Pinatubo erupted around 7,460 BCE with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, a colossal eruption that threw tens of cubic kilometres of ash and rock into the air. Eruptions of this size inject sulphur into the stratosphere and can cool the global climate for a year or more. The VEI is a logarithmic scale: each step means roughly ten times more erupted material. It took place around 7,460 BCE.
Before and after
- c. 8,050 BCEEruption of Aira
- from 76th century BCE to 25th century BCEChalcolithic
- 76th century BCECats begin to live with farmers
- from c. 7,500 BCE to 5,700 BCEConstruction of Çatalhöyük
- c. 7,460 BCEEruption of Pinatubo
- c. 7,420 BCEEruption of Fisher
- c. 7,350s BCEConstruction of Cueva de las Manos
- from c. 7,101 BCE to 5,701 BCECatalhoyuk grows into a large Neolithic town
- from c. 7,090s BCE to 4,950s BCEOrigins of Jarmo
More in Earth & climate
- c. 5,550 BCEEruption of Tao-Rusyr Caldera
- c. 5,550 BCEEruption of Mashu
- c. 4,360 BCEEruption of Macauley
- c. 4,000 BCEEruption of Witori
- c. 3,580 BCEEruption of Taal
- c. 3,550 BCEEruption of Pinatubo
The era
This moment belongs to the Human prehistory (300,000 years ago to 3,200 BCE), the human story before writing.