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Aeolian Islands - Vulcano

The special feature of Vulcano is a plateau- the largest in the Aeolian islands – that is made of lava, tufa banks and Quaternary deposits and scarred by deep rifts. It is surrounded by bare hills that roll down to the sea. The highest slopes of the island are picturesquely wild in appearance, its magma masses alternating with stretches of tufa and sand. A tour around the island offers a succession of sights that are renowed for their scenic variety and beauty. The island of Vulcano is composed of three distinct morphological units: the first, to the south, comprises numerous volcanic strata - Monte Aria (500 m.), Monte Saraceno (481 m.) and Monte Luccia (188 m.) – and the large horse-shoe shaped depression to the North-West, Vulcano Piano (330 m.). The second lies at the centre of the island and is composed of the Caldera di Vulcano, the central part of which forms the crater of Vulcano Fossa. This is strongly marked by deep rifts and has two craters called Fossa I and Fossa II, 400 metres to the South- West: this has a diameter of about 500 metres and a depth of 200 metres and its recorded eruptions have involved explosions and abundant lava eruptions. One of these lava flows, the famous Pietre Cotte obsidian flow, stretches along the north-western side close to the two craters of upper and lower Forgia vecchia. The third morphological unit is composed of Vulcanello (123 m.) and its three craters, which run from North-East to South-West. The numerous lava flows from this small volcano have formed the Vulcanello and Punta del Roveto platform.

Vulcanello is joined to Vulcano by a thin isthmus that emerges about a metre above the sea surface but is submerged during very bad weather conditions. The Fossa crater has erupted violently though at fairly long intervals since ancient times: first mention is made of it by Thucydides towards the end of the fifth century BC. In the second half of the fourth century BC the volcano was apparently subject to intense explosive activity and, in the following centuries, several eruptions were recorded. Explosive eruptions occurred in 43 BC and in the years 1444, 1550, 1626, 1727, 1739, 1771-1786, 1812-1831, 1873-1879 and 1886-1890. In 1771 volcano was remarkably active and this is when the rhyolitic obsidian flow called Pietre Cotte dates from: it can be seen on the north-western side of the island. The most recent period of activity began on 3 August 1888 and ceased on 22 March 1890. During this phase, sizeable masses of old and recent matter erupted and the volcano belched out objects that were nicknamed “breadcrust bombs”. Since that time, Vulcano has remained in a fumarole phase restricted to the fossa cone and the interior of its crater.

From 1913 to 1923, there were four abundant emissions of liquid sulphur from the fumaroles on the outside of the cone. Near the sea-crags of Porto di Levante there is another fumarole area among the remains of an ancient volcanic edifice that has largely collapsed. In 1915, some short-lived fumaroles formed around a lava flow at Lentia. Up until the nineteenth century, there was solfataric activity in the three crater funnels of Vulcanello, but this is now totally extinct. In the fumarole area at Porto di Levante, some interesting phenomena can be observed. In some parts, the earth is covered with a layer of chalky silicone that is fractured by thin spirals.

At the entry point, there are small cones from which gas whistles out. In the nearby marshland the mud is frequently spurted high in the air when the gases force a way out. During the summer months, the terrain is a carpet of various colours. This is due to the efflorescence (fumarole sublimations) of iron sulphate and aluminium. These features disappear when it rains. The gurgling of the waters around the sea crags and in front of the beaches is caused by underwater fumaroles. On the sea bed there are colloidal sulphur deposits in the form of thin filaments, which give the water a milky appearance. When the gas breaks out it generates a plethora of bubbles on the surface - a phenomenon that can be observed very clearly from the top of the crags when the sea is calm. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Bourbon general Nunziante began the sulphur and alum extraction industry on Vulcano and equipped the island with roadways and factories. In the second half of the century, a Scotsman called Stevenson bought the entire island and continued his predecessor’s work according to the criterion of rationality. A mule track led into the crater, where brick shelters were built for the labourers. The last big explosion hurled everything into the air. A thermal spring called Acqua di Bagno is located near the port and its waters have great therapeutic qualities.

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