Minoan eruption: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 36°24′36″N 25°24′00″E / 36.41000°N 25.40000°E / 36.41000; 25.40000
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Aleral Wei (talk | contribs)
volume estimation update
Aleral Wei (talk | contribs)
eruption dating was a mess of randomly selected papers without the context of entire dating controversy. i have reorganized and added more comprehensive context
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The eruption also generated {{convert|35|to|150|m|abbr=on}} high [[tsunami]]s that devastated the northern coastline of [[Crete]], {{convert|110|km|abbr=on}} away. The tsunami affected coastal towns such as [[Amnisos]], where building walls were knocked out of alignment. On the island of [[Anafi]], {{convert|27|km|abbr=on}} to the east, ash layers {{convert|3|m|0|abbr=on}} deep have been found, as well as [[pumice]] layers on slopes {{convert|250|m|abbr=on}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]].
The eruption also generated {{convert|35|to|150|m|abbr=on}} high [[tsunami]]s that devastated the northern coastline of [[Crete]], {{convert|110|km|abbr=on}} away. The tsunami affected coastal towns such as [[Amnisos]], where building walls were knocked out of alignment. On the island of [[Anafi]], {{convert|27|km|abbr=on}} to the east, ash layers {{convert|3|m|0|abbr=on}} deep have been found, as well as [[pumice]] layers on slopes {{convert|250|m|abbr=on}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]].


Elsewhere in the Mediterranean are pumice deposits that could have been sent by the Thera eruption. Ash layers in cores drilled from the seabed and from lakes in [[Turkey]] show that the heaviest ashfall was towards the east and northeast of [[Santorini]]. The ash found on Crete is now known to have been from a precursory phase of the eruption, some weeks or months before the main eruptive phases, and it would have had little impact on the island.<ref name="Keenan"/> Santorini ash deposits were at one time claimed to have been found in the [[Nile delta]],<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Stanley, DJ |author2=Sheng, H|name-list-style=amp |year=1986 |title=Volcanic shards from Santorini (Upper Minoan ash) in the Nile Delta, Egypt |journal=Nature |volume=320, 1986 |pages=733–35 |doi=10.1038/320733a0 |issue=6064 |bibcode=1986Natur.320..733S |s2cid=4043371}}</ref> but this is now known to be a misidentification.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Guichard, F |year=1993 |title=Tephra from the Minoan eruption of Santorini in sediments of the Black Sea |journal=Nature |volume=363 |issue=6430 |pages=610–12 |doi=10.1038/363610a0 |bibcode=1993Natur.363..610G|display-authors=1 |last2=Carey |first2=S. |last3=Arthur |first3=M. A. |last4=Sigurdsson |first4=H. |last5=Arnold |first5=M. |s2cid=4361493}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Liritzis I, Michael C, Galloway RB |year=1996 |title=A significant Aegean volcanic eruption during the second millennium BC revealed by thermoluminescence dating |journal=Geoarchaeology |volume=11 |pages=361–71 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1520-6548(199607)11:4<361::AID-GEA4>3.0.CO;2-# |issue=4}}</ref>
Elsewhere in the Mediterranean are pumice deposits that could have been sent by the Thera eruption. Ash layers in cores drilled from the seabed and from lakes in [[Turkey]] show that the heaviest ashfall was towards the east and northeast of [[Santorini]]. The ash found on Crete is now known to have been from a precursory phase of the eruption, some weeks or months before the main eruptive phases, and it would have had little impact on the island.<ref name="Keenan">{{cite journal |last=Keenan |first=Douglas J. |year=2003 |title=Volcanic ash retrieved from the GRIP ice core is not from Thera |url=http://www.informath.org/pubs/G^303a.pdf |journal=Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |volume=4 |issue=11 |pages=1097 |bibcode=2003GGG.....4....1K |doi=10.1029/2003GC000608 |id=1525-2027 |access-date=2011-04-24 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Santorini ash deposits were at one time claimed to have been found in the [[Nile delta]],<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Stanley, DJ |author2=Sheng, H|name-list-style=amp |year=1986 |title=Volcanic shards from Santorini (Upper Minoan ash) in the Nile Delta, Egypt |journal=Nature |volume=320, 1986 |pages=733–35 |doi=10.1038/320733a0 |issue=6064 |bibcode=1986Natur.320..733S |s2cid=4043371}}</ref> but this is now known to be a misidentification.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Guichard, F |year=1993 |title=Tephra from the Minoan eruption of Santorini in sediments of the Black Sea |journal=Nature |volume=363 |issue=6430 |pages=610–12 |doi=10.1038/363610a0 |bibcode=1993Natur.363..610G|display-authors=1 |last2=Carey |first2=S. |last3=Arthur |first3=M. A. |last4=Sigurdsson |first4=H. |last5=Arnold |first5=M. |s2cid=4361493}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Liritzis I, Michael C, Galloway RB |year=1996 |title=A significant Aegean volcanic eruption during the second millennium BC revealed by thermoluminescence dating |journal=Geoarchaeology |volume=11 |pages=361–71 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1520-6548(199607)11:4<361::AID-GEA4>3.0.CO;2-# |issue=4}}</ref>


==Eruption dating==
==Eruption dating==
The Minoan eruption is an important [[marker horizon]] for the [[Bronze Age]] chronology of the Eastern Mediterranean realm. It provides a fixed point for aligning the entire chronology of the second millennium BCE in the Aegean, as evidence of the eruption is found throughout the region. Ten Minoan [[Linear A]] inscriptions have been found in the destruction layer at Thera, 5 vases, 2 ostraka, and 3 clay tablet fragments, the inscriptions are dated to Middle Minoan III/Late Minoan I, which is currently placed at circa 1600 BCE.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bennett |first1=Simon M. |first2=Gareth A. |last2=Owens |title=The Dating of the Linear A Inscriptions from Thera |journal=Kadmos |volume=38 |issue=1–2 |year=1999 |pages=12–18 |doi= 10.1515/kadm.1999.38.1-2.12|s2cid=161083480 }}</ref> Despite the evidence, the exact date of the eruption has been difficult to determine. Some archaeologists supported a 17th century BCE date, and others on historical grounds, a date of approximately 1500&nbsp;BCE.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sivertsen |first=Barbara J. |year=2011 |chapter=The Minoan Eruption |title=The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Story of Exodus |publisher=Princeton University Press |pages=23, 24 |chapter-url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Parting_of_the_Sea/Rvd1DwEACAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA23&printsec=frontcover |via=Google Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Warren P.M. |title=Timelines: Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 149) |veditors=Czerny E, Hein I, Hunger H, Melman D, Schwab A |publisher=Peeters |location=Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium |year=2006 |pages=2: 305–21 |isbn=90-429-1730-X}}</ref>
The Minoan eruption is an important [[marker horizon]] for the [[Bronze Age]] chronology of the Eastern Mediterranean realm. It provides a fixed point for aligning the entire chronology of the second millennium BCE in the Aegean, as evidence of the eruption is found throughout the region. Yet, archaeological dating based on [[Sequence dating|typological sequencing]] and the well-established [[Egyptian chronology]] is significantly younger than the radiocarbon age of Minoan eruption, by roughly a century. This massive age discrepancy results a fierce debate about whether there is an upheaval in the archaeological synchronization between the Aegean and Egypt.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/820828357 |title=Time's up! : dating the Minoan eruption of Santorini : acts of the Minoan eruption chronology workshop, Sandbjerg November 2007, initiated by Jan Heinemeier & Walter L. Friedrich |date=2009 |publisher=Danish Institute at Athens |others=Walter L. Friedrich, Jan Heinemeier, David Warburton |isbn=978-87-7934-652-9 |location=Athens |oclc=820828357}}</ref>


