What an ancient volcanic eruption teaches us about resilience today

A massive volcanic eruption 7,300 years ago in Japan provided a unique glimpse into how ancient societies reacted to catastrophic events. The Kikai-Akahoya eruption caused widespread destruction, including powerful earthquakes, tsunamis, and a thick layer of volcanic ash. The ash blanketed the landscape, creating long-lasting environmental damage that disrupted local food systems for centuries.

For the Jōmon hunter-gatherer populations, who relied on natural resources for survival, the eruption led to catastrophic and enduring shocks to their food security. Archaeologists have long debated whether such disasters resulted in total collapse or simply continued societal functioning. Our research, published in Science Advances, offers a more nuanced perspective.

We found that the Jōmon populations weren't uniformly affected. Those closest to the eruption's epicenter already faced preexisting declines before the blast. However, the disaster compounded their vulnerabilities. In contrast, certain areas near the explosion saw population growth. Survivors didn't simply perish; they migrated away from the worst-hit zones into safer regions, such as coastal areas where marine ecosystems had already begun to recover.

Interestingly, populations far from the volcano actually stagnated or declined after the eruption. This was likely due to a volcanic winter, when the ash cloud blocked sunlight, reducing plant growth and animal populations on which the Jōmon hunter-gatherers relied.

The Jōmon people's responses demonstrate the importance of human agency in resilience. True resilience isn't about maintaining the status quo but adapting to new conditions. Survivors chose to move, forge new social networks, innovate new economies, and find creative ways to thrive in a permanently altered world. Our study suggests that modern resilience should focus on collective social actions and decision-making, rather than merely reacting to environmental conditions.

The Jōmon people's experience reminds us that our future in the face of climate shocks and other disasters will depend on our collective actions and capacity for adaptation.