Una sfida al “diavolo”: il problema della conservazione e della valorizzazione

Abstract

Fossil human footprints are among the rarest and most precious finds for the study of antiquity. Their value lies in their power to describe body structures, actions, and behaviours. Their rarity is because - almost always - they are preserved on deposits that have turned into soft rocks which are easily eroded by natural agents and damaged by human wrong actions and management. Considering human ichnites as any other archaeological find to be preserved is a common and really dangerous mistake. Therefore, in this contribution, after examining the main protection actions carried out in some of the most important ichnosites of the world, we propose also a solution for the protection and promotion of the "Ciampate del diavolo" palaeontological site ichnites. This solution seems to us to be the only and most suitable for the right preservation of this unique cultural asset.