=== Archaeology ===
Many archaeologists considered the eruption to have occurred sometime between 1570 and 1500 BCE based on written records from Egypt and pottery found in excavations,<ref>{{cite web |publisher=University of Arizona |date=August 15, 2018 |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180815141326.htm |title=Dating the ancient Minoan eruption of Thera using tree rings |work=Science Daily |quote=Archeologists have estimated the eruption as occurring sometime between 1570 and 1500 BC by using human artifacts such as written records from Egypt and pottery retrieved from digs. }}</ref> or specifically 1530–1500 BCE.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |year=2022 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0274835 |title=Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=17 |issue=9 |pages=e0274835 |pmid=36126026 |pmc=9488803 |bibcode=2022PLoSO..1774835M |quote=A date range of ~1530–1500 BCE remains the ‘conventional’ date for the Thera eruption...At a minimum, several authors categorically state that the eruption must be placed after the start of the Egyptian New Kingdom (stated as after ~1550 BCE...) |doi-access=free }}</ref> Radiocarbon dates, including analysis of an [[olive|olive branch]] buried beneath a lava flow from the volcano that gave a date between 1627&nbsp;BCE and 1600&nbsp;BCE (95% [[credible interval]]), suggested an eruption date more than a century earlier than proposed by archaeologists who supported a date close to 1500 BCE.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Friedrich |first1=Walter L |author2=Kromer, B, Friedrich, M, Heinemeier, J, Pfeiffer, T, and Talamo, S |title=Santorini Eruption Radiocarbon Dated to 1627–1600 B.C. |journal=Science |volume=312 |issue=5773 |page=548 |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science |year=2006 |doi=10.1126/science.1125087 |access-date=2007-03-10 |pmid=16645088 |s2cid=35908442 |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;312/5773/548}}</ref><ref name="Manning">{{cite journal |last1=Manning |first1=Sturt W. |display-authors=1 |last2=Ramsey |first2=C. B. |last3=Kutschera |first3=W. |last4=Higham |first4=T. |last5=Kromer |first5=B. |last6=Steier |first6=P. |last7=Wild |first7=E. M. |title=Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700–1400 B.C. |journal=Science |volume=312 |issue=5773 |pages=565–69 |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science |year=2006 |doi=10.1126/science.1125682 |pmid=16645092 |bibcode=2006Sci...312..565M |s2cid=21557268 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |first=S. W. |last=Manning |contribution=Clarifying the "high" v. "low" Aegean/Cypriot chronology for the mid second millennium BC: assessing the evidence, interpretive frameworks, and current state of the debate |title=The Synchronisation of Civilisations in the Eastern Mediterranean in the Second Millennium B.C. III. Proceedings of the SCIEM 2000 – 2nd EuroConference, Vienna 28 May – 1 June 2003|editor1-first=M|editor1-last=Bietak |place=Vienna, Austria |pages=101–37 |year=2003|contribution-url=http://dendro.cornell.edu/articles/manning2007a.pdf |editor2=Czerny E}}</ref> Thus, the radiocarbon dates and the archaeological dates were in substantial disagreement.<ref>{{cite journal |title=New Carbon Dates Support Revised History of Ancient Mediterranean |author=Balter, M |journal=Science |volume=312 |issue=5773 |year=2006 |pages=508–09 |doi=10.1126/science.312.5773.508 |pmid=16645054 |s2cid=26804444}}</ref> Later on, it was suggested that there may have been regional variations in the [[calibration curve]] which might alter a date by up to 20 years.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1073/pnas.1719420115 |first1=Sturt W. |last1=Manning |display-authors=1 |first2=Carol |last2=Griggs |first3=Brita |last3=Lorentzen |first4=Christopher Bronk |last4=Ramsey |first5=David |last5=Chivall |first6=A. J. Timothy |last6=Jull |first7=Todd E. |last7=Lange |title=Fluctuating radiocarbon offsets observed in the southern Levant and implications for archaeological chronology debates |journal=PNAS |volume=115 |issue=24 |pages=6141–46 |year=2018 |pmid=29844183 |pmc=6004441 |bibcode=2018PNAS..115.6141M |doi-access=free }}</ref> Various recalibrations in the years after moved the [[posterior probability]] to around 1617 to 1601 (68.3% credible interval), pointing out that "a date for the Thera eruption after c. 1543/1538 BCE remains improbable,"<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-69287-2 |last1=Manning |first1=Sturt W. |display-authors=1 |first2=Lukas |last2=Wacker |first3=Ulf |last3=Büntgen |title=Radiocarbon offsets and old world chronology as relevant to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia and Thera (Santorini) |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |year=2020 |pages=1–14 |pmid=32807792 |pmc=7431540 |bibcode=2020NatSR..1013785M }}</ref> and later to "~1606–1589 BCE (68.3% [[Highest posterior density interval|hpd interval]]), ~1609–1560 BCE (95.4% hpd interval)" after combining radiocarbon data with stratigraphic data. This would place it during the [[Second Intermediate Period of Egypt]] and time of the [[Hyksos]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Manning |first=S. W. |year=2022 |title=Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=17 |issue=9 |at=e0274835 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0274835 |pmid=36126026 |pmc=9488803 |bibcode=2022PLoSO..1774835M |doi-access=free }}</ref>
Archaeologists developed the Late Bronze Age chronologies of eastern [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] cultures by analyzing [[Style (visual arts)#Style in archaeology|design styles]] of artifacts found in each archaeological layer.<ref name="Warren">{{cite book |author=Warren PM |url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/summaryofevidencefortheabsolutechronologyoftheearlypartoftheaegeanlatebronzeagederivedfromhistoricalegyptiansources |title=Summary of Evidence for the Absolute Chronology of the Early Part of the Aegean Late Bronze Age Derived from Historical Egyptian Sources in: Thera and the Aegean World III, Hardy, DA (ed) |publisher=The Thera Foundation |year=1989 |isbn=0-9506133-6-3 |pages=24–26 |access-date=2007-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321114002/http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/summaryofevidencefortheabsolutechronologyoftheearlypartoftheaegeanlatebronzeagederivedfromhistoricalegyptiansources |archive-date=2007-03-21 |url-status=dead}}</ref> If the type of artifacts can be accurately assigned, then the layer's position in a chronological order can be determined. This is known as [[sequence dating]] or [[Seriation (archaeology)|seriation]]. In Aegean chronology, however, frequent exchange of objects and styles enables relative chronology be compared with absolute chronology of Egypt, so absolute dates could be determined in Aegean.


Since Minoan eruption has been conclusively placed the in late/end [[Minoan chronology|Late Minoan IA]] (LM-IA) in the Crete chronology, late/end [[Helladic chronology|Late Helladic I]] (LH-I) in the mainland chronology,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Warren |first=Peter |date=1984 |title=Archaeology: Absolute dating of the Bronze Age eruption of Thera (Santorini) |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/308492a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=308 |issue=5959 |pages=492–493 |doi=10.1038/308492a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Peter |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/21759588 |title=Aegean Bronze Age chronology |date=1989 |publisher=Bristol Classical Press |others=Vronwy Hankey |isbn=0-906515-67-X |location=Bedminster, Bristol |oclc=21759588}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pichler |first=Hans |last2=Schiering |first2=Wolfgang |date=1977 |title=The Thera eruption and Late Minoan-IB destructions on Crete |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/267819a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=267 |issue=5614 |pages=819–822 |doi=10.1038/267819a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref> the contention is what Egyptian period was contemporaneous with LM-IA and LM-IB. Decades of intensive archaeological work and [[Seriation (archaeology)|seriation]] on Crete in the last century had confidently correlated the late LM-IA with [[Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt|Dynasty XVIII]] in Egypt and the end of LM-IA at the start of [[Thutmose III]].<ref name=":2" /> Stone vessels discovered in the [[Shaft tomb|Shaft Graves]] in LH-I are also of [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]] type. Multiple archaeological sites of Theran pumice workshop used by the local inhabitants are only found in the New Kingdom strata. A milk bowl on Santorini used before volcanic eruption has pottery style of only that of New Kingdom.<ref name=":1" /> Egyptian inscription on the [[Tempest Stele|Ahmose Tempest Stele]] recorded an extraordinary cataclysm resembling the Minoan eruption.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ritner |first=Robert K. |last2=Moeller |first2=Nadine |date=2014-04-01 |title=The Ahmose ‘Tempest Stela’, Thera and Comparative Chronology |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/675069 |journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1086/675069 |issn=0022-2968}}</ref> Taken together, the archaeological evidence points to an eruption date after the accession of [[Ahmose I]]. The year of accession based on well-established conventional Egyptian chronology and radiocarbon-based chronology are 1550 BCE<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shaw |first=Ian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/743803162 |title=The Oxford history of ancient Egypt |date=2003 |publisher=Oxford University Press |others= |isbn=978-0-19-159059-7 |edition=1st |location=Oxford |oclc=743803162}}</ref> and 1570–1544 BCE (IntCal04)<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ramsey |first=Christopher Bronk |last2=Dee |first2=Michael W. |last3=Rowland |first3=Joanne M. |last4=Higham |first4=Thomas F. G. |last5=Harris |first5=Stephen A. |last6=Brock |first6=Fiona |last7=Quiles |first7=Anita |last8=Wild |first8=Eva M. |last9=Marcus |first9=Ezra S. |last10=Shortland |first10=Andrew J. |date=2010-06-18 |title=Radiocarbon-Based Chronology for Dynastic Egypt |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1189395 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=328 |issue=5985 |pages=1554–1557 |doi=10.1126/science.1189395 |issn=0036-8075}}</ref> or 1569–1548 BCE (IntCal20)<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |last2=Wacker |first2=Lukas |last3=Büntgen |first3=Ulf |last4=Bronk Ramsey |first4=Christopher |last5=Dee |first5=Michael W. |last6=Kromer |first6=Bernd |last7=Lorentzen |first7=Brita |last8=Tegel |first8=Willy |date=2020-08-17 |title=Radiocarbon offsets and old world chronology as relevant to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia and Thera (Santorini) |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69287-2 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=13785 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-69287-2 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref>. The massive archaeological evidence argues for a Theran eruption date between circa 1550–1480 BCE.<ref>{{Citation |last=Wiener |first=Malcolm H. |title=Dating the Theran Eruption: Archaeological Science Versus Nonsense Science |date=2015 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-04768-3_10 |work=Israel's Exodus in Transdisciplinary Perspective |pages=131–143 |editor-last=Levy |editor-first=Thomas E. |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-04768-3_10 |isbn=978-3-319-04767-6 |access-date=2023-01-19 |editor2-last=Schneider |editor2-first=Thomas |editor3-last=Propp |editor3-first=William H.C.}}</ref>
Meanwhile, the olive branch dating was reevaluated in 2021, noting a [[Multimodal distribution|bimodality]] of the probability distribution for the eruption date, with 62.5% probability assigned to the 1625–1600 BCE range and further 5.8% probability to 1574–1567 BCE.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Yael |first2=Lior |last2=Regev |first3=Elisabetta |last3=Boaretto |year=2021 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-79024-4 |title=Discovery of annual growth in a modern olive branch based on carbon isotopes and implications for the Bronze Age volcanic eruption of Santorini |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=11 |issue=704 |page=704 |pmid=33436660 |pmc=7804959 |quote=...we have shown that nearly 30 years were masked in the last 1.5 cm of the wood radius. }}</ref> Also in 2021, a [[tsunami deposit]] from [[Letoon]] was dated, also by carbon-14, to after 1633 BCE but before 1345 BCE.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1002/jqs.3314 |title=Volcanic ash and tsunami record of the Minoan Late Bronze Age Eruption (Santorini) in a distal setting, southwestern Turkey |year=2021 |last1=Aydar |first1=Erkan |display-authors=1 |last2=Çi̇Ner |first2=Attila |last3=Ersoy |first3=Orkun |last4=Écochard |first4=Emilie |last5=Fouache |first5=Eric G. |journal=Journal of Quaternary Science |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=586–597 |bibcode=2021JQS....36..586A|s2cid=235554972 }}</ref> Concurrently, another study reported the finding of skeletons of a young man and a dog in Late Bronze Age site near [[Çeşme]], which were dubbed the first victims of the Thera eruption who have ever been unearthed. 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.<ref name="auto1">{{cite journal |last1=Sahoglu |first1=Vasif |display-authors=1 |first2=Johannes H. |last2=Sterba |first3=Timor |last3=Katz |year=2021 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2114213118 |title=Volcanic ash, victims, and tsunami debris from the Late Bronze Age Thera eruption discovered at Çeşme-Bağlararası (Turkey) |journal=PNAS |volume=119 |issue=1 |pmid=34969845 |pmc=8740722 |at=e2114213118 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="auto">Yirka, Bob, (December 29, 2021). [https://phys.org/news/2021-12-skeleton-young-ancient-tsunami-turkish.html?deviceType=desktop "Skeleton of young man killed by ancient tsunami found on Turkish coast"], in Phys.org.</ref>


