The island of Santorini is very popular with tourists who visit the Greek islands. It is also a special interest for the geologists, the vulcanologists, the archaeologists and historians.

1. Thira
Santorini, The Memory of an ancient Apocalypse
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2. Cliffs
On arrival to Santorini, the ferry entered through an entrance between the islands, before reaching the port.

3. Cliffs
The harbour is surrounded on all
sides by high cliffs.

4. The Caldera
The high cliffs and the islands form a circular lagoon, called the caldera. It is in fact a submerged volcanic crater .
The islands are the crest of the crater. The size of the crater is huge (above).

5. The Caldera
In the middle of the caldera is the island of Nea Kameni, which was created by the eruption in c1650 BC.

6. The black sandy beach
The black sandy beaches are made of volcanic ashes from the fallout.

7. Beach
Beaches of black
sands.

8. Pumice Rock
Pumice are stones that floats on water. They can be found all over the island. The volcanic rock traped a lots of air.
Pumice rocks were in great demand as building material, during ancient times.

9. The white band of rock is the
pumice layer. At places it is
30m thick, deposited by the
eruption in c1650 BC.

10. This is the 1926 eruption, sending out dense smoke from the crater in the Nea Kameni island.

11. Minoan Civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization. It is the earliest European civilization.

12. Minoan Civilization
The Minoan civilization was based in the island
of Crete. It dominated the Aegean Sea from
around 2600 to 1600 BC for a thousand years.
It was a maritime power in the eastern
Mediterranean. It was mentioned in ancient
Greek book of Odyssey.
It is very old. It is older than the rise of the
Hittie in Anatolia and the Mycenaean Greek, on
the mainland. It became a maritime power
during the Old Kingdom in Egypt (see next
slide).
Octopus pot. C1500 BC. Pottery. Minoan Crete. Found in
the Palace of Knossos. After the Thira eruption, many
pottery depicted marine creatures as decorations.

13. Classical Greece,
750 – 146 BC
Thira ‘s
Eruption
c1600

14. This is the Minoan palace in Knossos. The palace was dated to 1900 BC and was abandoned around c1380–1100
BC.

15. ‘The Blue Ladies’ is a fresco at Knossos. It is dated to c1525–1450 BC. Here it is shown under incandescent light.

16. Ancient Thira (Santorini)
The island acquired its name Santorini, when it was under
Venetian rule between 1207 and 1580. The Greek refer it as
Thira or Thera, which is also the name of the largest town on
the island.
Thira is the southernmost of a group of Greek islands known
as the Cyclades. It is the remnant of a volcanic eruption in
c1650 BC. Together with the nearby islands, they form the
rim of a gigantic volcanic crater about 12 by 7 km across.
The cliffs surrounded the caldera is some 300m high.
The ancient eruption is one of the largest volcanic eruptions
in the recorded history. It created a gigantic tsunami, which
destroyed much of the Minoan Crete some 110km away. The
eruption marked the decline of the Minoan civilization from
which it never recovered.
Much of our knowledge about the Minoan Thira came from
the excavation on Thira, at a place called Akrotiri.
It is generally accepted by archaeologists that the Thira
eruption is the source of the legend of Atlantis.
Female Daedalic Figurine. Not dated. Santorini Archaeological
Museum of Thera. She is a mourning figure, indicated by the
position of her hands. Found in the cemetery of Ancient Thera
dated c 600 BC

17. The location of Thira
Thira was a major trading hub in the Minoan times, with easy access to Greek world around the Aegean Sea, at a
time when moving goods on water was much easier than on land.

18. Ancient Thira
On a fresco excavated at Akrotiri (above), it clearly showed
that the ancient city on Thira was surrounded by water. The
eruption destroyed the ancient elegant city with its multi-
stories houses. Geologist reconstructed the island before the
eruption (left), showing an ideal natural harbour for trading
ships.
Note the different kinds of ships were used on the fresco.

19. Akrotiri
This is the excavation at Akrotiri. It was started in 1967 by Professor Marinatos. No skeleton had ever been found at
the site. Archaeologists think that the population must have left by ships to other places.

20. Akrotiri
Some 400 large pots were
found.

21. Akrotiri
A large amount of lead weights were found. These suggest Thira was a trading hub in Minoan times.

22. Akrotiri
This ewer dated c 1600 BC excavated at Akrotiri is now in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

23. Akrotiri
Akrotiri is known for its well preserved frescoes. These are the images of the earliest European civilization, showing
us the prosperity of the times.

24. Akrotiri
Fresco of antelopes,
Akrotiri, Santorini.

25. Akrotiri
Fresco of from the
House of Ladies.
The Boxing Children.

26. From the House of Ladies. Fisherman with his catch. ‘Priestess’.

27. Santorini Today
From Thera overlooking Nea Kameni

28. Santorini
The town of Thera perches on the rim of the volcano, overlooking the caldera.

29. Santorini
The chapel of Agios Nikolaos at the foot of a cliff of giant volcanic rocks.

30. Santorini
Sizable area of the island is cultivated.

31. Santorini
Unique to Santorini, grape vines are weaved into a basket to protect the growing grapes from the winds.

32. Santorini
Windmill situated on the rim of the hill, over looking the caldera, where the wind is always the strongest.

33. Santorini

34. Santorini
One of the oldest church
on the island, the
church of Panagia
Episkopi founded in
1100 AD, by the
Byzantine Emperor
Alexius.

35. Santorini
Terrace restaurant in the city of Thera.

36. Santorini
A street view of the city of Thera.

37. Santorini
A view of the city of Thera, overlooking the caldera.

38. Santorini
A street view of the city of Thera.

39. Santorini
Santorini known for its view of the setting sun.

40. Santorini
Day break.

41. Santorini
A street view of the city of Thera.

42. Santorini

43. The End
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owners. Available free for non-commercial and personal
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