Walker - 1967 - A geography of Italy

SEAS AND COASTS
coastline broken at intervals by the shallow mouths o f a succession o f rivers;
apart from the shelter given by Monte Conero these are the only natural harbours
available. At best there is only a very narrow coastal plain where river debris has
been distributed laterally; sizeable chffs are rare and the long beaches continue
gently below sea level.
Fig. i j . The Po delta zone. Broken line - coastline c. 500 bc ; dotted line - coastline
1500 AD. Most of the ‘fossil’ deltas referred to in the text lie between these two lines
During the glacial and post-glacial phases the alluvial coast which now
stretches from Rimini to Duino fluctuated extensively; in fact, its history has been
one o f continuous change, much o f it well documented. The coastline at any one
time represents a balance o f forces - the deposition o f rivers, the constructive,
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