The Laacher See Eruption: Europe’s Forgotten Catastrophe
Around 14,700 years ago, Europe was experiencing a brief warm and moist interstadial period — a momentary respite after the last Ice Age. Hunter-gatherer communities thrived, crafting tools, jewelry, and weapons, developing rituals, and navigating the ever-changing climate with skill and ingenuity.
Yet, despite their adaptability, nothing could have prepared them for the cataclysm brewing beneath the earth in what is now western Germany.
The Laacher See volcanic eruption, which occurred approximately 13,077 years ago, stands as one of Central Europe’s largest eruptions in the past 100,000 years. Located in the Eifel Mountains, this eruption would have had far-reaching consequences, blanketing regions from Britain to Italy in ash and dramatically affecting the hunter-gatherer populations across the continent.
This video explores both the geological power of the eruption and the lives of the humans who experienced it, revealing a story of survival, adaptation, and the immense forces of nature that shaped human history.
🎥 Watch the full video below to uncover the story of the Laacher See eruption and its impact on ancient Europe:
