Phlegraean Fields
NASA Space Shuttle photo of Campi Flegrei, with main features labeled.
Elevation	458 m (1,503 ft)[1]
Location
Location	Italy
Coordinates	40°49′37″N 14°08′20″E / 40.827°N 14.139°E / 40.827; 14.139Coordinates: 40°49′37″N 14°08′20″E / 40.827°N 14.139°E / 40.827; 14.139[1]
Geology
Type	Caldera[1]
Age of rock	40,000 years
Volcanic arc/belt	Campanian volcanic arc
Last eruption	1538[1]

Sulfur at the Solfatara crater

The Phlegraean Fields, also known as Campi Flegrei, (from Greek φλέγος, burning), is a large 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) wide caldera situated to the west of Naples, Italy. It was declared a regional park in 2003. Lying mostly underwater, the area comprises 24 craters and volcanic edifices. Hydrothermal activity can be observed at Lucrino, Agnano and the town of Pozzuoli. There are also effusive gaseous manifestations in the Solfatara crater, which is known as the mythological home of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan. The area also features bradyseismic phenomena, which are most evident at the Macellum of Pozzuoli which in the 18th century was mis-identified as a Temple of Serapis, as geologists puzzled over bands of boreholes (Gastrochaenolites) left by marine Lithophaga molluscs on three standing marble columns, showing that the level of the site in relation to sea level had varied. This area is monitored by the Vesuvius Observatory^[2].

Geological phases[link]

Three geological phases or periods are recognised and distinguished.^[3]

• The First Phlegraean Period. It is thought that the eruption of the Archiflegreo volcano occurred about 39.28 ± 0.11 ka. The dating of the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) eruption to ~37,000 calendar years B.P. draws attention to the coincidence of this volcanic catastrophe and the suite of coeval, Late Pleistocene biocultural changes that occurred within and outside the Mediterranean region. These included the Middle to Upper Paleolithic cultural transition and the replacement of Neanderthal populations by anatomically modern Homo sapiens, a subject of sustained debate. No less than 150 km³ of magma were extruded in the CI eruption, the signal of which can be detected in Greenland ice cores. As widespread discontinuities in archaeological sequences are observed at or following the CI event, a significant interference with ongoing human processes in Mediterranean Europe is hypothesized. Abstract ^[4] (older estimate ~37,000 years ago), erupting about 200 cubic kilometres (48 cu mi) of magma (500 cubic kilometres (120 cu mi) bulk volume)^[5] to produce the Campanian Ignimbrite.^[6] New research led by Liubov Vitalievna Golovanova and Vladimir Borisovich Doronichev of the ANO Laboratory of Prehistory in St. Petersburg, Russia, supports the hypothesis that these eruptions drove Neanderthals to extinction and cleared the way for modern humans to thrive in Europe and Asia.^[7] The area is characterised by banks of piperno and pipernoid grey tuff at Camaldoli hill, like in the northern and western ridge of Mount Cumae; other referable deep products are those found at Monte di Procida, recognizable in the cliffs of its coast.

• The Second Phlegraean Period. Between the 35,000-10,500 years ago,^[3] it is characterized by the yellow tuff that constitutes the rests of an immense underwater volcano (having a diameter of ca. 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and Pozzuoli to its center) Approximately 12,000 years ago the last major eruption occurred, forming a smaller caldera inside the main one, centered on the town of Pozzuoli. This event produced the Neopolitan yellow tuff, referring to the characteristic yellow rocks there.

• The Third Phlegraean Period. Dated between 8,000 – 500 years ago,^[3] it is characterized by white pozzolana, the material that forms the majority of volcanos in Flegrei Fields. Broadly speaking, it can be said there was an initial activity to the south-west in the zone of Bacoli and Baiae (10.000-8.000 years ago); an intermediate activity in an area centred between Pozzuoli, Spaccata Mountain and Agnano (8.000-3.900 years ago); and a more recent activity, moved towards the west to form Lake Avernus and Monte Nuovo (New Mountain) (3,800–500 years ago).

Volcanic deposit indicating possible eruption dated Ar at 315, 205, 157 and 18.0 kya^{[citation needed]}

The caldera, which now is essentially at ground level, is accessible on foot. It contains a large number of fumaroles, from which steam can be seen issuing, and over 150 pools of boiling mud at last count. Several subsidiary cones and tuff craters lie within the caldera. One of these craters is filled by Lake Avernus. In 1538, an eight-day eruption in the area deposited enough material to create a new hill, Monte Nuovo. It has risen about 2 metres (7 ft) from ground level since 1970. It is a volcano capable of producing VEI 7 eruptions, as large as that of Tambora in 1815.^[8] At present, the Campi Flegrei area comprises the Naples districts of Agnano and Fuorigrotta, the area of Pozzuoli, Bacoli, Monte di Procida, Quarto, the Phlegrean Islands (Ischia, Procida and Vivara).