Proponents of earlier date dispute that Aegean-Egypt pottery correlation allows considerable flexibility. Several other archaeological interpretations of LM-IA and LM-IB pottery differ from the "traditional" and could be consistent with a much earlier beginning time for LM-IA and LM-IB.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt |date=1988-06-01 |title=The Bronze Age Eruption of Thera: Absolute Dating, Aegean Chronology and Mediterranean Culture Interrelations |url=https://journal.equinoxpub.com/JMA/article/view/677 |journal=Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=17–82 |doi=10.1558/jmea.v1i1.17 |issn=1743-1700}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Betancourt |first=P. P. |last2=Michael |first2=H. N. |date=1987 |title=DATING THE AEGEAN LATE BRONZE AGE WITH RADIOCARBON: ADDENDUM |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-4754.1987.tb00413.x |journal=Archaeometry |language=en |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=212–213 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4754.1987.tb00413.x |issn=0003-813X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kemp |first=Barry J. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/7506121 |title=Minoan pottery in second millennium Egypt |date=1980 |publisher=P. von Zabern |others=R. S. Merrillees, Elmar Edel, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut. Abteilung Kairo |isbn=3-8053-0429-3 |location=Mainz am Rhein |oclc=7506121}}</ref> Pottery synchronisms was also assessed to be less secure before the [[Amenhotep III|LM-IIIAI/Amenhotep III]] period.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cadogan |first=G. |date=1978 |title=DATING THE AEGEAN BRONZE AGE WITHOUT RADIOCARBON |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-4754.1978.tb00234.x |journal=Archaeometry |language=en |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=209–214 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4754.1978.tb00234.x |issn=0003-813X}}</ref> Pumice in workshop and inscription on Tempest Stele have been argued to only reflect [[Terminus post quem|lower bound]] of eruption age. The date of production of pottery with Santorini milk bowl style in other regions has not been determined and could pre-date Minoan eruption. The chronology of stone vessel styles during this critical period is lacking.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Höflmayer |first=Felix |date=2012 |title=The Date of the Minoan Santorini Eruption: Quantifying the “Offset” |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200047196/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=54 |issue=3-4 |pages=435–448 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200047196 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |last2=Höflmayer |first2=Felix |last3=Moeller |first3=Nadine |last4=Dee |first4=Michael W. |last5=Ramsey |first5=Christopher Bronk |last6=Fleitmann |first6=Dominik |last7=Higham |first7=Thomas |last8=Kutschera |first8=Walter |last9=Wild |first9=Eva Maria |date=2014 |title=Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption: archaeological and scientific evidence supporting a high chronology |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/abs/dating-the-thera-santorini-eruption-archaeological-and-scientific-evidence-supporting-a-high-chronology/20C7B5878C0A05E29339AB60FAAE5302 |journal=Antiquity |language=en |volume=88 |issue=342 |pages=1164–1179 |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00115388 |issn=0003-598X}}</ref>
In 2012, Felix Höflmayer argued that archaeological evidence could be consistent with a date as early as 1570 BCE, reducing the discrepancy to around 50 years.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Felix |last=Höflmayer |title=The Date of the Minoan Santorini Eruption: Quantifying the "Offset" |journal=Radiocarbon |date=2012 |number=3–4 |volume=54 |page=444 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200047196|doi-access=free}}</ref> He reviewed the various archaeological and technical dating results to conclude:
"(1) Short-Lived Samples from Akrotiri (Thera)...resulting in a date between 1664 and 1651 cal BCE (20.1% probability) or between 1642 and 1616 cal BCE (48.1% probability);
(2) (Branch of an Olive Tree) A [[wiggle matching|wiggle-match]] for these 4 dates based on the published results indicates a date between 1621 and 1605 cal BCE (68.2% probability);
(3) (Palaikastro Tsunami Deposits) The result for this comes down to a possible date between 1657 and 1546 BCE (68.2% probability), in agreement with the data from the settlement of Akrotiri, the olive tree, and the sequence of Aegina Kolonna....:
(4) Cypriot White Slip pottery ..... provides no convincing argument against an eruption date of ~1600 BCE or shortly before."


=== Radiocarbon age ===
Conversely, the radiocarbon dates have been argued to be inaccurate on scientific grounds. That argument has been made, in particular, by [[Malcolm H. Wiener]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wiener |first1=M.H. |year=2014 |title=Radiocarbon dating of the Theran eruption |url=http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/arc/article/view/arc.2014.5265 |journal=Open Journal of Archaeometry |volume=2 |doi=10.4081/arc.2014.5265|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>Wiener M.H., [https://www.academia.edu/30140846/_M_H_Wiener_s_Reply_to_the_Papers_by_Manning_et_al_and_Friedrich_et_al_and_M_H_Wiener_s_Response_to_the_Friedrich_et_al_and_Manning_et_al_Responses_Tree_Rings_Kings_and_Old_World_Archaeology_and_Environment_Papers_Presented_in_Honor_of_Peter_Ian_Kuniholm_2009_pp_317_332 "M.H. Wiener's Reply to the Papers by Manning et al. and Friedrich et al." and "M.H. Wiener’s Response to the Friedrich et al. and Manning et al. Responses] ", ''Tree–Rings, Kings, and Old World Archaeology and Environment'' (editors&mdash;Manning S.W., Bruce M.J.) 317–32 (Oxbow Books, 2009).</ref><ref>Wiener M.H., "[https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/radiocarbon/article/download/16231/16085 Problems in the measurement, calibration, analysis and communication of radiocarbon dates (with special reference to the prehistory of the Aegean World)]", ''Radiocarbon'', 54: 423–34 (2012).</ref> The primary problem is that <sup>14</sup>C-deficient carbon, sourced from the environment, might easily have affected the radiocarbon dates. Sturt W. Manning rejects that view and states that a volcanic carbon dioxide effect does not apply to the dates of Thera eruption.<ref>Manning, Sturt W., (2022). [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274835 "Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications"], in: PLOS ONE, September 20, 2022, Results: "Therefore, overall, we may regard the available dates from the Thera VDL as representative and not affected by any substantive volcanic [carbon dioxide] effect..."</ref>
[[Before present|Raw radiocarbon dates]] are not accurate calendar years of the event and this has to do with the fact that the level of atmospheric radiocarbon fluctuates. Raw radiocarbon ages can be converted to calendar dates by means of [[Radiocarbon calibration|calibration curves]] which are periodically updated by international researchers. Derived calibrated calendar date ranges are highly dependent on how accurately calibration curve represents radiocarbon levels for the time period. As of 2022, the most updated calibration curve is IntCal20.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Reimer |first=Paula J |last2=Austin |first2=William E N |last3=Bard |first3=Edouard |last4=Bayliss |first4=Alex |last5=Blackwell |first5=Paul G |last6=Bronk Ramsey |first6=Christopher |last7=Butzin |first7=Martin |last8=Cheng |first8=Hai |last9=Edwards |first9=R Lawrence |last10=Friedrich |first10=Michael |last11=Grootes |first11=Pieter M |last12=Guilderson |first12=Thomas P |last13=Hajdas |first13=Irka |last14=Heaton |first14=Timothy J |last15=Hogg |first15=Alan G |date=2020 |title=The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curve (0–55 cal kBP) |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822220000417/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=725–757 |doi=10.1017/RDC.2020.41 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref> Early radiocarbon dates in the 1970s with calibration were already showing massive age disagreement and were initially discarded as unreliable by the archaeological community.<ref name=":4" /> In the following decades, the range of possible eruption date narrowed significantly with improved calibration, analytical precision, statistical method and sample treatment. Radiocarbon dating has built a strong case for an eruption date in the late 17th–century BC. The table below summarizes the history and results of radiocarbon dating of volcanic destruction layer with pre–2018 calibration curves:
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of radiocarbon dates with calibration curve published before 2018
!
!Calibrated date, 2σ
!Calibration
!Sample context and statistical method
|-
|Hammer et. al., 1987<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Hammer |first=C. U. |last2=Clausen |first2=H. B. |last3=Friedrich |first3=W. L. |last4=Tauber |first4=H. |date=1987 |title=The Minoan eruption of Santorini in Greece dated to 1645 BC? |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/328517a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=328 |issue=6130 |pages=517–519 |doi=10.1038/328517a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref>
|1675–1525 BCE
|Pearson and Stuiver, 1986 <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stuiver |first=Minze |last2=Pearson |first2=Gordon W |date=1986 |title=High-Precision Calibration of the Radiocarbon Time Scale, AD 1950–500 BC |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200060161/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=28 |issue=2B |pages=805–838 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200060161 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|Weighted average of 13 samples from volcanic destruction layer at [[Akrotiri (prehistoric city)|Akrotiri]] (VDL)
|-
|Ramsey et. al., 2004<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bronk Ramsey |first=Christopher |last2=Manning |first2=Sturt W |last3=Galimberti |first3=Mariagrazia |date=2004 |title=Dating the Volcanic Eruption at Thera |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200039631/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=325–344 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200039631 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|1663–1599 BCE
|INTCAL98<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stuiver |first=Minze |last2=Reimer |first2=Paula J. |last3=Bard |first3=Edouard |last4=Beck |first4=J. Warren |last5=Burr |first5=G. S. |last6=Hughen |first6=Konrad A. |last7=Kromer |first7=Bernd |last8=McCormac |first8=Gerry |last9=Van Der Plicht |first9=Johannes |last10=Spurk |first10=Marco |date=1998 |title=INTCAL98 Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 24,000–0 cal BP |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200019123/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=1041–1083 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200019123 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
|-
|Manning et. al., 2006<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |last2=Ramsey |first2=Christopher Bronk |last3=Kutschera |first3=Walter |last4=Higham |first4=Thomas |last5=Kromer |first5=Bernd |last6=Steier |first6=Peter |last7=Wild |first7=Eva M. |date=2006-04-28 |title=Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C. |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1125682 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=312 |issue=5773 |pages=565–569 |doi=10.1126/science.1125682 |issn=0036-8075}}</ref>
|1683–1611 BCE
|IntCal04<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |date=2004 |title=Intcal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200032999/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=46 |issue=3 |pages=1029–1058 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200032999 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
|-
|Friedrich et. al., 2006<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Friedrich |first=Walter L. |last2=Kromer |first2=Bernd |last3=Friedrich |first3=Michael |last4=Heinemeier |first4=Jan |last5=Pfeiffer |first5=Tom |last6=Talamo |first6=Sahra |date=2006-04-28 |title=Santorini Eruption Radiocarbon Dated to 1627-1600 B.C. |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1125087 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=312 |issue=5773 |pages=548–548 |doi=10.1126/science.1125087 |issn=0036-8075}}</ref>
|1627–1600 BCE
|IntCal04<ref name=":8" />
|[[Wiggle matching|Wiggle-matching]] of olive tree buried alive in pumice layer
|-
|Manning et. al., 2010<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W |last2=Kromer |first2=Bernd |last3=Bronk Ramsey |first3=Christopher |last4=Pearson |first4=Charlotte L |last5=Talamo |first5=Sahra |last6=Trano |first6=Nicole |last7=Watkins |first7=Jennifer D |date=2010 |title=14 C Record and Wiggle-Match Placement for the Anatolian (Gordion Area) Juniper Tree-Ring Chronology ~1729 to 751 Cal BC, and Typical Aegean/Anatolian (Growing Season Related) Regional 14 C Offset Assessment |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200056320/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=52 |issue=4 |pages=1571–1597 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200056320 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|1660–1611 BCE
|IntCal09<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |last=Reimer |first=P J |last2=Baillie |first2=M G L |last3=Bard |first3=E |last4=Bayliss |first4=A |last5=Beck |first5=J W |last6=Blackwell |first6=P G |last7=Bronk Ramsey |first7=C |last8=Buck |first8=C E |last9=Burr |first9=G S |last10=Edwards |first10=R L |last11=Friedrich |first11=M |last12=Grootes |first12=P M |last13=Guilderson |first13=T P |last14=Hajdas |first14=I |last15=Heaton |first15=T J |date=2009 |title=IntCal09 and Marine09 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves, 0–50,000 Years cal BP |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200034202/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=51 |issue=4 |pages=1111–1150 |doi=10.1017/S0033822200034202 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
|-
|Höflmayer et. al., 2012<ref name=":5" />
|1660–1602 BCE
1630–1600 BCE (2)
|IntCal09<ref name=":9" />
|Tau boundary function on 28 samples from VDL
Wiggle-matching of olive tree buried alive in VDL (2)
|-
|Pearson etl. al., 2018<ref name="Pearson2018">{{cite journal |last1=Pearson |first1=Charlotte L. |last2=Brewer |first2=Peter W. |last3=Brown |first3=David |last4=Heaton4 |first4=Timothy J. |last5=Hodgins |first5=Gregory W. L. |last6=Jull |first6=A. J. Timothy |last7=Lange |first7=Todd |last8=Salzer |first8=Matthew W. |display-authors=1 |year=2018 |title=Annual radiocarbon record indicates 16th century BCE date for the Thera eruption |journal=Science Advances |volume=4 |issue=8 |pages=eaar8241 |bibcode=2018SciA....4.8241P |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aar8241 |pmc=6093623 |pmid=30116779 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
|1664–1614 BCE
1646–1606 BCE (2)
1626–1605 BCE (3)
|IntCal13<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reimer |first=Paula J |last2=Bard |first2=Edouard |last3=Bayliss |first3=Alex |last4=Beck |first4=J Warren |last5=Blackwell |first5=Paul G |last6=Ramsey |first6=Christopher Bronk |last7=Buck |first7=Caitlin E |last8=Cheng |first8=Hai |last9=Edwards |first9=R Lawrence |last10=Friedrich |first10=Michael |last11=Grootes |first11=Pieter M |last12=Guilderson |first12=Thomas P |last13=Haflidason |first13=Haflidi |last14=Hajdas |first14=Irka |last15=Hatté |first15=Christine |date=2013 |title=IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822200048864/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=55 |issue=4 |pages=1869–1887 |doi=10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16947 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref>
|Weighted average of 28 samples from VDL
Tau boundary function on the 28 samples from VDL (2)
Wiggle-matching of olive tree buried alive in pumice layer (3)
|}
In 2018, a team led by tree ring scientist reported a possible offset of a few decades in the previous IntCal calibration curves during the period 1660–1540 BCE. The resulted new calibration curve allowed previous raw radiocarbon dates be calibrated to encompass a substantial part of 16th–century BC, making it possible for radiocarbon dates to be compatible with archaeological evidence.<ref name="Pearson2018" /> The measured offset was then confirmed by other laboratories across the world and incorporated into the most updated calibration curve IntCal20.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pearson |first=Charlotte |last2=Wacker |first2=Lukas |last3=Bayliss |first3=Alex |last4=Brown |first4=David |last5=Salzer |first5=Matthew |last6=Brewer |first6=Peter |last7=Bollhalder |first7=Silvia |last8=Boswijk |first8=Gretel |last9=Hodgins |first9=Gregory |date=2020 |title=Annual Variation in Atmospheric 14 C Between 1700 BC and 1480 BC |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822220000144/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=939–952 |doi=10.1017/RDC.2020.14 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Friedrich |first=Ronny |last2=Kromer |first2=Bernd |last3=Wacker |first3=Lukas |last4=Olsen |first4=Jesper |last5=Remmele |first5=Sabine |last6=Lindauer |first6=Susanne |last7=Land |first7=Alexander |last8=Pearson |first8=Charlotte |date=2020 |title=A New Annual 14 C Dataset for Calibrating the Thera Eruption |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822220000338/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=953–961 |doi=10.1017/RDC.2020.33 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kuitems |first=Margot |last2=van der Plicht |first2=Johannes |last3=Jansma |first3=Esther |date=2020 |title=Wood from the Netherlands around the Time of the Santorini Eruption Dated by Dendrochronology and Radiocarbon |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822220000235/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=963–967 |doi=10.1017/RDC.2020.23 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref> In the same year, study of [[Bomb pulse|bomb peak]] further questioned the validity of wiggle-matching of olive branch because the radiocarbon dates of outermost branch layer could differ by up to a few decades caused by growth cessation, then the olive branch could also pre-date Thera by decades.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ehrlich |first=Yael |last2=Regev |first2=Lior |last3=Boaretto |first3=Elisabetta |date=2018-08-09 |title=Radiocarbon analysis of modern olive wood raises doubts concerning a crucial piece of evidence in dating the Santorini eruption |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29392-9 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=11841 |doi=10.1038/s41598-018-29392-9 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref>


