Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T22:53:22.888Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

LATE FORMATIVE FLOODING OF IZAPA AFTER AN ERUPTION OF TACANÁ VOLCANO

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2019

José Luis Macías ,
José Luis Arce ,
Lucia Capra ,
Ricardo Saucedo  and
Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
José Luis Macías*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Geofísica, Unidad Michoacán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus-Morelia, Morelia, 58090, Michoacán, Mexico
José Luis Arce
Affiliation:
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Coyoacán 04510, Mexico
Lucia Capra
Affiliation:
Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla No. 3001, Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
Ricardo Saucedo
Affiliation:
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Dr. M. Nava no 5, Zona Universitaria, San Luis Potosí 78240, Mexico
Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
Affiliation:
Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Miguel Othón de Mendizabal s/n. Col. La Escalera., 16 Del. Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07320, Mexico
*
E-mail correspondence to: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Between the years of 30 b.c. to a.d. 80, during the Late Formative period, the site of Izapa was flooded by lahars associated with an explosive eruption of the San Antonio volcano (part of the Tacaná Volcanic Complex). Computer simulations suggest that hot pyroclastic flows did not impact Izapa directly, but did impact the region considerably, filling and clogging the Cahuacan and Mixcun rivers with hot debris. The material was quickly saturated by heavy rains and, as the water from the rivers overtopped the obstruction, remobilized in the form of a hot mixture of mud and water known as a lahar (or flood of volcanic origin), which flowed down through the piedmont zone along the Cahuacan, Mixcun-Suchiate, and Izapa rivers. At Izapa, the flood took the form of a 6-m catastrophic wave of mud and water that likely destroyed crops and caused many causalities, surrounding the architectural mounds at Izapa with a muddy landscape. The floods also dramatically affected the rivers downstream, undoubtedly wreaking serious damage to the transport and trade of goods along the coast.

Type
Research Article
Information
Ancient Mesoamerica , Volume 29 , Special Issue 2: Recent Research on Izapa Archaeology and Iconography , Fall 2018 , pp. 361 - 371
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bignami, Christian, Joel, Ruch, Marco, Chini, Marco, Neri, Fabrizia, Buongiorno Maria, Sri, Hidayati, Dewi Sri, Sayudi, and Surono, 2013 Pyroclastic Density Current Volume Estimation After the 2010 Merapi Volcano Eruption Using X-Band SAR. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 261:236–243.Google Scholar
Caballero, Lizeth, Macías, José L., Palomo, Armando García, Saucedo, Ricardo, Borselli, Lorenzo, Sarocchi, Damiano, and Sánchez-Núñez, Juan M. 2006 The September 8–9, 1998 Rain-Triggered Flood Events at Motozintla, Chiapas, Mexico. Natural Hazards 39:103–126.Google Scholar
Caballero, Lizeth, Capra, Lucia, and Vazquez, Rosario 2016 Evaluating the Performance of FLO2D for Simulating Past Lahar Events at the Most Active Mexican Volcanoes: Popocatépetl and Volcán De Colima. In Natural Hazard Uncertainty Assessment: Modeling and Decision Support, Part II: Geological Hazards, edited by Riley, Karin, Webley, Peter, and Thompson, Matthew, pp. 179–189. Geophysical Monograph Series. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken.Google Scholar
Caballero, Lizeth, and Capra, Lucia 2014 The Use of FLO2D Numerical Code in Lahar Hazard Evaluation at Popocatépetl Volcano: A 2001 Lahar Scenario. Natural Hazards Earth System Science 14:3345–3355.Google Scholar
Capra, Lucia, Norini, Gianluca, Groppelli, Gianluca, Macías, José L., and Arce, José L. 2008 Volcanic Hazard Zonation of the Nevado de Toluca Volcano, México. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 176:469–484.Google Scholar