Recent inflation of the caldera centre in the vicinity of Pozzuoli may presage an eruptive event within decades.^[9]

Wine[link]

Italian wine, both red and white, under the Campi Flegrei DOC appellation comes from this area. Grapes destined for DOC production must be harvested up to a maximum yield of 12 tonnes/hectare for red grape varieties and 13 tonnes/ha for white grape varieties. The finished wines need to be fermented to a minimum alcohol level of 11.5% for reds and 10.5% for whites. While most Campi Flegrei wines are blends, varietal wines can be made from individual varieties provided the variety used comprises at least 90% of the blend and the wine is fermented to at least 12% alcohol for reds and 11% for whites.^[10]

Red Campi Flegrei is a blend of 50-70% Piedirosso, 10-30% Aglianico and/or Sciascinoso and up to 10% of other local (both red and white) grape varieties. The whites are composed of 50-70% Falanghina, 10-30% Biancolella and/or Coda di Volpe with up to 30% of other local white grape varieties.^[10]

Cultural importance[link]

Campi Flegrei has had strategical and cultural importance.

• The area was known to the Greeks, who had a colony nearby at Cumae.
• The beach of Miliscola, in Bacoli, was the Roman military academy headquarters.
• Lake Avernus was believed to be the entrance to the underworld, and is portrayed as such in the Aeneid of Virgil. During the civil war between Octavian and Antony, Agrippa tried to turn the lake into a military port, the Portus Julius.
• Cumae was the first Greek colony on the mainland of Italy (Magna Graecia) and is perhaps most famous as the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl.
• Baiae, now lying underwater, was a fashionable coastal resort and was the site of summer villas of Julius Caesar, Nero, and Hadrian (who died there).
• A Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium), the third largest Italian amphitheatre after the Colosseum and the Capuan Amphitheatre.
• The Via Appia passed through the comune of Quarto, entirely built on an extinguished crater.
• Europe's youngest mountain,^[11] Monte Nuovo is here. The WWF oasis lies beside the enormous Astroni crater.
• The tombs of Agrippina the Elder and Scipio Africanus are here as well.
• At Baiae, a Bacoli district the most ancient hot spring complex was built for the richest Romans. It included the largest ancient dome in the world before the construction of the Roman Pantheon.
• Patrick Moore used to cite Campi Flegrei as an example of why the impact craters on the Moon must be of volcanic origin, which was thought to be the case until the 1960s.
• A Campanian ignimbrite super-eruption around 40,000 years ago has been hypothesised as having contributed to the demise of the Neanderthal, based on evidence from Mezmaiskaya cave in the Caucasus Mountains of southern Russia ^[12]

See also[link]

• List of volcanoes in Italy
• Phlegra (mythology)

Source[link]

This article has been completed with material from it:Campi Flegrei, Wikipedia in Italian and es:Campos Flegreos, Wikipedia in Spanish.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Campi Flegrei

• Phlegraean Fields tour (i Campi Flegrei)
• Phlegraean Fields
• Volcanological Excursion to Campi Flegrei
• Historical and Geological Introduction to the Neapolitan area

Edoardo Bennato
Edoardo Bennato, June 15, 2007
Background information
Birth name	Edoardo Bennato
Born	(1946-07-23) July 23, 1946 (age 65) Naples, Italy
Origin	Italian
Associated acts	Gianna Nannini
Website	www.bennato.net

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Edoardo Bennato (born July 23, 1946, Naples, Campania, Italy) is an Italian singer-songwriter. He is the brother of the singer-songwriter Eugenio Bennato.

Biography[link]

Edoardo Bennato began his music career in the early Sixties (the first single was published on 1966) as one of the most creative and innovative songwriters of his time. His music distinguished itself for being an imaginative blend of blues, rock and roll, folk influences and even hints of opera.

After his first album Non farti cadere le braccia ("Don't lose heart", 1973), where he was still finding his way between tradition and innovation, Bennato decidedly chose the latter, many of his songs being performed by himself as a one-man band, with a 12-string acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo and foot-drum.

