volcanoes and history

[varek]

I just came across something interesting. Some scientists think that the Archiflegreo volcano, near Naples, Italy, erupted c. 37,000-35,000 BC, driving out or eliminating Neanderthals there. This may have opened the door for modern humans (Aurignacians) to arrive there.

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue...g-the-uluzzian

A similar fate apparently befell the Minoan culture, c. 1450 BC, when the Akrotiri/Santorini volcano erupted, and the Myceneaeans invaded them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akrotiri_(Santorini)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_chronology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycenaean_Greece


(I think this is what caused the tsunami that drowned the Pharaoh's chariots during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt!)

Interesting how some cultures may benefit from a major climatic event, while others lose out, isn't it?

 

[publiusr]

Krakatau has had a hand in history as well:
http://www.ees.lanl.gov/geodynamics/Wohletz/Krakatau.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krakatoa#535_AD_event (Kapi)
http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/krakatau/books.html

Tambora and Laki came within a few years of each other
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambora_volcano_eruption_in_1815#1815_eruption
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laki#1783_eruption

Humans barely survived this sucker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_eruption

Not even Yellowstone compares with flood basalt volcanism of the Deccan and Siberian traps.