What year did Thera erupt?
Thera's massive eruption, known to have occurred sometime before 1500 B.C., buried the Minoan town of Akrotiri in more than 130 feet of debris. But the exact date of the eruption, along with its impact on climate, have been debated for decades.
What happened to the Minoans on Thera?
Devastated the Minoan settlements of Akrotiri, the island of Thera, communities and agricultural areas on nearby islands, and the coast of Crete with related earthquakes and tsunamis. The Minoan eruption was a catastrophic volcanic eruption that devastated the Aegean island of Thera (also called Santorini) in around 1600 BCE.
What are the main settlements on Thera?
Other settlements include Emboríon and Pírgos to the south and the port of Oía at the north entrance to the lagoon, which was destroyed by the 1956 earthquake. Known as Calliste (“Most Beautiful”) in antiquity, Thera was occupied before 2000 bce. One of the largest volcanic eruptions known occurred on the island.
How did the Thera volcano form?
The caldera would slowly refill with magma, building a new volcano, which erupted and then collapsed in an ongoing cyclical process. Immediately before the Minoan eruption, the walls of the caldera formed a nearly continuous ring of islands, with the only entrance between Thera and the tiny island of Aspronisi.
When was the first eruption on Thera?
They were victims of the tsunami inundations that took place in that site after the eruption, and the researchers, based on accurate calibrated radiocarbon datings, conclude that Thera eruption happened no earlier than 1612 BCE.
When did the volcano erupt on Thera?
The Greek island of Santorini (named Thera in ancient times) is located in the Aegean Sea and experienced a massive volcanic eruption some 3,600 y ago (∼1600 BCE). Recent geological investigations have concluded that the eruption was even more massive than originally thought (1).
How was Santorini before the eruption?
According to Dr David Karaton who is an expert in Volcanology, “the topographic relief of Santorini before the Minoan eruption was characterized by a smaller port along with a central island, almost similar to today's Kameni, according to many researchers. But the size and age of this island had remained unknown.
How was Thera affected by the volcanic eruption?
Possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed as a result of the volcanic explosion. Just as happened at Pompeii centuries later, a settlement on Thera known as the town of Akrotiri was buried under a thick blanket of ash and pumice.
How old is volcano Thera?
The Thera eruption is thought to have occurred about 1500 bce, although, on the basis of evidence obtained during the 1980s from a Greenland ice-core and from tree-ring and radiocarbon dating, some scholars believe that it occurred earlier, possibly during the 1620s bce.
Is Santorini a supervolcano?
The island group of Santorini is the most well-known and active volcanic centre of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc in the south Aegean Sea. It is a very complex stratovolcano dominated by a large, sea-flooded caldera created by several large explosive eruptions.
Can Santorini erupt again?
A group of scientists collaborating in an effort to make a new geomorphologic map for the volcanic island of Santorini believe the cosmopolitan island is “at high risk for volcanically- and seismically-induced hazards.”
How old are buildings in Santorini?
These fortified settlements were constructed from the 14th to the 18th century as a means of protection from the incessant pirate invasions. Their special architecture was of purely defensive nature. The houses of Santorini are categorized by their structure and style.
How long has Santorini been inhabited?
The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago, though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around Akrotiri....Santorini.Santorini / Thira Σαντορίνη / ΘήραCountryGreeceAdministrative regionSouth AegeanRegional unitThiraGovernment18 more rows
Is Thera located on the Ring of Fire?
Located at the south-east of the Hellenic arc (a less volatile version of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire') that starts at Kameino Vouno on the Peloponnese, Thera was, until the first part of the Mediterranean Late Bronze Age (beginning c. 1600 BCE), an island of roughly circular shape. During the Late Cycladic I (c.
Is Santorini a collapsed volcano?
The Santorini volcano is a caldera, a type of volcano that erupts so violently that its middle collapses in on itself forming a huge crater.
How powerful was the eruption on Santorini?
The Aegean Sea island of Thera, now known as Santorini, erupted with power equal to two million Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, said Drs.
Is Thera an active volcano?
Santorini caldera is a large, mostly submerged caldera, located in the southern Aegean Sea, 120 kilometers north of Crete in Greece....Santorini CalderaLocationAegean Sea, GreeceGeologyMountain typeCaldera (active)Last eruptionJanuary to February 19505 more rows
What happened in 1816 so that it was called the year without a summer?
