A Human Victim of Volcanic Eruption of Mt. Asama in 1783

Abstract

Four hundred and sixty-six people were buried at Kambara Village of Province Kozuke (old name of Gunma Pref.), Japan, under the glowing avalanche of volcanic debris due to the violent eruption of Mt. Asama in 1783 (the 3rd year of Temmei), which was followed by the so-called "big famine of Temmei" in the eastern half of this country. Well known were those two ladies buried alive under the flow of volcanic debris at the foot of the stone stairs to Kannon-do temple on a hill at the back of the village who were found in 1979. The present paper is a record of another man also killed by the flow of volcanic debris there. Suffering from chronic osteoarthritis in his left elbow, he was working for Emmyoji Temple at Kambara in those days and killed by the debris flow without warning. His skeleton was excavated at the ruins of this old temple in 1987. He was lying on the right half of his face as well as on his belly with the left arm and right leg extended but the right arm and left leg flexed. His right humerus, radius and ulna were fractured together in their shafts at a blow of a rushing stone in the debris. The findings indicated that a sudden attack of the flow of pyroclastic debris at low temperatures was the death of him. He was placed third among the human victims of the 1783 volcanic activity of Mt. Asama whose skeletons were preserved well and examined in details.