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Vesuvius: A Biography

by Alwyn Scarth

Written from the perspective of a geologist, this is broadly a narrative of the role of Vesuvius in the history of Campania, tracing human interaction with the volcano, and in particular the results of its frequent activity. Scarth deftly introduces the reader to the geology of the region and the emergence of the volcanic field, as well as the particular features of the region's volcanic activity with helpful diagrams. He then traces the history of Campania's volcanoes from the erruption of Avellino in the Bronze Age to the present day, where he assesses the risk of future erruption and the contingencies in place should this occur. Of course the famous erruptions which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum are covered, but, drawing on brief notices in a scattered range of medieval sources Scarth shows that activity remained constant into the high Middle Ages, resuming again in the early modern period. He also explores the developing explanations put forward for volcanic activity and its role in Campanian culture. 342p b/w illus (Terra Publishing 2009)

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