Social Responses to Volcanic Eruptions: Comparative Studies in Central America and Japan

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Equity in the Archaeology of Disaster, Past, Present, and Future" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Volcanic eruptions are hazardous events that affect past cultural and historical trajectories. However, despite several catastrophic eruptions having been recorded, some populations have chosen to continuously live in hazardous environments. Based on a long-term archaeological perspective, this paper shows human response, adaptation, resilience, creativity, and innovation in specific volcanic areas, such as Central America and Japan. These two comparative case studies highlight the importance of ritual practices as responses to unpredictable natural events and the creation of novel innovations by different social groups, as potential responses to volcanic disasters. Additionally, the data suggest that social and environmental turmoil caused by volcanic eruptions could have created an opportunity to reconsider existing social systems, beliefs, subsistence strategies, and technologies, triggering the emergence of new leaders who could manage social groups in the chaotic period. Finally, I present a case in which archaeological data and historical accounts contributed to the survival of recent human lives, demonstrating the potential for ancient disasters to inform the present.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Equity in the Archaeology of Disaster, Past, Present, and Future   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37806.0