In 2020, speculation of regional offset specific to Mediterranean context in all calibration curves was reported based on measurements made on juniper wood at [[Gordion]]. If the regional offset is genuine, then calibration based on the regional dataset, Hd GOR, would place eruption date back to 17th–century.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |last2=Kromer |first2=Bernd |last3=Cremaschi |first3=Mauro |last4=Dee |first4=Michael W. |last5=Friedrich |first5=Ronny |last6=Griggs |first6=Carol |last7=Hadden |first7=Carla S. |date=2020-03-20 |title=Mediterranean radiocarbon offsets and calendar dates for prehistory |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaz1096 |journal=Science Advances |language=en |volume=6 |issue=12 |pages=eaaz1096 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aaz1096 |issn=2375-2548 |pmc=PMC7080444 |pmid=32206721}}</ref> Others have argued that these site-specific offsets are already incorporated into the IntCal20 prediction interval since it is constructed from a much wider range of locations and any locational variation is of similar magnitude to the inter-laboratory variation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bayliss |first=Alex |last2=Marshall |first2=Peter |last3=Dee |first3=Michael W |last4=Friedrich |first4=Michael |last5=Heaton |first5=Timothy J |last6=Wacker |first6=Lukas |date=2020 |title=IntCal20 Tree Rings: An Archaeological Swot Analysis |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033822220000776/type/journal_article |journal=Radiocarbon |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=1045–1078 |doi=10.1017/RDC.2020.77 |issn=0033-8222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pearson |first=Charlotte |last2=Salzer |first2=Matthew |last3=Wacker |first3=Lukas |last4=Brewer |first4=Peter |last5=Sookdeo |first5=Adam |last6=Kuniholm |first6=Peter |date=2020-08-04 |title=Reply to Manning: Dating of Gordion tree-ring sequence still stands within a year of 745 BC |url=https://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2007824117 |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=117 |issue=31 |pages=18159–18160 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2007824117 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=PMC7414178 |pmid=32753551}}</ref>
===Relative chronology===
Archaeologists developed the Late Bronze Age chronologies of eastern [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] cultures by analysing the origin of artifacts (for example, items from [[Crete]], mainland [[Greece]], [[Cyprus]] or [[Canaan]]) found in each archaeological layer.<ref name="Warren"/> If an artifact's origin can be accurately dated, it gives a reference date for the layer in which it is found. If the Thera eruption could be associated with a given layer of Cretan (or other) culture, chronologists could use the date of that layer to date the eruption itself. Since Thera's culture at the time of destruction was similar to the [[Minoan civilization|Late Minoan IA]] (LMIA) culture on Crete, LMIA is the baseline to establish chronology elsewhere. The eruption also aligns with [[Cycladic civilization|Late Cycladic I]] (LCI) and [[Late Helladic|Late Helladic I]] (LHI) cultures, but predates [[Peloponnesian]] LHI.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lolos |first=YG |year=1989 |url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/onthelatehelladiciofakrotirithera |title=On the Late Helladic I of Akrotiri, Thera |publisher=The Thera Foundation |access-date=2007-03-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313172340/http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/onthelatehelladiciofakrotirithera |archive-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> Archeological digs on Akrotiri have also yielded fragments of nine Syro-Palestinian [[Bronze Age|Middle Bronze II]] (MBII) [[gypsum]] vessels.<ref name="Warren">{{cite book |author=Warren PM |url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/summaryofevidencefortheabsolutechronologyoftheearlypartoftheaegeanlatebronzeagederivedfromhistoricalegyptiansources |title=Summary of Evidence for the Absolute Chronology of the Early Part of the Aegean Late Bronze Age Derived from Historical Egyptian Sources in: Thera and the Aegean World III, Hardy, DA (ed) |year=1989 |publisher=The Thera Foundation |pages=24–26 |access-date=2007-03-10 |isbn=0-9506133-6-3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321114002/http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/summaryofevidencefortheabsolutechronologyoftheearlypartoftheaegeanlatebronzeagederivedfromhistoricalegyptiansources |archive-date=2007-03-21}}</ref>


