Extending the Notion of Night: Volcanic Eruptions in Mesoamerica

Summary

The recent research on archaeological evidence for nightly practices has profoundly shaped interpretations of the past. As scholars begin to investigate this unexamined portion of ancient life, it is essential to include associations of night beyond the time of day. Volcanic events strongly influenced life throughout ancient Mesoamerica and provide an alternative avenue of investigation into ancient experiences of a form of night created by ash. Volcanic eruptions, particularly those of significant size such as mega-eruptions, are known for ejecting ash into the atmosphere, creating a darkness even in the height of daylight and in some cases initiating what are sometimes termed dark ages of history. This paper explores the relationship between night, darkness, and volcanoes in Mesoamerica.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Night and Darkness in Precolulmbian Mexico and Central America   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15414