Snow fell in New England. Gloomy, cold rains fell throughout Europe. It was cold and stormy and dark - not at all like typical summer weather. Consequently, 1816 became known in Europe and North America as “The Year Without a Summer.”
Is Thera located on the Ring of Fire?
Located at the south-east of the Hellenic arc (a less volatile version of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire') that starts at Kameino Vouno on the Peloponnese, Thera was, until the first part of the Mediterranean Late Bronze Age (beginning c. 1600 BCE), an island of roughly circular shape. During the Late Cycladic I (c.
When did Santorini caldera last erupt?
February 2, 1950Santorini caldera / Last eruption
How long was the street in Ancient Thera?
Geography. Housing ruins in Ancient Thera. The ancient city consisted of a street almost 800 m long and especially wide for its time (between two and four meters) extending in a southeastern direction and containing several imposing buildings.
Where is Thera located?
Ancient Thera ( Greek: Αρχαία Θήρα) is an ancient city on a ridge of the steep, 360 m high Messavouno mountain on the Greek island of Santorini. It was named after the mythical ruler of the island, Theras, and was inhabited from the 9th century BC until 726 AD. Starting in 1895, Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen systematically investigated ...
What are the two seaports in Ancient Thera?
Ancient Thera had two seaports, namely Oia (Greek: Οία, not to be confused with modern Oia) and Elefsina (Greek: Ελευσίνα), located respectively at present-day Kamari and Perissa.
What was the only urban settlement on the island of Santorini?
In the first third of the 3rd century the dissolution of the Roman Empire was also reflected by the absence of reports about the island. During Byzantine times, Thera as a diocesan town was again more frequently mentioned; up into the 5th century it was the only urban settlement on the island of Santorini.
What is the name of the ancient city on a ridge?
A view of the mountaintop ruins of Ancient Thera from Mt. Elias. The theater is built into the slope below the city. Ancient Thera ( Greek: Αρχαία Θήρα) is an ancient city on a ridge of the steep, ...
How many coins were found in Cyrene?
This settlement was so successful that Thera long enjoyed a good reputation as the mother city of Cyrene despite its own relative unimportance. A collection of 760 coins were found dating from the 6th century BCE, which give evidence of a modest amount of trade links to Athens and Corinth to the west and Ionia and Rhodes to the east.
How big is the Agora?
Particularly noteworthy are: The Agora: The main square of the city follows the contours of the mountain ridge and is about 110 m long and between 17 and 30 m wide.
When was Thera occupied?
Sort out the facts about islands across the globe. Known as Calliste (“Most Beautiful”) in antiquity, Thera was occupied before 2000 bce. One of the largest volcanic eruptions known occurred on the island.
When was Thera discovered?
From that period date many of the ruins of the ancient city of Thera, unearthed (1895–1903) by a German archaeologist on the east coast. The earliest excavations by the French School at Athens (1869) uncovered a Middle Minoan, or Cycladic ( c. 2000– c. 1570 bce ), city beneath the pumice at the northern tip of Thirasía.
What is the name of the island in Greece that is the eastern half of an exploded volcano?
It constitutes a dímos (municipality) within the South Aegean (Nótio Aigaío) periféreia (region). Thera island, Greece. Geologically, Thera is the remaining eastern half of an exploded volcano. Its bow-shaped rim and the remnant isles of Thirasía and Aspronísi form an open lagoon that measures 37 miles (60 km) in circumference.
What happened in 1450 BCE?
About 1450 bce most major settlements in central and southern Crete were destroyed by fire and abandoned. In 1939 the Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos suggested that the eruption on Thera had led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization; his theory was widely accepted.
What is the costume of Thera?
The frescoes at Thera show a wonderful variety of costumes, including the Minoan bodice-jacket, the flounced skirt or apron worn thigh-length or ankle-length, a one-piece tunic with rich borders, diaphanous veils, and a marvelous profusion of gold earrings, necklaces, collars, bracelets, and anklets, and rock crystal and carnelian…
Where is the ash from the Atlantis eruption?
Ash and pumice from the eruption have been found as far away as Egypt and Israel, and there has been speculation that the eruption was the source of the legend of Atlantis and of stories in the Old Testament book of Exodus.
Where was Cyrene located?
About 630 the important Theran colony of Cyrene was settled on the north coast of Africa, in accord with a command of the Delphic oracle. From 308 to 145 the island, a member of the Cycladic League, was a Ptolemaic protectorate.
Where was the ash cloud from the Theran eruption?