While the refined calibration curve IntCal20 does not rule out a 17th–century eruption date, it does shift the probable range of eruption date to include the majority of 16th–century BC, offering a way to at least mitigate the long-standing age disagreement. However, the exact year of eruption has not been settled. The table below summarizes the dating results:
The Aegean prehistorians felt so confident about their calculations that they rejected early [[radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon dates]] in the 1970s for LMI/LCI Thera, as radiocarbon suggested a date about a century earlier than the traditional dates.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Betancourt |first1=P.P. |year=1984 |title=Dating The Aegean Late Bronze Age with Radiocarbon |journal=Archaeometry |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=45–49 |url=http://www.informath.org/apprise/a4106/b300/c1987.pdf |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4754.1987.tb00396.x}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of volcanic destruction layer (VDL) radiocarbon dates with calibration curve published after 2018
!
!Calibrated date
!Calibration
!Sample context and statistical method
|-
|Manning et. al., 2020<ref name=":10" />
|1663–1612 BCE (87.5%)
|Hd GOR<ref name=":3" />
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
|-
|Manning et. al., 2020<ref name=":3" />
|1619–1596 BCE (64.7%)
1576–1545 BCE (22.9%)
|IntCal20<ref name=":6" />
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
|-
|Şahoğlu et. al., 2022<ref name="auto1">{{cite journal |last1=Sahoglu |first1=Vasif |last2=Sterba |first2=Johannes H. |last3=Katz |first3=Timor |display-authors=1 |year=2021 |title=Volcanic ash, victims, and tsunami debris from the Late Bronze Age Thera eruption discovered at Çeşme-Bağlararası (Turkey) |journal=PNAS |volume=119 |issue=1 |at=e2114213118 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2114213118 |pmc=8740722 |pmid=34969845 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
|1612–1573 BCE (19.4%)
1565–1501 BCE (76.1%)
|IntCal20<ref name=":6" />
|The youngest sample near victims from Theran tsunami layer at [[Çeşme]]
|-
|Ehrlich et al., 2021<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ehrlich |first=Yael |last2=Regev |first2=Lior |last3=Boaretto |first3=Elisabetta |date=2021-01-12 |title=Discovery of annual growth in a modern olive branch based on carbon isotopes and implications for the Bronze Age volcanic eruption of Santorini |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79024-4 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=704 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-79024-4 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref>
|1624–1528 BCE
|IntCal20<ref name=":6" />
|Eight scenarios of olive wood growth to account for possible growth cessation
|-
|Manning, 2022<ref name=":11">{{cite journal |last=Manning |first=S. W. |year=2022 |title=Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=17 |issue=9 |at=e0274835 |bibcode=2022PLoSO..1774835M |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0274835 |pmc=9488803 |pmid=36126026 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
|1609–1560 BCE (95.4%)
|IntCal20<ref name=":6" />
|Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption but more comprehensive to include samples from VDL, tsunami and distal fallout from across southern Aegean region
|}


=== Ice cores, tree rings and speleothems ===
Pumice, several hundred large pieces, found in a palace workshop of [[Tuthmosis III]] (1479 – 1425 BCE) at [[Avaris|Tell el Dab'a]] in Egypt that matches the composition of the Thera eruption has been dated to 1540 BCE, closer to the traditionally-accepted date of Thera's eruption.<ref name="Schofield">{{cite book |last1=Schofield |first1=Louise |year=2007 |title=The Mycenaeans |page=69}}</ref> This pumice has been contentious since the 1990s, as it represents the most prominent supported date to differ from the old chronology. More recent research has questioned the radiocarbon dating.<ref>Hagens, Graham. “RADIOCARBON CHRONOLOGY FOR DYNASTIC EGYPT AND THE TELL EL DAB'A DEBATE: A REGIONAL HYPOTHESIS.” Ägypten Und Levante / Egypt and the Levant, vol. 24, 2014, pp. 171–88</ref>
An eruption of Theran magnitude is expected to leave detectable signal in various environmental records like [[ice core]] and [[Dendroclimatology|tree ring]]. Petrologic constraints on Minoan magma yields a range of 0.3–35.9 trillion grams of sulfur release. The higher end of the estimate could cause severe [[Volcanic winter|climatic change]] and leave detectable signals in ice cores and tree rings.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cadoux |first=Anita |last2=Scaillet |first2=Bruno |last3=Bekki |first3=Slimane |last4=Oppenheimer |first4=Clive |last5=Druitt |first5=Timothy H. |date=2015-07-24 |title=Stratospheric Ozone destruction by the Bronze-Age Minoan eruption (Santorini Volcano, Greece) |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12243 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=12243 |doi=10.1038/srep12243 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref> Notably, [[Dendrochronology|tree ring dating]] allows extremely precise dating to the exact calendar year of each ring with virtually no age uncertainty, and from properties of the annual tree rings [[Dendroclimatology|local climate record could be reconstructed]] down to sub-annual precision.


In 1987, a major Greenland sulfate spike in 1644 ± 20 BCE in ice core chronology was hypothesized to be caused by Minoan eruption based on the early radiocarbon results of Hammer et. al.<ref name=":7" /> In 1988, a major environmental disruption and extreme global-cooling/forst-ring in 1627 ± 0 BCE were also revealed through precisely dated frost-ring and too were hypothesized to be related to Minoan eruption.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Baillie |first=M. G. L. |last2=Munro |first2=M. a. R. |date=1988 |title=Irish tree rings, Santorini and volcanic dust veils |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/332344a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=332 |issue=6162 |pages=344–346 |doi=10.1038/332344a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grudd |first=Håkan |last2=Briffa |first2=Keith R. |last3=Gunnarson |first3=Björn E. |last4=Linderholm |first4=Hans W. |date=2000-09-15 |title=Swedish tree rings provide new evidence in support of a major, widespread environmental disruption in 1628 BC |url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1029/1999GL010852 |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |language=en |volume=27 |issue=18 |pages=2957–2960 |doi=10.1029/1999GL010852}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kuniholm |first=Peter Ian |last2=Kromer |first2=Bernd |last3=Manning |first3=Sturt W. |last4=Newton |first4=Maryanne |last5=Latini |first5=Christine E. |last6=Bruce |first6=Mary Jaye |date=1996 |title=Anatolian tree rings and the absolute chronology of the eastern Mediterranean, 2220–718 BC |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/381780a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=381 |issue=6585 |pages=780–783 |doi=10.1038/381780a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref>
===Ice cores and tree rings===
[[Greenland]] [[ice core]]s were believed to be evidence of a large volcanic eruption in 1642&nbsp;±&nbsp;5&nbsp;BCE, which was suggested as being associated with Santorini.<ref name="Vinther">{{cite journal |last1=Vinther |first1=Bo M. |author2=H. B. Clausen, S. J. Johnsen, S. O. Rasmussen, K. K. Andersen, S. L. Buchardt, [[Dorthe Dahl-Jensen|D. Dahl-Jensen]], I. K. Seierstad, M-L. Siggaard-Andersen, J. P. Steffensen, A. Svensson, J. Olsen, J. Heinemeier |title=A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research |volume=111 |issue=D13 |pages=D13102 |year=2006 |doi=10.1029/2005JD006921 |bibcode=2006JGRD..11113102V|doi-access=free}}</ref> However, volcanic ash retrieved from an ice core did not match the expected Santorini fingerprint.<ref name="Keenan">{{cite journal |last=Keenan |first=Douglas J. |title=Volcanic ash retrieved from the GRIP ice core is not from Thera |journal=Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |volume=4 |issue=11 |pages=1097 |year=2003 |url=http://www.informath.org/pubs/G^303a.pdf |doi=10.1029/2003GC000608 |id=1525-2027 |access-date=2011-04-24 |bibcode=2003GGG.....4....1K|doi-access=free}}</ref> The late Holocene eruption of [[Mount Aniakchak]], a volcano in [[Alaska]], is now considered to be the source of the minute shards of volcanic glass in the Greenland ice core.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Pearce, N. J. G., J. A. Westgate, S. J. Preece, W. J. Eastwood, and W. T. Perkins |year=2004 |title=Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini |journal=Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. |volume=5 |doi=10.1029/2003GC000672 |pages=Q03005 |bibcode=2004GGG.....5.3005P |issue=3|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Coulter |first1=Sarah E. |last2=Pilcher |first2=Jonathan R. |last3=Plunkett |first3=Gill |last4=Baillie |first4=Mike |last5=Hall |first5=Valerie A. |last6=Steffensen |first6=J. P. |last7=Vinther |first7=Bo M. |last8=Clausen |first8=Henrik B. |last9=Johnsen |first9=Sigfus J. |year=2012 |title=Holocene tephras highlight complexity of volcanic signals in Greenland ice cores |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research |volume=117 |issue=D21 |pages=n/a |doi=10.1029/2012JD017698 |bibcode=2012JGRD..11721303C|doi-access=free}}</ref> McAneney and Baillie argue that there is a chronological error in the Greenland ice core dates with ice core dates being 14 years too old, concluding Aniakchak's eruption occurred actually in 1627 BCE.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McAneney |first1=Jonny |last2=Baillie |first2=Mike |date=2019 |title=Absolute tree-ring dates for the Late Bronze Age eruptions of Aniakchak and Thera in light of a proposed revision of ice-core chronologies |journal=Antiquity |volume=93 |issue=367 |pages=99–112 |doi=10.15184/aqy.2018.165|doi-access=free}}</ref>


Archaeologists who preferred late 16th–century BC eruption date were neither convinced by the 1644 ± 20 BCE sulfate spike nor by the 1627 BCE frost-ring because evidence of causality between the two events and Minoan eruption was absent.<ref name=":2" />
Another method that has been used to establish the date of eruption is [[dendrochronology|tree-ring dating]]. Tree-ring data has shown that a large event interfering with normal tree growth in North America occurred during 1629–1628 (±65 years)&nbsp;BCE.<ref name="Baillie">{{cite web |last=Baillie, MGL |author-link=Mike Baillie |url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/irishtreeringandaneventin1628bc |title=Irish Tree Rings and an Event in 1628 BC |publisher=The Thera Foundation |year=1989 |access-date=2007-03-10}}</ref> Evidence of a climatic event around 1628&nbsp;BCE has been found in studies of growth depression of European [[oak]]s in Ireland and of [[Scotch pine]]s in Sweden.<ref name="Grudd">{{cite journal |author1=Grudd, H|author2=Briffa, KR |author3=Gunnarson, BE |author4=Linderholm, HW |title=Swedish tree rings provide new evidence in support of a major, widespread environmental disruption in 1628 BC |year=2000 |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |volume=27 |issue=18 |pages=2957–60 |doi=10.1029/1999GL010852 |bibcode=2000GeoRL..27.2957G|s2cid=129912286 }}</ref> [[Bristlecone pine]] frost rings also indicate a date of 1627&nbsp;BCE,<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Lamarche VC, Hirschboeck KK |title=Frost Rings in Trees as Records of Major Volcanic Eruptions |journal=Nature |volume=307 |pages=121–26 |year=1984 |doi=10.1038/307121a0 |issue=5947 |bibcode=1984Natur.307..121L |s2cid=4370382}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Hughes MK |title=Ice Layer Dating of the Eruption of Santorini |journal=Nature |volume=335 |pages=211–12 |year=1988 |doi=10.1038/335211b0 |issue=6187 |bibcode=1988Natur.335..211H |s2cid=11546512}}</ref> but McAneney and Baillie reaffirm that the eruption of Mount Aniakchak, and not Thera, may have been the cause of the climatic upset evidenced by northern hemisphere tree-rings around 1627 BCE.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McAneney |first1=Jonny |last2=Baillie |first2=Mike |date=2019 |title=Absolute tree-ring dates for the Late Bronze Age eruptions of Aniakchak and Thera in light of a proposed revision of ice-core chronologies |journal=Antiquity |volume=93 |issue=367 |pages=99–112 |doi=10.15184/aqy.2018.165|doi-access=free}}</ref>