Charbonnier, Sylvain, Germa, Aurlie, Connor, Charles B., Gertisser, Ralf, Preece, Katie, Komorowski, Jean-Christophe, Lavigne, Franck, Dixon, Timothy, and Connor, Laura 2013 Evaluation of the Impact of the 2010 Pyroclastic Density Currents at Merapi Volcano, from High-Resolution Satellite Imagery, Field Investigations and Numerical Simulations. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 261:295–315.Google Scholar
Charbonnier, Sylvaine J., and Gertisser, Ralf 2009 Numerical Simulations of Block-And-Ash Flows Using the Titan2D Flow Model: Examples from the 2006 Eruption of Merapi Volcano, Java, Indonesia. Bulletin of Volcanology 71:953–959.Google Scholar
Cheetham, David 2006 The Americas’ First Colony? Archaeology 59:42–46.Google Scholar
Clark, John E. 1994 The Development of Early Formative Rank Societies in the Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
García-Palomo, Armando, Macías, José L., Arce, José L., Mora, Juan C., Hughes, Simon, Saucedo, Ricardo, Espíndola, Juan Manuel, Escobar, Rudiger, and Layer, Paul 2006 Geological Evolution of the Tacaná Volcanic Complex, Mexico-Guatemala. In Volcanic Hazards in Central America, edited by Rose, William I., Bluth, Gregg J. S., Carr, Michael J., Ewert, John W., Patino, Lina C., and Vallance, James W., pp. 39–57. Geological Society of America, Vol. 412. Geological Society of America, Boulder.Google Scholar
Glicken, Harry 1986 Rockslide-debris Avalanche of May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens Volcano, Washington. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Geological Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Barbara.Google Scholar
Guernsey, Julia 2006 Ritual and Power in Stone: The Performance of Rulership in Mesoamerican Izapan-Style Art. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Guernsey, Julia 2016 Water, Maize, Salt, and Canoes: An Iconography of Economics at Late Preclassic Izapa, Chiapas, México. Latin American Antiquity 27:340–356.Google Scholar
Guernsey, Julia 2018 Captives and Social Discourse at Izapa and in Late Preclassic Imagery in Southeastern Mesoamerica. Ancient Mesoamerica 29:333–346.Google Scholar
Gutierrez, Gerardo 2011 A History of Disaster and Cultural Change in the Coatan River Drainage of the Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico. In Early Mesoamerican Social Transformations: Archaic and Formative Lifeways in the Sononusco Region, edited by Lesure, Richard G., pp. 146–169. University of California Press, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Lesure, Richard G. 2011 Early Social Transformations in the Soconusco. In Early Mesoamerican Social Transformations: Archaic and Formative Lifeways in the Sononusco Region, edited by Lesure, Richard G., pp. 1–24. University of California Press, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Lowe, Gareth W., Ekholm, Susanna M., and Clark, John E. 2013 Middle and Late Preclassic Izapa: Ceramic Complexes and History. Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation, No. 73. Brigham Young University, Provo.Google Scholar
Lowe, Gareth W., Lee, Thomas A. Jr., and Espinoza, Edwardo M. 1982 Izapa: An Introduction to the Ruins and Monuments. Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation, No. 31. Brigham Young University, Provo.Google Scholar
Macías, José L., Arce, José L., García-Palomo, Armando, Mora, Juan C., Layer, Paul W., and Espíndola, Juan M. 2010 Late-Pleistocene Flank Collapse Triggered by Dome Growth at Tacaná Volcano, México-Guatemala, and Its Relationship to the Regional Stress Regime. Bulletin of Volcanology 72:33–53Google Scholar
Macías, José L., Arce, José L., Layer, Paul W., Saucedo, Ricardo, and Mora, Juan C. 2015 Eruptive History of the Tacaná Volcanic Complex. In Active Volcanoes of Chiapas (Mexico) El Chichón and Tacaná, Active Volcanoes of the World, edited by Scholamacchia, T. and Macías, José L., pp. 115–138. Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg.Google Scholar
Macías, Jose L., Espíndola, Juan M., Garcia-Palomo, Armando, Scott, Kevin M., Hughes, Simon, and Mora, Juan C. 2000 Late Holocene Peléan-Style Eruption at Tacaná Volcano, Mexico and Guatemala: Past, Present, and Future Hazards. Geological Society of America Bulletin 112:1234–1249.Google Scholar
