What is GeoCultura?

3 MINUTE READ

Cultural and Historical Adviser Professor Mark Hammond discusses the unique approach GeoCultura is taking to the relationship between geoscience and history.

History is constantly being rewritten. What was once just a story of kings and queens, has been variously reinterpreted as the struggle between the classes, the evolution of trade routes and in the past year we have increasingly recognised the importance of including the lens of race. GeoCultura is adding a further and vital way of understanding better how our history has been shaped through an exploration of how geology has affected human settlement and development.

GeoCultura opens up this new and exciting approach with trips to explore the world’s most important geology and learn about its fascinating impact on local history. The tours have the unique benefit of being led by a combination of geoscientists working together with accredited tourist guides and local historians. Alongside the history and geology of the area guests learn about the local culture and sample the local cuisine. The tours are an irresistible combination of awe-inspiring scenery, great company and superb guides.

The links between the geology of an area and its history and culture is increasingly being explored in academic studies, ranging from the possible effects of natural gases on oracles, to the impacts of earthquakes on changes to water supplies and the rise and fall of ancient Greek cities. Such work is starting to provide new insights into historic changes and explanations for events which root history more strongly in the natural evolution of our world. Our tours allow you to explore these insights with expert leaders in regions far and wide, and closer to home.

In Scotland memories still rankle today of the Highland Clearances of the eighteenth century which resulted in tens of thousands being forcibly removed and shipped to Canada. The clearances in turn were the result of changes to agriculture and the failure of the land to support the population. But how far was this process was influenced by the underlying geology is the focus of a tour of the highlands. Understanding the geology of the Highlands also gave rise to controversies and then theories of mountain building in the Victorian age that provided the basis for the origin of all mountain belts. From the sarsen stones at Stonehenge, to Bath Stone and Portland Stone, geology has played a vital role in the development and architecture of southern England, and all of this is explored in a tour spanning centuries of history and millennia of geology.

In the US and Canada our tours explore the origins of settlement by pre European peoples, and the ways in which the geology of the stunning and often spectacular landscapes affected the evolution of settlement after Columbus. Among the many highlights are the wines of California, the dinosaurs of Alberta and the rafting along the Rio Grande. In all of our tours our groups experience the very best of the world’s geology alongside the fascinating and sometimes controversial stories of the civilisations built on that geology.

GeoCultura aspires to be the first choice for everyone who wants to have a holiday like no other, and an experience that will stay with you forever. Find out more about GeoCultura’s unique offering and newest tours on Forbes.