Since 2003, multiple independent studies of major elements and trace elements of volcanic ash retrieved from the 1644 ± 20 BCE sulfate layer failed to match the ash to that of Santorini<ref name="Keenan" /> but all attributed the ash to another large eruption during this period, [[Mount Aniakchak]], thus ruling out Minoan eruption as the cause of the sulfate spike.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Pearce, N. J. G., J. A. Westgate, S. J. Preece, W. J. Eastwood, and W. T. Perkins |year=2004 |title=Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini |journal=Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=Q03005 |bibcode=2004GGG.....5.3005P |doi=10.1029/2003GC000672 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Coulter |first1=Sarah E. |last2=Pilcher |first2=Jonathan R. |last3=Plunkett |first3=Gill |last4=Baillie |first4=Mike |last5=Hall |first5=Valerie A. |last6=Steffensen |first6=J. P. |last7=Vinther |first7=Bo M. |last8=Clausen |first8=Henrik B. |last9=Johnsen |first9=Sigfus J. |year=2012 |title=Holocene tephras highlight complexity of volcanic signals in Greenland ice cores |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research |volume=117 |issue=D21 |pages=n/a |bibcode=2012JGRD..11721303C |doi=10.1029/2012JD017698 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Plunkett |first=Gill |last2=Pearce |first2=N. J. |last3=McConnell |first3=J. |last4=Pilcher |first4=Jonathan |last5=Sigl |first5=Michael |last6=Zhao |first6=Hongli |date=2017-10-01 |title=Trace element analysis of Late Holocene tephras from Greenland ice cores |url=https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/trace-element-analysis-of-late-holocene-tephras-from-greenland-ic |journal=Quaternary Newsletter |language=English |volume=143 |pages=10–20 |issn=0143-2826}}</ref><ref name="Pearson">{{cite journal |last1=Pearson |first1=Charlotte |last2=Sigl |first2=Michael |last3=Burke |first3=Andrea |last4=Davies |first4=Siwan |last5=Kurbatov |first5=Andrei |last6=Severi |first6=Mirko |last7=Cole-Dai |first7=Jihong |last8=Innes |first8=Helen |last9=Albert |first9=Paul G. |last10=Helmick |first10=Meredith |year=2022 |title=Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions |url=https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048/6575909?login=true |journal=PNAS Nexus |volume=1 |issue=2 |doi=10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048}}</ref> In 2019, revision of Greenland ice core chronology was proposed based on synchronization of frost-ring and major sulfate spike, and the revised date for Aniakchak eruption was shifted to 1628 BCE.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McAneney |first1=Jonny |last2=Baillie |first2=Mike |date=2019 |title=Absolute tree-ring dates for the Late Bronze Age eruptions of Aniakchak and Thera in light of a proposed revision of ice-core chronologies |journal=Antiquity |volume=93 |issue=367 |pages=99–112 |doi=10.15184/aqy.2018.165 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The Greenland ice core chronology offset was independently confirmed by other teams<ref name="Pearson" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sigl |first=Michael |last2=Toohey |first2=Matthew |last3=McConnell |first3=Joseph R. |last4=Cole-Dai |first4=Jihong |last5=Severi |first5=Mirko |date=2022-07-12 |title=Volcanic stratospheric sulfur injections and aerosol optical depth during the Holocene (past 11 500 years) from a bipolar ice-core array |url=https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/14/3167/2022/ |journal=Earth System Science Data |language=en |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages=3167–3196 |doi=10.5194/essd-14-3167-2022 |issn=1866-3516}}</ref> and adopted into Greenland Ice Core Chronology 2021 (GICC21).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sinnl |first=Giulia |last2=Winstrup |first2=Mai |last3=Erhardt |first3=Tobias |last4=Cook |first4=Eliza |last5=Jensen |first5=Camilla Marie |last6=Svensson |first6=Anders |last7=Vinther |first7=Bo Møllesøe |last8=Muscheler |first8=Raimund |last9=Rasmussen |first9=Sune Olander |date=2022-05-24 |title=A multi-ice-core, annual-layer-counted Greenland ice-core chronology for the last 3800 years: GICC21 |url=https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/18/1125/2022/ |journal=Climate of the Past |language=English |volume=18 |issue=5 |pages=1125–1150 |doi=10.5194/cp-18-1125-2022 |issn=1814-9324}}</ref> The 1627 BCE extreme global cooling is then conveniently explained by the major Aniakchak eruption without invoking Thera. An eruption date of 1627 BCE is also no longer supported by radiocarbon evidence with the most recent calibration curve IntCal20.<ref name="Pearson" />
A 2010 study has used radiocarbon levels in bristlecone pines and Irish oak dated from 1700 BCE to 1500 BCE to develop a new calibration curve which is more accurate for this period. It results in the Thera eruption being dated to between 1600 and 1525, a time period which overlaps with the 1570–1500 date range from the archaeological evidence.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180815141326.htm |title=Dating the ancient Minoan eruption of Thera using tree rings |work=University of Arizona press release |date=15 Aug 2018}}</ref><ref name=Pearson2018>{{cite journal |first1=Charlotte L. |last1=Pearson |first2=Peter W. |last2=Brewer |first3=David |last3=Brown |first4=Timothy J. |last4=Heaton4 |first5=Gregory W. L. |last5=Hodgins |first6=A. J. Timothy |last6=Jull |first7=Todd |last7=Lange |first8=Matthew W. |last8=Salzer|display-authors=1 |title=Annual radiocarbon record indicates 16th century BCE date for the Thera eruption |journal=Science Advances |year=2018 |volume=4 |issue=8 |pages=eaar8241 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aar8241|doi-access=free |pmid=30116779 |pmc=6093623 |bibcode=2018SciA....4.8241P}}</ref> Procedural changes in how ice cores are interpreted would bring that data more in line with the dendrochronological numbers.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Baillie MGL |title=Volcanoes, ice-cores and tree-rings: one story or two? |journal=Antiquity |volume=84 |pages=202–15 |year=2010 |issue=323 |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00099877 |s2cid=131670001}}</ref> Another study that has used the patterns of carbon-14 captured in the tree rings from [[Gordion]] and bristlecone pines in the North America found the signs of the eruption in the years around 1560 BCE.<ref>Phys.org, [https://phys.org/news/2020-03-tree-pin-thera-volcano-eruption.html Tree rings could pin down Thera volcano eruption date], March 30, 2020</ref>


In the light of much younger radiocarbon dates and revised ice core chronology, several possible ice core and tree ring signals in the 17th– and 16th–century have been proposed.<ref name="Pearson" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pearson |first=Charlotte |last2=Salzer |first2=Matthew |last3=Wacker |first3=Lukas |last4=Brewer |first4=Peter |last5=Sookdeo |first5=Adam |last6=Kuniholm |first6=Peter |date=2020-04-14 |title=Securing timelines in the ancient Mediterranean using multiproxy annual tree-ring data |url=https://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1917445117 |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=117 |issue=15 |pages=8410–8415 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1917445117 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=PMC7165418 |pmid=32229554}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last=Salzer |first=Matthew W. |last2=Hughes |first2=Malcolm K. |date=2007 |title=Bristlecone pine tree rings and volcanic eruptions over the last 5000 yr |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0033589400004749/type/journal_article |journal=Quaternary Research |language=en |volume=67 |issue=1 |pages=57–68 |doi=10.1016/j.yqres.2006.07.004 |issn=0033-5894}}</ref> The list below summarizes the tree ring and ice core signals that may have been caused by Minoan eruption:
A 2022 study using tree-ring and ice-core dating also ruled out the 1628 BCE ice core event as being the Thera eruption, confirming it is the result of the eruption of the Alaskan volcano Mount Aniakchak. The study results narrowed the possible dates of eruption in Thera to 1611 BCE, 1562–1555 BCE, and 1538 BCE.<ref name="Pearson">{{cite journal | url=https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048/6575909?login=true | title= Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions |journal=PNAS Nexus |year=2022 |volume=1 |issue=2 |last1=Pearson |first1=Charlotte |first2=Michael |last2=Sigl |first3=Andrea |last3=Burke |first4=Siwan |last4=Davies |first5=Andrei |last5=Kurbatov |first6=Mirko |last6=Severi |first7=Jihong |last7=Cole-Dai |first8=Helen |last8=Innes |first9=Paul G. |last9=Albert |first10=Meredith |last10=Helmick | doi= 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of Minoan eruption dates suggested by environmental anomalies
!Date
!Environmental context
!Records
!Ref
|-
|1681–1673 BCE
|Tree ring
|increases of sulfur, calcium, and rare earth elements in Mediterranean tree ring 857, possibly caused by volcanic eruption in this region
|<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |last2=Griggs |first2=Carol B. |last3=Lorentzen |first3=Brita |last4=Barjamovic |first4=Gojko |last5=Ramsey |first5=Christopher Bronk |last6=Kromer |first6=Bernd |last7=Wild |first7=Eva Maria |date=2016-07-13 |title=Integrated Tree-Ring-Radiocarbon High-Resolution Timeframe to Resolve Earlier Second Millennium BCE Mesopotamian Chronology |url=https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0157144 |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=11 |issue=7 |pages=e0157144 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0157144 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=PMC4943651 |pmid=27409585}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pearson |first=Charlotte L. |last2=Dale |first2=Darren S. |last3=Brewer |first3=Peter W. |last4=Kuniholm |first4=Peter I. |last5=Lipton |first5=Jeffrey |last6=Manning |first6=Sturt W. |date=2009-06-01 |title=Dendrochemical analysis of a tree-ring growth anomaly associated with the Late Bronze Age eruption of Thera |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440309000259 |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |language=en |volume=36 |issue=6 |pages=1206–1214 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2009.01.009 |issn=0305-4403}}</ref>
|-
|1654 BCE
|Ice core and tree ring
|one of largest sulfate spike recorded in Greenland in the last 4,000 years, estimated 50 trillion grams of sulfur; frost-damaged ring in 1653 BCE followed by ring-width minima in 1652 BCE
|<ref name="Pearson" /><ref name=":12" />
|-
|1649 BCE
|Tree ring
|ring-width minima
|<ref name=":12" />
|-
|1619 BCE
|Tree ring
|narrow ring
|<ref name=":12" />
|-
|1611 BCE
|Ice core
|sulfate spike, estimated 2–8 trillion grams of sulfur
|<ref name="Pearson" />
|-
|1597 BCE
|Tree ring
|ring-width minima
|<ref name=":12" />
|-
|1561 BCE
|Ice core and tree ring
|large sulfate spike, estimated 22 trillion grams of sulfur; ring growth reduced in 1560 BCE; calcium depletion in Mediterranean tree ring in 1560 BCE possibly caused by volcanic eruption in this region
|<ref name="Pearson" /><ref name="Pearson2018" />
|-
|1558 BCE
|Ice core
|sulfate spike, estimated 10 trillion grams of sulfur
|<ref name="Pearson" />
|-
|1555 BCE
|Ice core and tree ring
|sulfate spike, estimated 6 trillion grams of sulfur; reduced ring growth in 1554 BCE
|<ref name="Pearson" />
|-
|1546 BCE
|Tree ring
|reduced tree ring growth
|<ref name="Pearson2018" />
|-
|1544 BCE
|Tree ring
|ring-width minima
|<ref name="Pearson2018" />
|-
|1539 BCE
|Ice core
|sulfate spike, estimated 6 trillion grams of sulfur
|<ref name="Pearson" />
|-
|1524 BCE
|Tree ring
|ring-width minima
|<ref name=":12" />
|}
The date of Minoan eruption does not necessarily have to be in one of the years listed in the table, because the eruption may not have been environmentally impactful enough to leave any detectable signal.<ref name=":11" />