Scientific models and archaeological data suggest that most of the ash cloud produced by the Theran eruption moved southeast over the lower Aegean and the Dodecanese. Rhodes received up to 1 m. of precipitation and Kos received up to 30 cm. Traces of ash and sediment have been found in the Nile River Delta and on the shores of modern-day Turkey. xiii The Minoans received less: though the western half of the Crete bears no evidence of volcanic precipitation, approximately 15 cm. of ash and pumice have been recovered at Palaikastro, a Minoan port on the northeastern end of the island. xiv The absence of significant ash, falling rock, or even fire in the period 1650-1600 BCE confirms the theory that the Minoan palaces did not suffer destruction because of Thera’s initial blast.
What is the name of the island that was erupted before the eruption of Santorini?
Driessen, J. and Macdonald, C.F. 1997. The Troubled Island. Minoan Crete before and after the Santorini eruption. Aegaeum 17. Liège-Austin: University of Texas Press.
What was the eruption of Akrotiri?
Just as in the eruption of Pompeii, volcanic ash buried and preserved Akrotiri. Its two-story houses and shrines lie along an irregular system of streets and squares. No human remains are yet discovered, since the presence of full storage containers for food (pithoi) and other functional items suggest that the inhabitants evacuated before the eruption. viii The date of the Thera eruption is controversial and—since the discovery of Akrotiri—the debate became inseparable from the controversy surrounding the fall of the Minoan palaces.
What is the influence of the Minoan palace culture on the Cycladic culture?
The strongest evidence for the influence of Minoan palace culture on surrounding cultures is from the Aegean region . The Cycladic islanders adopted Minoan palace styles in ritual art and practices, including perhaps a distinctively Minoan type of “conical cup” made on the potter’s wheel and used for pouring libations. iii The use of these distinctive cups spread throughout the islands along with Minoan-style masonry, lustral basins, and figural frescoes. The widespread adoption of Minoan material culture implies an ongoing relationship between the Minoans and their Cycladic partners throughout the middle bronze age. The Minoans had economic ties outside the Cyclades as well. Frescoes depicting Minoan traders or “tribute-bearers” appear in the tombs of contemporary officials at Egyptian Thebes. The Minoans carry vessels, jewelry, ingots, and, in the tomb of Menkheperreseneb, a goat horn. Angela Hussein argues that the Cretan goat horn was imported into Egypt for the fabrication of composite bows. iv The value of the frescos as evidence for Minoan trade is often questioned, but Egyptian figurines, bowls, and alabastra have been found on Crete along with broken amphorae (or wine storage jars) from the Levant, and other pottery fragments from as far away as Italy. 4 This evidence suggests that the Minoans were engaged in a wide commercial network in and outside the Aegean.
How does a tsunami affect the Earth?
Historically documented eruptions often cause other natural disasters such as tsunamis, earth displacement, or ash veils that linger in the atmosphere for months or years. These can have longer term effects than the eruption itself. A tsunami, for example, is a massive displacement of water that results in waves that travel underneath the surface of the ocean. When a tsunami reaches shallow shores, it emerges as a huge wall of water followed by the withdrawal of the tide for up to hundreds of meters. Difficulties arise in estimating a tsunami’s size for many reasons, such as the differing heights and inundations of waves, which impact the shore differently; and isolating the tsunami’s geological evidence, when factoring in erosion.
How does the VEI rank volcanic activity?
In 1982, the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) was developed to rank the size and violence of an eruption by its intensity, destructiveness, energy release, and amount of ejecta. The VEI does not differentiate between ejecta—gas, ash, rock, lava—but rather gives a general impression of a volcanic event, allowing scholars to compare and categorize volcanic activity across time. x The VEI ranking of a prehistoric eruption is determined through geologic evidence, such as the size of the eruption’s caldera or the spread of volcanic tephra. In rare cases, eyewitness accounts survive, like that of Pliny the Younger, who described the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. This early account spurred the word “Plinian,” which describes a volcanic eruption like the one he witnessed: incredibly violent and explosive, ejecting lava, pumice, and ash hundreds of meters into the air. Geologists assign the eruption of Vesuvius a VEI of 5. Though there are no eyewitness accounts of the eruption of Thera, the geologic record suggests its similarity in size and character to the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. xi Mount Tambora is located on Sumbawa, an island of the Indonesian Archipelago, and British and Dutch colonizers recorded the eruption. The initial explosion was heard 1400 km away in Java, and some British officers reported volcanic ash falling on their ships. xii The VEI of this eruption is calculated at 7, one hundred times larger than that of Mt. Vesuvius.
