GIOVANNI ARDUINO. — Geologist, born in Caprino Veronese in 1714 and died in Venice in 1795.
At a time when paleontology was not yet a science in its own right, Arduino emphasized the full importance of fossils in determining the succession of strata in the earth: to him we owe the classification and naming of strata into primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary, as well as the criteria for distinguishing them. This merit was acknowledged by the German von Zitell. He anticipated by 60 years the concept of facies as the sum of petrographic and biological characteristics used to identify different geological formations belonging to the same period. He preceded Lyell in affirming actualism, that principle by which past geological phenomena are studied by comparing them with corresponding phenomena occurring under our present observation. He was the first to establish geological mapping. He was a practicing Catholic, of simple habits, and of a pleasant and affable character.
Further information on the vast scientific and civic activity of Arduino: at Mons. G. Crosatti (Caprino Veronese). Giulio Provenzal.