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Natural Catastrophes during Bronze Age Civilisations:
Archaeological, Geological and Astronomical Perspectives.

_A conference at Fitzwilliam College. Cambridge. 11th-13th July 1997_
Organised by [1]The Society for Interdisciplinary Studies

_[2]Proceedings now available._

Speakers & Abstracts

The following speakers have agreed to present papers at the
conference:

_PROGRAMME_

_Friday, 11th July 1997_
from 15.30 Tea available
18.45 Dinner in the Dining Hall
19.45 Welcome Address: Prof Trevor Palmer (Nottingham Trent University
and SIS Chairman)

Keynote Address: Robert Matthews, FRAS (Science Correspondent, The
Sunday Telegraph)
_Saturday, 12th July_
8.00 - 8.45 Breakfast
_Morning Session: ASTRONOMY_
Chair: Dr Jasper Wall (Royal Greenwich Observatory, Cambridge)
9.00 - 9.35 Prof Mark Bailey (Armagh Observatory): [3]Sources and
Populations of Near-Earth Objects: Recent Findings and Historical
Implications
9.35 - 9.45 Discussion
9.45 - 10.20 Dr Bill Napier (Armagh Observatory): [4]Cometary
Catastrophes, Cosmic Dust and Ecological Disasters in Historical Times
10.20 - 10.30 Discussion
10.30 - 11.00 Tea/coffee break
11.00 - 11.35 Dr Duncan Steel (Spaceguard Australia): [5]Before the
Stones: Stonehenge I as a Cometary Catastrophe Predictor?
11.35 - 11.45 Discussion
11.45 - 12.20 Prof Gerrit Verschuur (Memphis University): [6]Our Place
in Space: The Implications of Impact Catastrophes on Human Thought and
Behaviour
12.20 - 12.45 Discussion
12.45 - 13.45 Buffet lunch in the Dining Hall
_Afternoon Session: ARCHAEOLOGY, GEOLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY_
Chair: Prof Bill McGuire (University College London)
14.00 - 14.35 Dr Marie-Agnes Courty (Institut Natinal Agronomique
Paris-Grignon): [7]Causes And Effects Of The 2350 BC Middle East
Anomaly Evidenced By Micro-debris Fallout, Surface Combustion And Soil
Explosion 
14.35 - 14.45 Discussion
14.45 - 15.20 Prof Mike Baillie (Queen's University Belfast):
[8]Tree-Ring Evidence for Environmental Disasters during the Bronze
Age: Causes and Effects
15.20 - 15.30 Discussion
15.30 - 16.00 Tea/coffee break
16.00 - 16.35 Dr Benny J Peiser (Liverpool John Moores University):
[9]Comparative Stratigraphy of Bronze Age Destruction Layers around
the World: Archaeological Evidence and Methodological Problems
16.35 - 16.45 Discussion
16.45 - 17.20 Dr Bruce Masse (University of Hawaii): [10]Earth, Air,
Fire and Water: The Archaeology of Bronze Age Cosmic Catastrophes
17.20 - 17.30 Discussion
17.30 - 18.05 Dr Bas van Geel (University of Amsterdam): [11]The
Impact of Abrupt Climate Change around 2650 BP in NW-Europe: Evidence
for Climatic Teleconnections and a tentative Explanation
18.05 - 18.15 Discussion
18.15 - 19.00 Poster Presentations & Discussion
18.15 - 19.00 Film (by Amos Nur and Chris MacAskill): The Walls Came
Tumbling Down: Earthquakes in the Holy Land
19.00 Evening Dinner
_Sunday, 13th July_
8.00 - 8.45 Breakfast
_Morning Session HISTORY & CULTURE_
Chair: Brian Moore (SIS)
9.00 - 9.35 Dr Victor Clube (Oxford University): [12]Predestination
and the Problem of Historical Catastrophism
9.35 - 9.45 Discussion
9.45 - 10.20 Prof Bill Mullen (Bard College): [13]The Agenda of the
Milesian School: The Post-Catastrophic Paradigm Shift in Ancient
Greece
10.20 - 10.30 Discussion
10.30 - 11.00 Tea/coffee break
11.00 - 11.35 Prof David Pankenier (Lehigh University):
[14]Heaven-sent: Understanding Disaster in Chinese Mythology and
Tradition
11.35 - 11.45 Discussion
11.45 - 12.20 Prof Gunnar Heinsohn (University of Bremen): [15]The
Catastrophic Emergence of Civilisation: The Coming of the Bronze Age
Cultures
12.20 - 12.45Discussion
12.45 - 13.45 Lunch
_Afternoon Session ARCHAEOLOGY & HISTORY_
Chair: Prof Trevor Palmer (Nottingham Trent & SIS Chairman)
13.45 - 14.20 Prof Amos Nur (Stanford University): [16]The Collapse of
Ancient Societies by Great Earthquakes
14.20 - 14.30 Discussion
14.30 - 15.05 Dr Euan MacKie (Hunterian Museum, Glasgow University):
[17]The End of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Dordogne and the
'Vitrified Forts' in Scotland
15.05 - 15.15 Discussion
15.15 - 15.50 Prof Irving Wolfe (University of Montreal): [18]The
'Kultursturz' at the Bronze Age - Iron Age Boundary
15.50 - 16.00 Discussion
16.00 - 16.10 Benny J Peiser: Closing Address
16.10 Tea/coffee & farewell