What are pyroclastic flows?
7 Novikova, Papdopoulos and McCoy 2011, 671-675. Pyroclastic flows consist of fast-moving currents of lava, tephra, and other volcanic matter downslope.
When did Thera not erupt?
The world map might look differently had the Greek volcano Thera not erupted 3,500 years ago in what geologists believe was the single-most powerful explosive event ever witnessed.
What was the effect of Thera's eruption?
The effects of Thera's eruption could have explained many of the plagues described in the Old Testament, including the days of darkness and polluting of the rivers, according to some theories.
What happened to the Minoan civilization after Thera blew its top?
Based on the nearby island of Crete, the powerful Minoan civilization declined suddenly soon after Thera blew its top. Tsunamis spawned by the eruption would have swamped its naval fleet and coastal villages first off, historians think.
What was the impact of the Minoan eruption on the world?
Minoan culture, the dominant civilization in the Mediterranean at the time, crumbled as a result of the eruption, historians believe, changing the political landscape of the ancient world indefinitely. Environmental effects were felt across the globe, as far away as China and perhaps even North America and Antarctica.
How far away was Thera's explosion?
The blast was heard 3,000 miles away. Thera's eruption was four or five times more powerful than Krakatoa, geologists believe, exploding with the energy of several hundred atomic bombs in a fraction of a second.
When did the eruption of Krakatoa happen?
There are no first-person accounts of what happened that day, but scientists can compare it to the detailed records available from the famous eruption of Krakatoa, Indonesia, in 1883.
Did the Minoan civilization decline after Thera blew its top?
An absence of human remains and valuables like metal suggest that the Minoan residents of Santorini predicted the eruption and the island was evacuated, but the culture as a whole did not fare as well. Based on the nearby island of Crete, the powerful Minoan civilization declined suddenly soon after Thera blew its top.
When was the eruption of the volcano?
Three scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and university professor have dated the most powerful volcano eruption in recorded history, the Thera/Santorini eruption, to the late 17th Century BC.
When was the Santorini eruption?
Thera/Santorini Eruption. Dec 01, 1989. Three scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and university professor have dated the most powerful volcano eruption in recorded history, the Thera/Santorini eruption, to the late 17th Century BC. Three scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and university professor have dated ...
What are the effects of volcanic eruptions?
The heavy rainfall is characteristic atmospheric effect of major volcanic eruptions, Pang said. Cold, wet summers also followed three other eruptions traced through similar methods, the Tambora in 1815, Laki in 1783, and an unnamed Icelandic eruption in 208 BC.
How many atomic bombs did Santorini have?
The Aegean Sea island of Thera, now known as Santorini, erupted with power equal to two million Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, said Drs. Kevin Pang, Santosh Srivastava and Robert Keston, all of JPL, and Hung-hsiang Chou of the University of California at Los Angeles.
Where was the JPL study funded?
Results of the study, funded at JPL in Pasadena, Calif., by NASA, were prepared for presentation before Dec. 5 session of the 1989 Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union at San Francisco.
When was the eruption of Thera?
Major volcanic eruption around 1600 BCE. Minoan eruption of Thera. Satellite image of Thera, November 21, 2000. The bay in the center of the island is the caldera created by the Minoan eruption. Volcano.
How many times did the Thera volcano erupt?
Geological evidence shows the Thera volcano erupted numerous times over several hundred thousand years before the Minoan eruption. In a repeating process, the volcano would violently erupt, then eventually collapse into a roughly circular seawater-filled caldera, with numerous small islands forming the circle. The caldera would slowly refill with magma, building a new volcano, which erupted and then collapsed in an ongoing cyclical process.
What was the impact of the Minoan eruption?
The Minoan eruption was a major catastrophic volcanic eruption that devastated the Aegean island of Thera (also called Santorini) in around 1600 BCE. It destroyed the Minoan settlement at Akrotiri, as well as communities and agricultural areas on nearby islands and the coast of Crete with subsequent earthquakes and tsunamis. With a VEI magnitude between 6 and 7, resulting in an ejection of approximately 60 km 3 (14 cu mi) of dense-rock equivalent (DRE), the eruption was one of the largest volcanic events on Earth in human history.
What happened before the Minoan eruption?
Immediately before the Minoan eruption, the walls of the caldera formed a nearly continuous ring of islands, with the only entrance between Thera and the tiny island of Aspronisi.
