Natural Disasters and Cultural Change (One World Archaeology)

Human cultures have been interacting with natural hazards since the dawn of time. This book explores these interactions in detail and revisits some famous catastrophes including the eruptions of Thera and Vesuvius. These studies demonstrate that diverse human cultures had well-developed strategies which facilitated their response to extreme natural events. 1. The Archaeology Of Disasters: Past And Future Trends / Robin Torrence And John Grattan -- 2. Basic Characteristics Of Disasters / Satoru Shimoyama -- 3. Tsunamis And The Coastal Communities Of Papua New Guinea / Hugh Davies -- 4. Bacolor Town And Pinatubo Volcano, Philippines: Coping With Recurrent Lahar Disaster / K. S. Crittenden And K. S. Rodolfo -- 5. Maritime Archaeology And Behaviour During Crisis: The Wreck Of The Voc Ship Batavia (1629) / Martin Gibbs -- 6. 'the End Is Nigh'? Social And Environmental Responses To Volcanic Gas Pollution / John Grattan, Mark Brayshay And Ruud T. E. Schuttenhelm -- 7. Recurring Tremors: The Continuing Impact Of The A.d. 79 Eruption Of Mt Vesuvius / Penelope M. Allison -- 8. Volcanism And Early Maori Society In New Zealand / D. J. Lowe, R. M. Newnham And J. D. Mccraw -- 9. Under The Volcano: Ni-vanuatu And Their Environment / Jean-christophe Galipaud -- 10. Earthquakes, Subsidence, Prehistoric Site Attrition And The Archaeological Record: A View From The Settlement Point Site, Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska / Patrick Saltonstall And Gary A. Carver -- 11. Natural Disasters And Cultural Change In The Shumagin Islands / Lucille Lewis Johnson -- 12. Horsemen Of The Apocalypse: The Relationship Between Severe Environmental Perturbations And Culture Change On The North Coast Of Peru / Kimberly D. Kornbacher -- 13. Climatic Change, Flooding And Occupational Hiatus In The Lake-dwelling Central European Bronze Age / Francesco Menotti -- 14. Towards An Archaeology Of Crisis: Defining The Long-term Impact Of The Bronze Age Santorini Eruption / Jan Driessen -- 15. Volcanoes And History: A Significant Relationship? The Case Of Santorini / Sturt W. Manning And David A. Sewell -- 16. What Makes A Disaster? A Long-term View Of Volcanic Eruptions And Human Responses In Papua New Guinea / Robin Torrence -- 17. The Impact Of The Kikai-akahoya Explosive Eruptions On Human Societies / Hiroshi Machida And Shinji Sugiyama -- 18. Volcanic Disasters And Archaeological Sites In Southern Kyushu, Japan / Satoru Shimoyama. Edited By Robin Torrence And John Grattan. Based On A Session Held At The Fourth World Archaeological Congress Held In Cape Town, South Africa In Jan. 1999. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Humanities Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 List of figures 8 List of tables 12 List of contributors 13 Series editors' foreword 15 Preface 16 The archaeology of disasters: past and future trends 18 Basic characteristics of disasters 36 Tsunamis and the coastal communities of Papua New Guinea 45 Bacolor town and Pinatubo volcano, Philippines: coping with recurrent lahar disaster 60 Maritime archaeology and behaviour during crisis: the wreck of the VOC ship Batavia (1629) 83 'The end is nigh'? Social and environmental responses to volcanic gas pollution 104 Recurring tremors: the continuing impact of the AD 79 eruption of Mt Vesuvius 124 Volcanism and early Maori society in New Zealand 143 Under the volcano: Ni-Vanuatu and their environment 179 Earthquakes, subsidence, prehistoric site attrition and the archaeological record: a view from the Settlement Point site, Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska 189 Natural disasters and cultural change in the Shumagin Islands 210 Horsemen of the Apocalypse: the relationship between severe environmental perturbations and culture change on the north coast of Peru 221 Climatic change, flooding and occupational hiatus in the lake-dwelling central European Bronze Age 252 Towards an archaeology of crisis: defining the long-term impact of the Bronze Age Santorini eruption 267 Volcanoes and history: a significant relationship? The case of Santorini 281 What makes a disaster? A long-term view of volcanic eruptions and human responses in Papua New Guinea 309 The impact of the Kikai-Akahoya explosive eruptions on human societies 330 Volcanic disasters and archaeological sites in Southern Kyushu, Japan 343 Index 360 9780415216968 This book explores the role played by catastrophic natural events in generating cultural change. Featuring famous events like the eruption of Vesuvius it is extremely useful to academics, scholars and professionals. Footprints of early hominids preserved in volcanic ash demonstrate that human cultures have been interacting with natural hazards since the dawn of time. This book explores these interactions in great detail