Native American stories used to date 1700 Cascadia Earthquake

April, 2005

PDF Version of the Article Dating the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake - Great Coastal Earthquakes in Native Stories, 2005, R. S. Ludwin, R. Dennis, D. Carver, A. D. McMillan, R. Losey, J. Clague, C. Jonientz-Trisler, J. Bowechop, J. Wray, and K. James, Seismological Research Letters, V. 76, No. 2

Over the past two decades scientists have come to realize that great earthquakes rupture an offshore fault zone along the coast about every 300-500 years. Native traditions tell of shaking and flooding along the Cascadia coast and estimate the date of the last earthquake by using stories that count the number of generations since its occurrence. Date estimates from several Native historical traditions place the earthquake around 1700, consistent with radiocarbon and tree-ring dating and written Japanese records.

Traditions also speak of shaking and flooding from the sea by referring to a struggle between the Thunderbird and the Whale, supernatural beings of enormous size and power.

See also:
• Native American Serpent Spirit-Power Stories along the Seattle Fault
• UW Press Release - by Vince Stricherz