and the eruption of Santorini
Places and People
Whole area:
known as Aegean
today
Thera (part of
group of islands:
Cyclades)
Akrotiri: major
centre & site of
excavations
Santorini: name
of Thera today
Crete
Minoans: the
civilisation of
people on Crete
Knossos: main
centre on Crete
Timeline
1450BC
1620BC or
1500BC
2000BC
• Minoan
civilisation
• First palaces
3000BC
• Settlement on
Thera
• Early Cycladic
culture
• Eruption of
Thera
• Destruction of
Knossos
• Collapse of
Minoan power
• Mycenaeans
occupy Knossos
The Archaeologists
Spyridon
Marinatos
(1901-74)
Began excavating Akrotiri (on the Southern tip o f Thera) in 1967
Discovered deposits of volcanic ash (tephra) up to 66m deep
Believed in a link between the decline of the Minoan centres on Crete and the
volcanic explosion which destroyed much of Thera in the 15th century B.C.
Christos
Doumas
Director of excavations after Marinatos’ death in 1974
Completed a major study of the Theran frescoes
The Sources
• Geological studies
(the eruption)
• Linear A
(undeciphered)
• Design & layout of
Akrotiri
• Artefacts
Physical
Archaeological
Written Texts
Pictorial
• Wall paintings
(frescoes)
• Scenes on
ornamental
artefacts, etc