Description
Vintage matchbox from the Swedish Match series “Vulkane unserer Welt” (Volcanoes of our World). The label depicts the dramatic 1973 eruption of Eldfell on the island of Heimaey in the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar), Iceland. The text on the box reads “Heimaey (Island), 225 m. Geburtsjahr 1973.”
In January 1973, a fissure opened on the eastern side of Heimaey and a new volcano, Eldfell (“Fire Mountain”), was born. The eruption lasted for about five months, forced the evacuation of the entire population of over 5,000 people, and buried large parts of the town under lava and ash. The lava flow was slowed by seawater pumping in one of the most famous volcanic defence operations in history. The new crater reached a height of approximately 225 metres, exactly as noted on this matchbox.
This box is one motif from a series of 12 different volcanoes produced by Swedish Match. It captures a defining moment in modern Icelandic history and remains a strong collectible link to the Westman Islands eruption.
