| Abstract: | Results are discussed of amino acid racemization dating of numerous samples of bones, teeth, tooth enamel and fossil shells. Racemization dating proved to be a very useful tool to date non-marine and marine deposits which are a few hundred thousand years old, as well as to correlate and chronologically classify even more ancient marine deposits. Aspartic acid racemization was used to date samples aged less than 80,000–100,000 yr; for more ancient samples, isoleucine epimerization, instead, was resorted to.In this work, dates were established for some important fragments of human bones and of large-mammalian fauna weighing a few grams, which would have been impossible to date with the 14C technique, requiring a large amount of bone material.The extent of isoleucine epimerization was measured in Glycymeris genera to estimate the age of numerous marine deposits of the Tyrrhenian coast of Centra-Southern Italy and of Sardinia. In the Tarquinia area (Latium) three marine terraces were identified, which were estimated to be approx. 120,000, 200,000 and 350,000 yr old. In Sardinia, five marine horizons were identified; the youngest deposit (Neotyrrhenian) proved to be present at Punta tramontana and Santa Reparata, while, at Riola and Stagno di Sassu, the most ancient marine deposits of Sardinia were found. In the Rome area, the Monte Mario Formation was estimated to be coeval with Monte delle Piche Formation. Finally, from the terraced coastal deposits of Capo Milaazzo (Sicily), Panarea (Eolian archipelago), Archi (Calabria) and Gallipoli (Apulia), a Tyrrhenian age range of 100,000–120,000 yr was obtained. |
