In this paper we will discuss Etna volcano which is situated on 37° 45′ 18″ N, 14° 59′ 43″ E.
General Information
Etna is an active stratovolcano located on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. This is the highest active volcano in Europe. Now the height of Etna is 3329 m above sea level. It often varies from eruption to eruption. So, now the volcano is 21.6 m lower than it was in 1865. Etna is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps, it covers an area of 1250 square kilometers. Thus, Etna - the largest active volcano in Italy, surpassing its closest "opponent" Vesuvius more than 2.5 times. Throughout its existence Etna erupted about 200 times.
According to various sources, Etna has between 200 and 400 side volcanic craters. On average, every three months crater erupting lava. And once in 150 years eruption destroys any settlement. But it does not stop the Sicilians - and they are densely inhabit the slopes of Etna, as due to the abundance of minerals and trace elements contained in the cooled lava and volcanic ash, the soil here is very fertile. On the slopes of Etna grow fruit, olives, vineyards bred. The regional government in Palermo in 1981 created around Etna National Park. Thanks to the constant activity of Etna Volcano was selected as Volcano of Decade by UN.
Mythology
According to mythological tradition, Athena in the battle of the Olympian gods and giants (Gigantomachia) crushed immortal giant Enkelada this mountain. Enkelad sometimes tries to get to the surface, and then, in ancient times, the volcano wakes up and starts erupting. According to Virgil, lived in caves Etna Cyclops (including Polyphemus). Nymph lived near Mount Etna.
According to another version it is believed that there are languishing in chains giants Olympians declared war to avenge the death of brothers - the Titans. At the same volcano god Hephaestus lived.
Greek historian Diogenes Laertius in Chapter 8 of his famous book "On the life, teachings and sayings of famous philosophers" tells a story of what the philosopher Empedocles (V century BC) committed suicide by throwing himself into the crater of Etna. He did it to his revered as a god.
Works Cited
Mount Etna Becomes a World Heritage Site, Italy Magazine, 4 May 2013
"Etna and Man". Boris.vulcanoetna.it. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