Macías, José L., Capra, Lucia, Arce, José L., Espíndola, Juan M., García-Palomo, Armando, and Sheridan, Michael F. 2008 Hazard Map of El Chichón Volcano, Chiapas, Mexico: Constraints Posed by Eruptive History and Computer Simulations. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 175:444–458.Google Scholar
Macías, José L., Capra, Lucia, Scott, Kevin M., Espíndola, Juan M., Palomo, Armando García, and Costa, John E. 2004 The May 26, 1982 Breakout Flow Derived from Failure of a Volcanic Dam at El Chichón Volcano, Chiapas, Mexico. Geological Society of America Bulletin 116:233–246.Google Scholar
Macías, José Luis 2007 Geology and Eruptive History of Some Active Volcanoes of Mexico. Geological Society of America Special Paper 422:183–232.Google Scholar
Mora, Juan C., Macías, José L., García-Palomo, Armando, Espíndola, Juan M., Manetti, Piero, and Vaselli, Orlando 2004 Petrology and Geochemistry of the Tacaná Volcanic Complex Mexico-Guatemala: Evidence for the Last 40,000 Yr of Activity. Geofisica Internacional 43:331–359.Google Scholar
Murcia, Hugo, and Macías, José L. 2009 Registro geológico de inundaciones recurrentes e inundación del 4 de octubre de 2005 en la ciudad de Tapachula, Chiapas, México. Revista Mexicana de ciencias geológicas 26:1–17.Google Scholar
Murcia, Hugo, and Macías, José L. 2014 Volcaniclastic Sequences at the Foot of Tacaná Volcano, Southern Mexico: Implications for Hazard Assessment. Bulletin of Volcanology 76:1–27.Google Scholar
Navarrete, Carlos 1978 The Pre-Hispanic System of Communication Between Chiapas and Tabasco. In Mesoamerican Communication Routes and Cultural Contacts, edited by Lee, Thomas A. Jr. and Navarrete, Carlos, pp. 75–108. Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation, No. 40. Brigham Young University, Provo.Google Scholar
Neff, Hector 2014 Proyecto arqueológico costa del Soconusco informe de la segunda temporada de campo. Consejo de Arqueología, Instituto Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City.Google Scholar
Newhall, Christopher G., and Self, Stephen 1982 The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): An Estimate of Explosive Magnitude for Historical Volcanism. Journal of Geophysical Research 87:1231–1238.Google Scholar
O'Brien, James S., Julien, Pierre Y., and Fullerton, William 1993 Two-Dimensional Water Flood and Mudflow Simulation. Journal of Hydraulics Engineering 119:244–261.Google Scholar
Patra, Abani, Bauer, Andrew C., Nichita, Camil, Pitman, Bruce E., Sheridan, Michael F., Bursik, Marcus I., Rupp, Byron, Webb, Amy, Stinton, Adam, Namikawa, Laercio, and Renschle, Chris 2005 Parallel Adaptive Numerical Simulation of Dry Avalanches Over Natural Terrain. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 139:1–21.Google Scholar
Pérez-Suárez, Tomás, and Lesure, Richard G. 1998 Informe del proyecto arqueológico de las Aldeas a los centros de poder en la costa de Chiapas. Manuscript on file, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico City.Google Scholar
Plunket, Patricia, and Uruñuela, Gabriela 1999 Preclassic Household Patterns Preserved Under Volcanic Ash at Tetimpa, Puebla, Mexico. Latin American Antiquity 9:287–309.Google Scholar
Ramsey, C. Bronk 2009 Bayesian Analysis of Radiocarbon Dates. Radiocarbon 51:337–360.Google Scholar
Reimer, Paula J., Bard, Eduard, Bayliss, Alex, Beck, Warren J., Blackwell, Paul G., Ramsey, Christopher B., Buck, Caitlin E., Cheng, Hai, Edwards, Lawrence R., Friedrich, Michael, Grootes, Pieter M., Guilderson, Thomas P., Haflidason, Haflidi, Hajdas, Irka, Hatté, Chrsitine, Heaton, Timothy J., Hoffmann, Dirk L., Hogg, Alan G., Hughen, Konrad, Kaiser, Felix, Kromer, Bernd, Manning, Sturt W., Niu, Mu, Reimer, Ron, Richards, David A., Scott, Marian E., Southon, John R., Staff, Richard A., Turney, Chris S.M., and van der Plicht, Johannes 2013 IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55:1869–1887.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M. 2009 Early Mesoamerican Garbage: Ceramic and Daub Discard Patterns from Cuauhtémoc, Soconusco, Mexico. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 16: 1–32.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M., VanDerwarker, Amber M., Culleton, Brendan J., and Kennett, Douglas J. 2015 Is It Agriculture Yet? Intensified Maize-Use at 1000 cal b.c. in the Soconusco and Mesoamerica. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 40:89–108.