In addition, a [[stalagmite]] from Turkey shows bromine peaks at 1621 ± 25 BCE, molybdenum at 1617 ± 25 BCE and sulfur at 1589 ± 25 BCE. The authors interpret that all three peaks were caused by a single volcanic eruption in the Mediterranean region and the time difference was related to differences in their retention rates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Badertscher |first=S. |last2=Borsato |first2=A. |last3=Frisia |first3=S. |last4=Cheng |first4=H. |last5=Edwards |first5=R.L. |last6=Tüysüz |first6=O. |last7=Fleitmann |first7=D. |date=2014 |title=Speleothems as sensitive recorders of volcanic eruptions – the Bronze Age Minoan eruption recorded in a stalagmite from Turkey |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0012821X14000570 |journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters |language=en |volume=392 |pages=58–66 |doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2014.01.041}}</ref> Others have suggest the sulfur peak maybe related to 1561 BCE chemical anomaly recorded in Mediterranean tree ring.<ref name="Pearson2018" />
===Climatic effects===
Hydrogeologist Philip LaMoreaux asserted in 1995 that the eruption caused significant climatic changes in the eastern [[Mediterranean]] region, [[Aegean Sea]] and much of the [[Northern Hemisphere]],<ref name="LaMoreaux">{{cite journal |author=LaMoreaux, PE |year=1995 |title=Worldwide environmental impacts from the eruption of Thera |journal=Environmental Geology |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=172–81 |doi=10.1007/BF00768739 |bibcode=1995EnGeo..26..172L |s2cid=129161967}}</ref> but that was rebutted by volcanologist David Pyle a year later.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Pyle, DM |year=1997 |title=The global impact of the Minoan eruption of Santorini, Greece |journal=Environmental Geology |volume=30 |issue=1/2 |pages=59–61 |doi=10.1007/s002540050132 |s2cid=129249697}}</ref>


==Historical impact==
==Historical impact==

Revision as of 12:09, 22 January 2023

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.
VolcanoThera
Datec. 1600 BCE
TypeUltra Plinian
LocationSantorini, Cyclades, Aegean Sea
36°24′36″N 25°24′00″E / 36.41000°N 25.40000°E / 36.41000; 25.40000
VEI7[1]
ImpactDevastated 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.
Thera is located in Greece
Thera
Thera

The Minoan eruption was a catastrophic volcanic eruption that devastated the Aegean island of Thera (also called Santorini) circa 1600 BCE.[2][3] 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.[4] With a VEI magnitude between 6 and 7, resulting in an ejection of approximately 30–80 km3 (7.2–19.2 cu mi) of dense-rock equivalent (DRE),[5][6] the eruption was one of the largest volcanic events on Earth in human history.[7][8][9] Since tephra from the Minoan eruption serves as a marker horizon in nearly all archaeological sites in the Eastern Mediterranean,[10] its precise date is of high importance and has been fiercely debated among archaeologists and volcanologists for decades,[11][12] without coming to a definite conclusion.

Although there are no clear ancient records of the eruption, its plume and volcanic lightning may have been described in the Egyptian Tempest Stele.[13] The Chinese Bamboo Annals reported unusual yellow skies and summer frost at the beginning of the Shang dynasty, which may have been a consequence of volcanic winter (similar to 1816, the Year Without a Summer, after the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora).[14]

Eruption

Small figures of people can be seen at the top looking into craters strewn with grey rocks.
Volcanic craters on Santorini, June 2001

Background

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.[15]

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.[15] This cataclysmic eruption was centered on a small island just north of the existing island of Nea Kameni in the centre of the then-existing caldera. The northern part of the caldera was refilled by the volcanic ash and lava, then collapsed again.

Magnitude

The magnitude of the eruption, particularly the submarine pyroclastic flows, has been difficult to estimate because the majority of the erupted products were deposited in the sea. Published in 1991, an early estimate of 39 km3 (9.4 cu mi) DRE was given based on directly mapped 19 km3 (4.6 cu mi) DRE ash fallout and an assumed submarine volume of 20 km3 (4.8 cu mi) DRE. The latter assumption is from observations that volume of ash fallout approximates volume of pyroclastic flows in other large eruptions which have direct estimations for.[9][16]

Research by a team of international scientists in 2006 revealed that the Santorini event could be much larger than the early estimate that was published in 1991.[17] The team used seismic survey to reveal an extensive submarine sediment sequence resembling that of pyroclastic flows. If this interpretation of the seismic data is true, very thick submarine pyroclastic flow deposits of the Minoan eruption, estimated at 40 km3 (9.6 cu mi), have been mapped on the seafloor at distances up to 30 km around the volcano,[18] i.e. up to four times as much as produced by the well-recorded eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. Together with volume of ash fallout from early estimate, the total DRE is in excess of 60 km3 (14 cu mi),[9] and the volume of ejecta was approximately 100 km3 (24 cu mi).[19] The eruption's Volcanic Explosivity Index was 7.

Without direct sampling of the submarine unit, other researchers are not entirely convinced of this pyroclastic interpretation. Others have pointed out that identification on seismic profiles is problematic because of the many other eruptions and tuffs with which they can be confused, and only drilling will enable to test the published seismic interpretation.[20] New interpretation based on more comprehensive, higher resolution seismic profile and drilled sediment cores indicated that a much smaller volume, approximately 11.2 km3 (2.7 cu mi) DRE, of submarine sediment can be attributed to Minoan eruption. Together with volume of ash fallout yields a total eruption volume of 31 km3 (7.4 cu mi) DRE, consistent with independently estimated caldera collapse volume 31.5 km3 (7.6 cu mi), making this an high confidence estimate.[5]

Nonetheless, only the Mount Tambora volcanic eruption of 1815, Mount Samalas eruption of 1257, Lake Taupo's Hatepe eruption around 180 CE, and perhaps the Paektu Mountain eruption of 946 CE released more material into the atmosphere during historic times.[7][8]

Sequence

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.[21] 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.[22][23][24]

Early phase of Late-Bronze-Age volcano eruption (~ 1500 BC), southern border of the Caldera island .The lower layer of pumice is finer, almost white and without rock intrusions.

Intense magmatic activity of the first major phase (BO1/Minoan A)[25] of the eruption deposited up to 7 m (23 ft) of pumice and ash, with a minor lithic component, southeast and east. Archaeological evidence indicated burial of man-made structures with limited damage. The second (BO2/Minoan B) and third (BO3/Minoan C) eruption phases involved pyroclastic surges and lava fountaining, as well as the possible generation of tsunamis. Man-made structures not buried during Minoan A were completely destroyed. The third phase was also characterized by the initiation of caldera collapse. The fourth, and last, major phase (BO4/Minoan D) was marked by varied activity: lithic-rich base surge deposits, lava flows, lahar floods, and co-ignimbrite ash-fall deposits. This phase was characterized by the completion of caldera collapse, which produced megatsunamis.[25][26]

Geomorphology

Enclave of structures built into the side of a steep cliff. Swimming pools are visible.
Mansions and hotels atop steep cliffs.

Although the fracturing process is not yet known, the altitudinal statistical analysis indicates that the caldera had formed just before the eruption. The area of the island was smaller, and the southern and eastern coastlines appeared regressed. During the eruption, the landscape was covered by the pumice sediments. In some places, the coastline vanished under thick tuff depositions. In others, recent coastlines were extended towards the sea. After the eruption, the geomorphology of the island was characterized by an intense erosional phase during which the pumice was progressively removed from the higher altitudes to the lower ones.[27]

Volcanology

The eruption was of the Ultra Plinian type, and it resulted in an estimated 30 to 35 km (19 to 22 mi) high eruption column which reached the stratosphere. In addition, the magma underlying the volcano came into contact with the shallow marine embayment, resulting in violent phreatomagmatic blasts.

The eruption also generated 35 to 150 m (115 to 492 ft) high tsunamis that devastated the northern coastline of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) away. The tsunami affected coastal towns such as Amnisos, where building walls were knocked out of alignment. On the island of Anafi, 27 km (17 mi) to the east, ash layers 3 m (10 ft) deep have been found, as well as pumice layers on slopes 250 m (820 ft) above sea level.

