Modelling the distal impacts of past volcanic gas emissions: Evidence of Europe-wide environmental impacts from gases emitted during the eruption of Italian and Icelandic volcanoes in 1783

This paper investigates the impact of volcanogenic aerial pollution upon the European environnement. Focusing on the year 1783 it is revealed that a Europe-wide toxic fog, composed of volcagenic gases and aerosols caused respiratory illness, crop damage, panic and extreme weather. It is proposed that similar events may have occured in the past and should be considered as an agent of change by archaeologists and historians.