The Historical Mt. Etna

Aetna, Jabal al Jabal, Mongibello, A Muntagna, the lighthouse that needs no keeper...whatever you want to call it, Mt. Etna is the largest and most active volcano in all of Europe. Located in Sicily, Italy, Mt. Etna never ceases to amaze both locals and tourists with its frequent eruptions and large lava flows. Over the years, Etna has gained a lot of curiosity from myths and legends to scientific research, and for great reason. The near continuously active volcano has one of the longest historical records of eruptions, going back more than 2000 years. Let’s dive deeper into the history of this truly remarkable volcano, from myths and legends to the most devastating eruption to date.

Before we get into the history, let’s start with a little information about Mt. Etna. The tall mountain, standing at a whopping elevation of 10,991’, is located in Sicily, Italy in Europe. The volcano sits on a convergent plate boundary between the Eurasian and African Plates. Etna is a complex stratovolcano, meaning that it is a tall, conical volcano composed of one layer of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash and is characterized by its steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions. It has a range of eruption styles from effusive to mildly explosive, occurring at least once per year. While Mt. Etna’s lava flows can be hazardous, they are typically cooled down by the time they reach inhabited centres. Other hazards associated with this volcano include tephra falls, volcanic ash plumes endangering air traffic, earthquakes related to eruptive activity and magma movement, volcanic sector collapse, tsunamis, and pyroclastic flows.

While Mt. Etna is not extremely dangerous, history tells us about the most destructive eruptions which came from it. The most dangerous eruptions to date were the eruptions of 1669. On March 8, 1669, Etna began to rumble. Over the next few weeks, multiple eruptions occurred resulting in the deaths of more than 20,000 people and leaving thousands more homeless. The volcano spewed fumes killing approximately 3,000 people living on the slopes of the mountain from asphyxiation. Significant amounts of ash came down into the southern part of mainland Italy, and lava poured down the mountain heading toward the city of Catania, Italy 18 miles south, destroying most of the city. Along with Catania were destroyed 14 other towns and villages.

It is no surprise that Mt. Etna has drawn in curiosity from its locals, tourists, scientists, and volcano enthusiasts from all over the world. People want to make sense of this nearly continuously erupting volcano. Some make sense through science, but Etna has a large history of myths and legends as well. According to Greek mythology, Hephaestus, the god of fire, was thrown out of Mt. Olympus after a bad argument with Jupiter. It is said that Hephaestus fell on the island, creating a deep hole into the mountain. He used the mountain as his blacksmith forge, and the story goes that this forge is the cause of the eruptions.

Another legend is that of a shepherd boy named Acis who was in love with the marine nymph Galatea. Acis and Galatea were opposed by the Cyclop Polyphemus, who wanted Galatea for himself. Polyphemus killed Acis by throwing him against huge boulders. It is said that Polyphemus is actually Mt. Etna, represented by its one eye and the launching of dangerous stones into the air.

Mt. Etna is and has always been one of the most fascinating volcanoes in the world. Etna has a rich and unique history associated with its incredible size and frequent eruptions, but also with the many myths and legends surrounding it. Today, science has answered many questions about the cause of Etna’s explosions, but the myths and legends live on as they are passed down from generation to generation. While Etna may have many dangers, no one can deny that they love Mt. Etna.