When looked at with our modern understanding of why the earth
moves, earthquake myths may seem humorous and inconsequential. But they were once
standards of their various cultures, a way of trying to understand the powerful
natural events that could so greatly affect the lives of ancient people.
Earthquake myths evolved in virtually all cultures and reflect unique and
interesting perceptions of the shifting crust. And, in spite of all the advances
scientists have made in beginning to understand the reasons for earthquakes, modern myths exist that
still capture the imagination of many, remaining rooted not only in the
United States, but all over the world.
Ancient Myths
Ancient Greece
Thales of Miletos (6th century BC) believed an agitation of the great sea on
which the earth floats, produced earthquakes. But the notion that the movement
of air in subterrestrial chambers created earthquakes formed the basis for the
most elaborate theories of ancient times.
Mexican, Vaqueros, California
El Diablo, an Indian god, made a giant rip in the ground so that he and his
cohorts did not have to take the long way around, whenever they wanted to stir
up mischief on the earth.
Gabrielino Indians, Southern California
Long ago, when most of the world was water, Great Spirit decided to make a
beautiful land with lakes and rivers, that turtles carried on their backs. One
day the turtles began to argue and three of the turtles began to swim east,
while the other three swam west. The earth shook! It cracked with a loud noise.
The turtles could not swim far, because the land on their backs was heavy. When
they saw that they could not swim far away they stopped arguing and made up. But
every once in a while, the turtles that hold up California argue again, and each
time they do, the earth shakes.
Hindus of India
They believed that eight mighty elephants held up the land. When one of them
grew weary, it lowered and shook it's head, causing an earthquake.
Kamchatka, Siberia, Russia
A god named Tuli drove an earth-laden sled pulled by flea-infested dogs: when
the dogs stopped to scratch, the earth shook.
Mongolia, China
A gigantic frog which carried the world on its back, twitched periodically,
producing slight quakes.
Peru
Whenever their god visited the earth to count how many people were there, his
footsteps caused earthquakes. To shorten his task, the people ran out of their
houses to shout "I'm here, I'm here!" (incorporating in their myth, the wisdom
of leaving their flimsy houses during an earthquake).
Japan
A giant catfish lived in mud beneath the earth. The catfish liked to play pranks
and could only be restrained by Kashima,a god who protected the Japanese people
from earthquakes. So long as Kashima kept a mighty rock with magical powers over
the catfish, the earth was still. But when he relaxed his guard, the catfish
thrashed about, causing earthquakes.
Modern Folklore
The Swallowing Earth
People all over the world believe that when an earthquake happens, a chasm may
open up along the fault, and anybody standing over the fault will fall in and be
swallowed-up by the violent earth.
This is a myth.
Sudden movement along a fault may create a shallow crevice; however, there is
no reliable account of anyone falling to his or her death in such a crack.
Earthquake Immunity
Some people believe that they are protected from a large earthquake because
their home is often shaken by small earthquakes that "let off steam".
This is
not true. A moderate earthquake, of Richter magnitude 5.0, releases only one
thousandth of the energy of a large magnitude 7.0 earthquake. The moderate
quakes may actually be precursors of larger earthquakes.
Astrological Considerations
The idea that somehow Mars, Jupiter and Saturn govern the destructive action of
the earth, and the notion of earth tides as possible triggers for earthquakes is
gaining popularity. Earth tides are caused as the rotating Earth is influenced
by the combined gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun. The most careful
scientific studies do not reveal stastically meaningful correlations of
earthquake occurance with tidal loading (see U.S.G.S. circular 1083).
