Karin Doull looks at how previous civilisations were affected by natural climate change, often precipitated by volcanic eruptions. She suggests that any investigation into ancient civilisations should consider how physical geography contributed to the initial settlement and development. She argues that we should also look at what might have contributed to the fall of that civilisation. Using the story of Arthur Chapman’s ‘Alphonse the camel’, children can be supported to analyse how different factors affected particular civilisations via the example of the Maya city of Tikal.