSTRUCT Royal Holloway University
time in Germany. Returning CLIMATES of London, and continued to
to Britain in 1956, he was Forest fires publish until his death. With
appointed Assistant Lecturer Bill gained the chair of a warm sense of humour and
in the Department of Botany Botany at Birkbeck College took the Chair of Botany at a self-effacing manner he was
at University College London, in 1972, remaining until Bedford College, University of ever approachable, especially
where he began to use fossil 1979. He pioneered scanning London. Here, with students for young researchers. His
spores to interpret the ecology electron microscopy for and postdoctoral fellows, he thoughtful, polite, and generous
of ancient landscapes. He also the study of fossil plants. pioneered the use of growth- approach won him many friends
helped start the UCL MSc in He also became interested rings in fossil woods to in a long career characterised by
Micropalaeontology. in ancient forest fires and reconstruct ancient climates. excellent research, inspirational
Chaloner was promoted the use of fossil charcoal to When Bedford College teaching and astute leadership.
Lecturer (1958), and then provide information on the merged (with Royal Holloway)
Reader in Palaeobotany (1963). levels of oxygen in ancient in 1985, Chaloner became
➤ By Andrew C Scott
In 1961 he spent a year as atmospheres. In 1979 he first chair of Biology, and
HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists by providing contacts, dates and
other information, and thus ensure that Fellows’ lives are accorded appropriate and accurate commemoration. Please send your CV and a photograph to Ted Nield at the Society.
in association with
As ore grades decline and mineral deposit discovery rates slow down,
future global demand for raw materials is likely to lead the exploration
and mining industry into more extreme and technically-challenging
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Recent publications have even highlighted the mineral potential of
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these environments has long been discussed, new datasets, refined ore
deposit models and advances in prospectivity modelling have improved
our knowledge considerably. A broad array of technological
developments have also brought mining in these environments closer
to commercialization.
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