Atitlan is a stratovolcano located in Guatemala within a subduction zone and continental crust setting exceeding 25 kilometers in thickness. Standing at an elevation of 3,535 meters, the volcano has a documented history of 13 confirmed eruptions spanning from ancient times through the 19th century, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.
Overview of Eruption History
The historical record for Atitlan captures activity across multiple centuries using different evidence methods, ranging from uncalibrated radiocarbon dating for ancient events to direct human observations for later centuries. Across the 13 confirmed eruptions, the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)—a relative scale measuring the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions—reaches a maximum recorded value of 3.0. A total of 11 eruptions within the collection feature recorded VEI values.
The earliest recorded eruption in the database dates to the 11th century BCE (specifically starting around 1020 BCE with an uncalibrated radiocarbon uncertainty of 150 years). Following ancient activity, confirmed eruptions are distributed unevenly across subsequent centuries, with notable concentrations appearing in historical observation records from the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Chronology of Selected Eruptions
The official record includes a mix of radioisotope-dated prehistoric events and human-reported historical episodes. Representative entries from the official catalog illustrate the progression of documented activity:
- 1020 BCE (approximate): An early confirmed eruption identified via uncalibrated 14C isotopic evidence, with a start year uncertainty of 150 years.
- 1579–1581: A confirmed eruption documented through reported observations, carrying a VEI of 2.0 and concluding on December 31, 1581.
- November 16, 1826: A reported observational eruption with a VEI of 2.0.
- July 2, 1833: A reported observational eruption with a VEI of 2.0.
- May 3, 1853: The latest recorded confirmed eruption in the database, documented through reported observations with a VEI of 3.0.
Distribution by Century
The frequency of recorded eruptions varies significantly across time periods in the official record:
- 11th century BCE: 1 eruption
- 15th century CE: 1 eruption
- 16th century CE: 2 eruptions
- 17th century CE: 1 eruption
- 18th century CE: 1 eruption
- 19th century CE: 7 eruptions
The most recent confirmed eruption cataloged for Atitlan began on May 3, 1853, representing the final entry in the structured eruption sequence of the source record.
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.