Akrotiri (prehistoric city) Thera

[Lipfert]

Kameraden,

Was lucky enough to spend better part of a day exploring a stunning dig.

This site:

Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, pronounced Greek: [akroˈtiri]) was a Cycladic Bronze Age settlement on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini (Thera).

The settlement was destroyed in the Theran eruption sometime in the 16th century BC and buried in volcanic ash, which preserved the remains of fine frescoes and many objects and artworks. The settlement has been suggested as a possible inspiration for Plato's story of Atlantis. Akrotiri has been excavated since 1967.

History

The earliest evidence for human habitation of Akrotiri can be traced back as early as the fifth millennium BC, when it was a small fishing and farming village. By the end of the third millennium, this community developed and expanded significantly. One factor for Akrotiri's growth may be the trade relations it established with other cultures in the Aegean, as evidenced in fragments of foreign pottery at the site. Akrotiri's strategic position on the primary sailing route between Cyprus and Minoan Crete also made it an important point for the copper trade, thus allowing it to become an important centre for processing copper, as proven by the discovery of moulds and crucibles there. Akrotiri's prosperity continued for about another 500 years; paved streets, an extensive drainage system, the production of high quality pottery and further craft specialization all point to the level of sophistication achieved by the settlement.

This all came to an end, however, in the 16th century BC with the volcanic eruption of Thera. There is a variety of dating evidence for the eruption, but its exact year is not known. Radiocarbon dating places it most probably between 1620 and 1530 BC, which is also in accord with the date range of 1570 to 1500 BC suggested by similarities of the material culture with other sites in the Aegean. Unusual growth patterns observed in tree rings in 1597, 1560, 1546 and 1544 BC are consistent with a major volcanic event in any of those years. The latter three dates might be the best candidates as they are also considered possible for Egyptian New Kingdom records that are thought to refer to the eruption.

This is a model of what has been excavated so far, they guess they've unearthed less than 10% of the site.

S!

[Labroisse]

That is super cool.  Love the way it is setup for viewing.

[Lipfert]

1 hour ago, Labroisse said:

That is super cool.  Love the way it is setup for viewing.

I could spend a month here, it's a five minute walk to Red Beach.

https://www.santorini-view.com/santorini-beaches/red-beach/

S!

[Klaiber]

Thanks so much for posting this @Lipfert!  The pictures are amazing.  I can imagine that seeing it in person must have been mind blowing.

[J5_Hotlead]

This is so cool! Thank you for sharing! I love how some of the excavation photos look like you could still walk the streets of Akrotiri.

[Lipfert]

2 hours ago, HotleadColdfeet said:

This is so cool! Thank you for sharing! I love how some of the excavation photos look like you could still walk the streets of Akrotiri.

The pottery and bed frames really made it feel real (in relation to people being in the buildings).

S!

[Lee]

I visited the site in 2018. Very sophisticated culture and technology. Amazing considering it’s over 3000 years old.

Interestling, they haven’t found bodies in the ash like they did in Pompeii from the Vesuvius eruption.  It suggests that there was earlier warnings or activity that caused the population to abandon the city prior to the big eruption. 

[Lipfert]

1 hour ago, Lee said:

I visited the site in 2018. Very sophisticated culture and technology. Amazing considering it’s over 3000 years old.

Interestling, they haven’t found bodies in the ash like they did in Pompeii from the Vesuvius eruption.  It suggests that there was earlier warnings or activity that caused the population to abandon the city prior to the big eruption. 

Lee,

I asked about the lack of bodies, they figure the volcano gave lot's of warning with steam and earthquakes beforehand. The people packed up and left, question is did they move far enough away when it blew.

S!

[Maushake]

Great photos!  One of my former academic colleagues was a specialist on Thera and its connections to the Atlantis myth (or supposed connections; she didn't really buy the hypothesis that it was the origin of the story) and wrote a couple of well-received books on the subject.

[Barton]

That's really cool!