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M., Brendan, Culleton, Douglas, Kennett, Rosemary, Lieske, Rebecca, Mendelsohn, and Yahaira, Núñez-Cortés 2018 The Early Occupation of Izapa: Recent Excavations, New Middle Formative Dating and Ceramic Analyses. Ancient Mesoamerica 29:373–393.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M., and Mendelsohn, Rebecca R. 2016 Izapa and the First Millennium a.d. Soconusco, Mexico. Latin American Antiquity 27:357–377.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M., Mendelsohn, Rebecca, Antonelli, Caroline, Lieske, Rosemary, and Cortés, Yahaira Núñez 2014 Proyecto de reconocimiento regional de Izapa 2012: Informe técnico parcial. Consejo de Arqueología, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico City.Google Scholar
Rosenswig, Robert M., López-Torrijos, Ricardo, Antonelli, Caroline E., and Mendelsohn, Rebecca R. 2013 Lidar Mapping and Surface Survey of the Izapa State on the Tropical Piedmont of Chiapas, Mexico. Journal of Archaeological Science 40:1493–1507.Google Scholar
Rupp, B., Bursik, Marcus, Namikawa, Laercio, Webb, Amy, Patra, Abani, Saucedo, Ricardo, Macías, José L., and Renschler, Chris 2006 Computational Modeling of the 1991 Block and Ash Flows at Colima Volcano, Mexico. Geological Society of America Special Paper 402:237–252.Google Scholar
Sánchez Núñez, Juan M., Macías, José L., Zamorano, José J., Saucedo, Ricardo, Hernández, José R. Torres, and Novelo, David 2012 Mass Movement Processes at the Motozintla Basin, Chiapas, Southern Mexico. Geofísica Internacional 51:169–186.Google Scholar
Sánchez Núñez, Juan M., Macías, José L., Saucedo, Ricardo, Zamorano, José J., Novelo, David, Mendoza, Manuel E., and Hernández, José R. Torres 2015 Geomorphology, Internal Structure and Evolution of Alluvial Fans at Motozintla, Chiapas, Mexico. Geomorphology 230:1–12.Google Scholar
Schuster, Robert L., American Society of Civil Engineers, Costa, John E. 1986 A Perspective in Landslide Dams. In Landslide Dams Processes, Risk, and Mitigation, edited by Schuster, Robert L., pp. 1–20. Geotechnical Special Publication No. 3. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York.Google Scholar
Sheridan, Michael F., Stinton, Adam J., Patra, Abani, Pitman, Bruce E., Bauer, Andrew C., and Nichita, Camil 2005 Evaluating Titan 2D Mass-Flow Model Using the 1963 Little Tahoma Peak Avalanches, Mount Rainier, Washington. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 139:89–102.Google Scholar
Siebe, Claus, Abrams, Michael, Macías, José L., and Obenholzner, Johan 1996 Repeated Volcanic Disasters in Prehispanic Time at Popocatépetl, Central Mexico: Past Key to the Future? Geology 24:399–402.Google Scholar
Sulpizio, Roberto, Capra, Lucia, Sarocchi, Damiano, Saucedo, Ricardo, Gavilanes, Juan C., and Varley, Nick 2010 Predicting the Block-And-Ash Flow Inundation Areas at Volcán de Colima (Colima, Mexico) Based on the Present Day (February 2010) Status. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 193:49–66.Google Scholar
Vallance, James W. 2005 Volcanic Debris Flows. In Debris-flow Hazards and Related Phenomena, edited by Jakob, Matthias and Hungr, Oldrich, pp. 247–274. Springer, Berlin.Google Scholar
Voorhies, Barbara 1989 A Model of the Pre-Aztec Political System of the Soconusco. In Ancient Trade and Tribute: Economies of the Soconusco Region of Mesoamerica, edited by Voorhies, Barbara, pp. 95–129. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Voorhies, Barbara 2004 Coastal Collectors in the Holocene: The Chantuto People of Southwest Mexico. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Voorhies, Barbara, and Kennett, Douglas 1995 Buried Sites on the Soconusco Coastal Plain, Chiapas, Mexico. Journal of Field Archaeology 22:65–79.Google Scholar
Worni, Raphael, Huggel, Christian, Stoffel, Markus, and Pulgarin, Bernardo 2012 Challenges of Modeling Current Very Large Lahars at Nevado del Huila Volcano, Colombia. Bulletin of Volcanology 74:309–324.Google Scholar
Yu, Bin, Dalbey, Keith, Webb, Amy, Bursik, Marcus I., Patra, Abani, Pitman, Bruce E., and Nichita, Camil 2009 Numerical Issues in Computing Inundation Areas Over Natural Terrains Using Savage-Hutter Theory. Natural Hazards 50:249–167.Google Scholar