Poster Presentations

_Prof Emilio Spedicato_ (University of Bergamo):
[19]Evidence Of Tunguska-type Impacts Over The Pacific Basin
Around The Year 1178 A.D. 

_Charles Raspil_ (New York):
[20]Hints to the Nature of Bronze Age Catastrophe found in
Ancient Art

_Henry Zemel_ (New York):
[21]Circling the Rings: A Conjecture about Solar Rings

_Prof Lars Franzen_ (University of Goeteborg, Sweden) and _Prof Thomas
Larsson_ (University of Umea, Sweden):
[22]Landscape analysis and stratigraphical and geochemical
investigations of playa and alluvial fan sediments in Tunisia
and raised bog deposits in Sweden - a possible correlation
between extreme climate events and cosmic activity during the
late Holocene.

_Milton Zysman and Frank Wallace2_
[23]TAILS OF A RECENT COMET: THE ROLE COMETARY JETS PLAY IN
CRUSTAL FORMATION

_T_he SIS Cambridge conference brought together historians,
archaeologists, climatologists and astronomers in order to discuss
whether the 'giant comet' hyopothesis brought forward by
neo-catastrophist astronomers such as Victor Clube, Bill Napier, Sir
Fred Hoyle, David Asher, Mark Bailey, Duncan Steel et al. can be
substantiated by the archaeological, climatological and historical
record.

[24]Conference Report
by Mark E. Bailey
From [25]Meteorite Magazine, Nov 1997.

Archaeology and Geology

Ever since Claude Schaeffer published his book "Stratigraphie Comparee
et Chronologie L'Asie Occidentale" in 1948, there has been continuous
scientific debate about the nature and extent of the destructions of
Bronze Age civilisations. Schaeffer claimed that the repeated
collapses of Bronze Age cultures were not caused by the action of man
but instead by seismic activity. During the last decade, eminent
archaeologists have substantiated his claim and have linked
destruction layers in Aegean and Near Eastern sites with natural
disasters rather than with military conquests. The interpretation,
however, which maintains that destruction layers are caused by seismic
catastrophes, has been disputed due to the ambiguity of the
stratigraphical record. The need for an accurate methodology of
verifying the actual cause, extent and synchronicity of Bronze Age
destructions is therefore essential.

Astronomy

Research in the field of astronomical neo-catastrophism and impact
cratering has quickened its pace since the early 1980s. An increasing
number of astronomers have suggested that a series of cosmic disasters
punctuated the Earth in prehistoric times. Scholars such as Victor
Clube, Bill Napier, Mark Bailey, Fred Hoyle, David Asher and Duncan
Steel claim that a more 'active' and threatening sky might have caused
major cultural changes of Bronze Age civilisations, belief systems and
religious rituals. Can the astronomical evidence brought forward by
these astronomers be substantiated by historical, archaeological and
climatological evidence?

Culture

In light of new astronomical and archaeological theories and the
emergence of scientific neo-catastrophism, it seems necessary to
re-assess the origins and cultural implications of apocalyptic
religions and catastrophe traditions in ancient mythologies and
rituals. In particular, the significant cultural and religious changes
at the beginning of the Bronze Age and those which occurred after its
final collapse will be re-evaluated.

See also [26]Comets and Disasters in the Bronze Age
by Benny Peiser
From BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY, Dec 1997.

Organising Committee

* Prof Mark Bailey (Armagh Observatory)
* Prof Trevor Palmer (Nottingham Trent University)
* Dr Benny J Peiser (Liverpool John Moores University)

_For further details, contact_

_Dr Benny J Peiser_
Liverpool John Moores University
School of Human Sciences
Byrom Street
Liverpool L3 3AF
United Kingdom

Tel 0151-231 2490. Fax 0151 298 1261
Email: [27]B.J.Peiser at livjm.ac.uk

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Should anyone wish to subscribe to this list or should you like to
unsubscribe, please contact [28]B.J.Peiser at livjm.ac.uk.

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References

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