GOLDEN SPIKE CEREMONY CAMPANIAN GSSP - July 26, 2023

The golden spike ceremony for the Campanian Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) was held on July 26, 2023 in the Bottaccione Gorge (Gola del Bottaccione), Gubbio (Italy).

This GSSP defines the base of the Campanian Stage and was ratified by IUGS in October 2022 (Gale et al. 2023) Episodes, [https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2319&vmd=Full](https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2022/022048

Maria Rose Petrizzo

The ceremony was organized by the International Subcommission on Cretaceous Stratigraphy (chair Maria Rose Petrizzo, secretary Francesca Falzoni) and its Campanian Working Group (chair Andy Gale).

Rodolfo Coccioni (University of Urbino), member of Campanian Working Group, and Marco Menichetti (University of Urbino) and Alessandro Montanari (Coldigioco Geological Observatory) played an active role in the organization of the ceremony that was hosted by Filippo Mario Stirati, the Mayor of Gubbio.

Stefania Proietti (President of the Province of Perugia), Paola Agabiti (Councilor for tourism, culture, educaton of the Region of Umbria), Roberto Rettori (Vice Rector of the University of Perugia) and Giorgio Calcagnini (Rector of the University of Urbino) attended the ceremony.

From left to right: M. Menichetti, R. Coccioni, M. R. Petrizzo, S. Proietti, F. M. Stirati, A. Montanari

From left to right: R. Coccioni, F. M. Stirati, M. Menichetti, M. R. Petrizzo, S. Proietti, A. Montanari

David Harper (ICS chair) and Stan Finney (IUGS Secretary General) were also present.

David Harper and Maria Rose Petrizzo

Stan Finney and Maria Rose Petrizzo

The representative of the Italian scientific organizations Sandro Conticelli (President SGI-Italian Geological Society), Giorgio Carnevale (President SPI-Italian Paleontological Society), Piero Gianolla (President CIS-Italian Commission on Stratigraphy), and Andrea Fiorentino (representative ISPRA Italian Geological Survey) attended the ceremony.

Members of the Cretaceous Subcommission together with many geologists and students of the Universities of Perugia, Urbino, Firenze, Milano, Torino, Camerino, and several citizen of the area of Gubbio interested in heritage sites participated to the event.

From left to right: M. Menichetti, S. Conticelli, A. Montanari, A. Fiorentino, D. Harper, S. Finney, M.R. Petrizzo, R. Coccioni, A. Gale, P. Gianolla, G. Carnevale