GRAVINE (RAVINES)
Our territory originated about 150 million
years ago, when the movements of the earth's
crust caused a subsidence of the sea basin
creating Apulia. Enormous amounts of water
flowed from Murge Plateau towards the sea.
The water eroded, modelled, dismantled the
solid limestone, it penetrated into the
rock's cracks,forming underground rivers
which eroded deeply.
The water flowed carrying pebbles and
stones which were thrown against the rocky
walls, breaking them and leaving deep
hollows. Once back to surface, water deposited
those sediments which originated the so-called
"tuff", i.e. soft calcareous
rocks. That crack was gradually widened
by collapses due to earthquakes and by
wind, sun and frost erosion, thus becoming
a "ravine". The origin of ravines
dates back to 60 million years ago.
In the wide and dry rocky bank of Murge
Plateau the ravines are real natural oasis:
in fact, especially in spring streams
flowing from Murge Plateau form small
fresh water lakes and little torrents
flowing throughout the gorge up to the
coast.
