The Eighth Pass covered the Turns 2008-2058 AL. It preceded the Second Long Interval and was the period of time from which the Oldtimers came to the present. The Eighth Pass was characterized by an excessively strong emphasis on the Weyrs. The Weyrs apparantly governed their beholden Holds as dependencies. After the end of the Pass, the Holds began to rebel against the Weyrs' demands. Five of the weyrs were abandoned mysteriously after the end of Threadfall. The Dragons and their Riders had gone ahead 450 Turns to the start of the Ninth Pass.