During this early period, Bennato's lyrics were characterised by biting satire and irony, often addressed at the establishment and those self-proclaimed as "the good". His second album, I buoni e i cattivi ("The good and the bad", 1974), was an attack against the common-sense distinction between good and evil, between the righteous and the villains. "Arrivano i buoni" ("Here come the good") was particularly significant: "Here come the good, they are resolute and they've already made a list of all the bad ones to eliminate... so now the good have declared war against the bad but they guarantee that it will be the last war ever to be fought...". With Io che non sono l'imperatore ("I, who am not the Emperor", 1975) Bennato pushed his music more towards experimentation, still mainly playing his acoustic guitar. The cover of the album shows a plan for the Naples light-rail system that Bennato had developed for his final project as a university student. While it was highly praised by his lecturers, the plan was never approved by the city council, giving him even more reason to deride and mock the powers to be.

"Meno male che adesso non c'e Nerone" ("Fortunately there's no Nero now") and "Signor censore" ("Mister censor") are among Bennato's best examples of pungent criticism of the system. With La Torre di Babele ("The Tower of Babel", 1976) Bennato's music became more sophisticated - more musicians contributed to the album, which contains tracks of a very wide range of styles. Bennato was clearly evolving rapidly and this album reflects this process. "Cantautore" ("Songwriter") is an amusing piece mocking those songwriters who, at the time, were taking themselves too seriously.

In the following year, Bennato finally reached commercial success with Burattino senza fili ("Marionette without strings", 1977). This is a concept album based on the Pinocchio fairy tale. The central idea is that having one's own freedom and independence is always better than giving in to the system and its rules, even if it means renouncing to some advantages that the system itself uses as luring temptations. Most of the songs in the album became classics, not only of Bennato's repertoire, but also of Italian pop music in general, "Il gatto e la volpe" ("The cat and the fox") probably being the most famous one.

After this big success, no new album appeared until 1980, when Bennato surprised fans, critics and the whole music biz with a very unconventional move: two albums in less than a month: Uffa! Uffa! ("I'm fed up!", 1980) and Sono solo canzonette ("They're only pop songs", 1980). The two albums together sold more than a million copies, against all marketing rules and expectations. Bennato was clearly at the apex of his creativity. Uffa! Uffa!, the most experimental of the two records, is an album where Bennato blatantly disregarded all commercial concerns and let his creativity free to indulge in all kinds of directions, from medieval ecclesiastical chants to punk rock. The album also contained big hits but was generally overshadowed by the hugely successful Sono solo canzonette, a concept album based on the Pater Pan fairy tale and affirming the value of fantasy and imagination over reason and logic.

By this time, Bennato was the most popular Italian songwriter. Inevitably, this period also coincided with the start of a very slow but perceptible decline. In 1983 another fairy-tale concept album, based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin appeared on the market (E' arrivato un bastimento) but it wasn't as successful as the previous ones and this must have led Bennato to try different avenues. This he did with alternating fortune until the present day. Notably, on the occasion of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, which were held in Italy, Edoardo sang the official song of the event: "Un'estate italiana" ("An Italian Summer") together with Gianna Nannini.

Discography[link]

• Non farti cadere le braccia (1973)
• I buoni e i cattivi (1974)
• Io che non sono l'imperatore (1975)
• La torre di Babele (1976)
• Burattino senza fili (1977)
• Uffà! Uffà! (1980)
• Sono solo canzonette (1980)
• È arrivato un bastimento (1983)
• È goal! (Edoardo Bennato live) (1984)
• Kaiwanna (1985)
• OK Italia (1987)
• Edoardo live (1987)
• Il gioco continua (mini LP) (1988)
• Abbi dubbi (1989)
• Edo rinnegato (1990)
• Capitan Uncino (1992)
• Il paese dei balocchi (1992)
• È asciuto pazzo 'o padrone (1992)
• Se son rose fioriranno (1994)
• Le ragazze fanno grandi sogni (1995)
• All the best (1996)
• Quartetto d'archi (1996)
• Sbandato (1998)
• Gli anni settanta (2 cd) (1998)
• Sembra ieri (2000)
• Afferrare una stella (2001)
• Il principe e il pirata (2001)
• L'uomo occidentale (2003)
• Totò Sapore e la Fantastica Storia della Pizza (2003)
• La fantastica storia del Pifferaio Magico (2005)
• Canzoni tour 2007 (2007)
• Canzoni tour 2008 (2008)
• Le vie del rock sono infinite (2010)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Edoardo Bennato

• Edo's Official site
• Edo's Fan Club