THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS 79AD
By Alice Kim
Key terms and Concepts
Asphyxiation: occurrence of an extreme decrease in oxygen in the body accompanied by an increase in carbon dioxide. It can be caused by choking, drowning, electric shock, injury, or the inhalation of toxic gases and can result in loss of consciousness or death
Campania: fertile plain in southern Italy
Herculaneum: small resort and fishing town on the Bay of Naples, north-west of Pompeii
Lapilli: rounded tephra ejected from a volcano during eruption
Nuée ardente: a French term to describe a glowing avalanche of hot gas and other volcanic fragments of all sixes that consist of ash, pumice and rock debris
Phreatomagmatic: refers to a volcanic explosion created by heating of underground water
Plinian phase: first phase of the eruption of Vesuvius which coincided with Pliny the Younger’s description
Pumice: light, porous stone discharged from a volcano
Pyroclastic flow: hot avalanche of pumice, ash and gases
Pyroclastic surge: cloud of volcanic ash and gases
seismic: pertaining to an earthquake
Volcanology: study of volcanoes
Campania: fertile plain in southern Italy
Herculaneum: small resort and fishing town on the Bay of Naples, north-west of Pompeii
Lapilli: rounded tephra ejected from a volcano during eruption
Nuée ardente: a French term to describe a glowing avalanche of hot gas and other volcanic fragments of all sixes that consist of ash, pumice and rock debris
Phreatomagmatic: refers to a volcanic explosion created by heating of underground water
Plinian phase: first phase of the eruption of Vesuvius which coincided with Pliny the Younger’s description
Pumice: light, porous stone discharged from a volcano
Pyroclastic flow: hot avalanche of pumice, ash and gases
Pyroclastic surge: cloud of volcanic ash and gases
seismic: pertaining to an earthquake
Volcanology: study of volcanoes
Before the AD 79 eruption
Location of Pompeii and Herculaneum from Mt. Vesuvius:
- Earthquakes:
AD 62 earthquake
- considerable damage to several towns including Pompeii, Herculaneum, Nuceria and Neapolis
- triggered further quakes such as the AD 64 which destroyed the theatre at Neapolis just after the emperor Nero had performed
Written and archaeological evidence of the damages has been found in ancient writings, reliefs (e.g. relief from the private shrine of Lucius Caecilius Jucundus, showing the damage done by the earthquake of AD 62) and damage to buildings at Pompeii and Herculaneum
Some damages had been repaired but others had not
Diagram of a typical volcanic eruption and how it occurs
The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius
The eruption:
The eruption:
The Date of the Eruption
Click diagram to enlarge
Click diagram to enlarge
Photograph of a pine tree with Vesuvius at the background
Cameron and Lawless, Secrets of Vesuvius: unlocking the sources from Pompeii and Herculaneum, area affected by hail of ash and pumice stones, and the relative depths of ash ejected by Vesuvius
Louise Zarmati, Pompeii and Herculaneum, pg31, Stratigraphical deposits from Pompeii.
Causes of death:
Reference List:
http://www.philsheppard.com.au/InvestigatingThePastTeachersNotes.pdf
http://www.philsheppard.com.au/InvestigatingThePastScript.pdf
Cameron and Lawless- Secrets of Vesuvius: unlocking the sources from Pompeii and Herculaneum
http://www.philsheppard.com.au/InvestigatingThePastScript.pdf
Cameron and Lawless- Secrets of Vesuvius: unlocking the sources from Pompeii and Herculaneum