What were the effects of the Thera eruption?
As the Minoans were a sea power and depended on ships for their livelihood, the Thera eruption likely caused them significant economic hardship. Whether the effects were enough to trigger the downfall of the civilization is intensely debated. The Mycenaean conquest of the Minoans occurred in the Late Minoan II period (1450–1400 BC). The Mycenaeans were a military civilization. Using their functional navy and a well-equipped army, they were capable of an invasion. Mycenaean weaponry has been found in burials on Crete. This demonstrates Mycenaean military influence not many years after the eruption. Many archaeologists speculate that the eruption caused a crisis in Minoan civilization, making them vulnerable to conquest by the Mycenaeans.
How thick is the tephra?
On Santorini, there is a 60 m (200 ft) thick layer of white tephra that overlies the soil clearly delineating the ground level before the eruption. This layer has three distinct bands that indicate the different phases of the eruption. Studies have identified four major eruption phases, and one minor precursory tephra fall. The thinness of the first ash layer, along with the lack of noticeable erosion of that layer by winter rains before the next layer was deposited, indicate that the volcano gave the local population a few months' warning. Since no human remains have been found at the Akrotiri site, this preliminary volcanic activity probably caused the island's population to flee. It is also suggested that several months before the eruption, Santorini experienced one or more earthquakes, which damaged the local settlements.
How big was the Santorini eruption?
Magnitude. Research by a team of international scientists in 2006 revealed that the Santorini event was much larger than the original estimate of 39 km 3 (9.4 cu mi) of dense-rock equivalent (DRE) that was published in 1991. With an estimated DRE in excess of 60 km 3 (14 cu mi), the volume of ejecta was approximately 100 km 3 (24 cu mi).
Overview
Ancient Thera (Greek: Αρχαία Θήρα) is the name of an ancient perfectly round volcano island now known as Santorini. It was named after the mythical ruler of the island, Theras, and is known to have been inhabited by Greek Minoans as early as the 15th century BC when the volcano erupted resulting in a significant change to the shape of the island and killing many of the Minoan inhabitants. Starting in 1895, Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen systematically investigated the city …
Geography
The ancient city consisted of a street almost 800 m long and especially wide for its time (between two and four meters) extending in a southeastern direction and containing several imposing buildings. A small cul-de-sac branches off at right angles and at its termination, high up on the mountainside, were the headquarters of a garrison stationed in the city. After about 200 meters of street the city expands to cover an area of about 100 x 100 meters on an exposed plateau high a…
History
In archaic times the city was an unimportant settlement at the southern periphery of the Cyclades. It was founded by Doric colonists from Sparta, who recognized the strategic value of its location on a rocky ridge. Herodotus and Pausanias give accounts of the mythical ruler, Theras, a descendant of the Phoenician ruler Cadmus and son of the king of Thebes, Autesion, who ruled over Sparta and Laconia on behalf of his underage nephews Eurysthenes and Procles. After they came of age he f…
Ptolemaic garrison
Some information about the role of the Ptolemaic soldiers in the city is known from inscriptions. There were originally only three officers and about 300 soldiers stationed in Thera, but later further office holders and pensioned officers settled there and clearly changed the character of the city. It is not known whether the entire population was placed under military administration or whether it could retain its political independence. On the one hand the soldiers were Greeks fro…
Buildings
Particularly noteworthy are:
• The Agora: The main square of the city follows the contours of the mountain ridge and is about 110 m long and between 17 and 30 m wide. On the western side toward the slope are the public buildings; the view eastwards toward the ocean is completely free since the private dwellings on this side were built below the level of the agora.
Art and culture
Archaeological remains are sparse; before the city was abandoned it had lost importance and only a few relics of its golden age survived. Inscriptions from the city's beginnings found at the sanctuary on the spur of the mountain ridge are noteworthy. They date from the transition from the 9th to the 8th century BC and are thus among the oldest known examples of the use of the Greek alphabet, which evolved from the Phoenician alphabet. In some cases a precursor form of …
External links
• Ancient Thera (See the end of the German Wikipedia article for a list of the German language publications of Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen and Wolfram Hoepfner about their excavations)
• Friedrich Hiller (in German -- de:Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen (Epigraphiker)&prev=hp translate)
• Edward Brongersma: The Thera Inscriptions Ritual or Slander?, in: Journal of Homosexuality, 20(4) 1990. (online: The Thera Inscriptions)