Campi Phlegraei 17
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The area around Naples was known locally as the Campi Phlegraei, or 'flaming fields', due to the frequent and violent eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. William Hamilton (1730 to 1803) witnessed the eruptions of the 1770s from his country house at the foot of the volcano.
Observations on the volcanoes of the two Sicilies as they have been communicated to the Royal Society of London by Sir William Hamilton, Volumes 1 & 2, 1776.
Sir William Hamilton was the British envoy in Naples during the late 18th century. He developed an interest in the geology of the area through witnessing the highly active volcanic eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. Campi Phlegraei, illustrated on hand coloured plates by Peter Fabris, was a major contribution to debates on volcanology. The beautifully illustrated book brought together science and art in a way much celebrated in that period. Campi Phlegraei were on display as part of the Stones and Bones Exhibition, 13 February to 17 May 2015.
Library Ref: EFP EO96.045
