Nov 17, 2014 7:20 AM

Gallery: Photos and Melted Artifacts From a Horrific Volcanic Disaster

© AMNH/Denis Finnin
01
Stacked glasses DF-140521-8627
Before they were melted together, these glasses were stacked in a café.
© AMNH/Denis Finnin
02
Glass bottle-DF
This twisted piece of glass was once a Champagne bottle.

©AMNH Library
03
Hovey and team
The American Museum of Natural History sent geologist Edmund Hovey (second from right) to understand the science behind the tragedy.
© AMNH Library
04
St. Pierre, 1898
Before it was destroyed, St. Pierre was called the "Paris of the West Indies." In addition to rum, cocoa, and coffee trade, it had a theater, grand hotel, and lovely botanic garden.

© AMNH Library
05
St. Pierre, 1902
Post-eruption, looking east down a side street in St. Pierre.
© AMNH/Denis Finnin
06
Street sign DF-140521-8644
The arrows point to dents that were probably made by tiny pebbles hurled in the super fast, burning cloud that destroyed St. Pierre. Rue Victor Hugo was the city's main drag.

© AMNH/Denis Finnin
07
Bread crust bomb DF-140521-8650
This is a cooled chunk of lava found by Hovey in the ruins of a rum distillery five miles away from the crater.
© AMNH/Denis Finnin
08
Stacked glasses DF-140521-8633
Mt. Pelée sent out a cloud of ash so hot it fused these glasses together.

© AMNH/Denis Finnin
09
Glass door knob-DF
This doorknob melted more on one side than the other, because the cloud of ash was moving so fast. Nearby trees were similarly affected, with one side scorched and the other showing almost no damage.
©AMNH Library/ 24832
10
Mt Pelee spine
After the eruption, a spine of ash protruded from the ruined top of Mt. Pelée. The so-called "Needle of Pelée" collapsed within a few months.

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