Elsewhere in the Mediterranean are pumice deposits that could have been sent by the Thera eruption. Ash layers in cores drilled from the seabed and from lakes in Turkey show that the heaviest ashfall was towards the east and northeast of Santorini. The ash found on Crete is now known to have been from a precursory phase of the eruption, some weeks or months before the main eruptive phases, and it would have had little impact on the island.[28] Santorini ash deposits were at one time claimed to have been found in the Nile delta,[29] but this is now known to be a misidentification.[30][31]

Eruption dating

The Minoan eruption is an important marker horizon for the Bronze Age chronology of the Eastern Mediterranean realm. It provides a fixed point for aligning the entire chronology of the second millennium BCE in the Aegean, as evidence of the eruption is found throughout the region. Yet, archaeological dating based on typological sequencing and the well-established Egyptian chronology is significantly younger than the radiocarbon age of Minoan eruption, by roughly a century. This massive age discrepancy results a fierce debate about whether there is an upheaval in the archaeological synchronization between the Aegean and Egypt.[32]

Archaeology

Archaeologists developed the Late Bronze Age chronologies of eastern Mediterranean cultures by analyzing design styles of artifacts found in each archaeological layer.[33] If the type of artifacts can be accurately assigned, then the layer's position in a chronological order can be determined. This is known as sequence dating or seriation. In Aegean chronology, however, frequent exchange of objects and styles enables relative chronology be compared with absolute chronology of Egypt, so absolute dates could be determined in Aegean.

Since Minoan eruption has been conclusively placed the in late/end Late Minoan IA (LM-IA) in the Crete chronology, late/end Late Helladic I (LH-I) in the mainland chronology,[34][35][36] the contention is what Egyptian period was contemporaneous with LM-IA and LM-IB. Decades of intensive archaeological work and seriation on Crete in the last century had confidently correlated the late LM-IA with Dynasty XVIII in Egypt and the end of LM-IA at the start of Thutmose III.[35] Stone vessels discovered in the Shaft Graves in LH-I are also of New Kingdom type. Multiple archaeological sites of Theran pumice workshop used by the local inhabitants are only found in the New Kingdom strata. A milk bowl on Santorini used before volcanic eruption has pottery style of only that of New Kingdom.[32] Egyptian inscription on the Ahmose Tempest Stele recorded an extraordinary cataclysm resembling the Minoan eruption.[37] Taken together, the archaeological evidence points to an eruption date after the accession of Ahmose I. The year of accession based on well-established conventional Egyptian chronology and radiocarbon-based chronology are 1550 BCE[38] and 1570–1544 BCE (IntCal04)[39] or 1569–1548 BCE (IntCal20)[40]. The massive archaeological evidence argues for a Theran eruption date between circa 1550–1480 BCE.[41]

Proponents of earlier date dispute that Aegean-Egypt pottery correlation allows considerable flexibility. Several other archaeological interpretations of LM-IA and LM-IB pottery differ from the "traditional" and could be consistent with a much earlier beginning time for LM-IA and LM-IB.[42][43][44] Pottery synchronisms was also assessed to be less secure before the LM-IIIAI/Amenhotep III period.[45] Pumice in workshop and inscription on Tempest Stele have been argued to only reflect lower bound of eruption age. The date of production of pottery with Santorini milk bowl style in other regions has not been determined and could pre-date Minoan eruption. The chronology of stone vessel styles during this critical period is lacking.[46][47]

Radiocarbon age

Raw radiocarbon dates are not accurate calendar years of the event and this has to do with the fact that the level of atmospheric radiocarbon fluctuates. Raw radiocarbon ages can be converted to calendar dates by means of calibration curves which are periodically updated by international researchers. Derived calibrated calendar date ranges are highly dependent on how accurately calibration curve represents radiocarbon levels for the time period. As of 2022, the most updated calibration curve is IntCal20.[48] Early radiocarbon dates in the 1970s with calibration were already showing massive age disagreement and were initially discarded as unreliable by the archaeological community.[43] In the following decades, the range of possible eruption date narrowed significantly with improved calibration, analytical precision, statistical method and sample treatment. Radiocarbon dating has built a strong case for an eruption date in the late 17th–century BC. The table below summarizes the history and results of radiocarbon dating of volcanic destruction layer with pre–2018 calibration curves:

List of radiocarbon dates with calibration curve published before 2018
Calibrated date, 2σ Calibration Sample context and statistical method
Hammer et. al., 1987[49] 1675–1525 BCE Pearson and Stuiver, 1986 [50] Weighted average of 13 samples from volcanic destruction layer at Akrotiri (VDL)
Ramsey et. al., 2004[51] 1663–1599 BCE INTCAL98[52] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
Manning et. al., 2006[53] 1683–1611 BCE IntCal04[54] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
Friedrich et. al., 2006[55] 1627–1600 BCE IntCal04[54] Wiggle-matching of olive tree buried alive in pumice layer
Manning et. al., 2010[56] 1660–1611 BCE IntCal09[57] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
Höflmayer et. al., 2012[46] 1660–1602 BCE

1630–1600 BCE (2)

IntCal09[57] Tau boundary function on 28 samples from VDL

Wiggle-matching of olive tree buried alive in VDL (2)

Pearson etl. al., 2018[58] 1664–1614 BCE

1646–1606 BCE (2) 1626–1605 BCE (3)

IntCal13[59] Weighted average of 28 samples from VDL

Tau boundary function on the 28 samples from VDL (2) Wiggle-matching of olive tree buried alive in pumice layer (3)

In 2018, a team led by tree ring scientist reported a possible offset of a few decades in the previous IntCal calibration curves during the period 1660–1540 BCE. The resulted new calibration curve allowed previous raw radiocarbon dates be calibrated to encompass a substantial part of 16th–century BC, making it possible for radiocarbon dates to be compatible with archaeological evidence.[58] The measured offset was then confirmed by other laboratories across the world and incorporated into the most updated calibration curve IntCal20.[60][61][62] In the same year, study of bomb peak further questioned the validity of wiggle-matching of olive branch because the radiocarbon dates of outermost branch layer could differ by up to a few decades caused by growth cessation, then the olive branch could also pre-date Thera by decades.[63]

In 2020, speculation of regional offset specific to Mediterranean context in all calibration curves was reported based on measurements made on juniper wood at Gordion. If the regional offset is genuine, then calibration based on the regional dataset, Hd GOR, would place eruption date back to 17th–century.[64] Others have argued that these site-specific offsets are already incorporated into the IntCal20 prediction interval since it is constructed from a much wider range of locations and any locational variation is of similar magnitude to the inter-laboratory variation.[65][66]

While the refined calibration curve IntCal20 does not rule out a 17th–century eruption date, it does shift the probable range of eruption date to include the majority of 16th–century BC, offering a way to at least mitigate the long-standing age disagreement. However, the exact year of eruption has not been settled. The table below summarizes the dating results:

List of volcanic destruction layer (VDL) radiocarbon dates with calibration curve published after 2018
Calibrated date Calibration Sample context and statistical method
Manning et. al., 2020[64] 1663–1612 BCE (87.5%) Hd GOR[40] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
Manning et. al., 2020[40] 1619–1596 BCE (64.7%)

1576–1545 BCE (22.9%)

IntCal20[48] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption
Şahoğlu et. al., 2022[67] 1612–1573 BCE (19.4%)

1565–1501 BCE (76.1%)

IntCal20[48] The youngest sample near victims from Theran tsunami layer at Çeşme
Ehrlich et al., 2021[68] 1624–1528 BCE IntCal20[48] Eight scenarios of olive wood growth to account for possible growth cessation
Manning, 2022[69] 1609–1560 BCE (95.4%) IntCal20[48] Bayesian model of sequence of samples from before, during and after eruption but more comprehensive to include samples from VDL, tsunami and distal fallout from across southern Aegean region

Ice cores, tree rings and speleothems

An eruption of Theran magnitude is expected to leave detectable signal in various environmental records like ice core and tree ring. Petrologic constraints on Minoan magma yields a range of 0.3–35.9 trillion grams of sulfur release. The higher end of the estimate could cause severe climatic change and leave detectable signals in ice cores and tree rings.[70] Notably, tree ring dating allows extremely precise dating to the exact calendar year of each ring with virtually no age uncertainty, and from properties of the annual tree rings local climate record could be reconstructed down to sub-annual precision.

In 1987, a major Greenland sulfate spike in 1644 ± 20 BCE in ice core chronology was hypothesized to be caused by Minoan eruption based on the early radiocarbon results of Hammer et. al.[49] In 1988, a major environmental disruption and extreme global-cooling/forst-ring in 1627 ± 0 BCE were also revealed through precisely dated frost-ring and too were hypothesized to be related to Minoan eruption.[71][72][73]

Archaeologists who preferred late 16th–century BC eruption date were neither convinced by the 1644 ± 20 BCE sulfate spike nor by the 1627 BCE frost-ring because evidence of causality between the two events and Minoan eruption was absent.[35]

Since 2003, multiple independent studies of major elements and trace elements of volcanic ash retrieved from the 1644 ± 20 BCE sulfate layer failed to match the ash to that of Santorini[28] but all attributed the ash to another large eruption during this period, Mount Aniakchak, thus ruling out Minoan eruption as the cause of the sulfate spike.[74][75][76][77] In 2019, revision of Greenland ice core chronology was proposed based on synchronization of frost-ring and major sulfate spike, and the revised date for Aniakchak eruption was shifted to 1628 BCE.[78] The Greenland ice core chronology offset was independently confirmed by other teams[77][79] and adopted into Greenland Ice Core Chronology 2021 (GICC21).[80] The 1627 BCE extreme global cooling is then conveniently explained by the major Aniakchak eruption without invoking Thera. An eruption date of 1627 BCE is also no longer supported by radiocarbon evidence with the most recent calibration curve IntCal20.[77]

In the light of much younger radiocarbon dates and revised ice core chronology, several possible ice core and tree ring signals in the 17th– and 16th–century have been proposed.[77][81][82] The list below summarizes the tree ring and ice core signals that may have been caused by Minoan eruption:

List of Minoan eruption dates suggested by environmental anomalies
Date Environmental context Records Ref
1681–1673 BCE Tree ring increases of sulfur, calcium, and rare earth elements in Mediterranean tree ring 857, possibly caused by volcanic eruption in this region [83][84]
1654 BCE Ice core and tree ring one of largest sulfate spike recorded in Greenland in the last 4,000 years, estimated 50 trillion grams of sulfur; frost-damaged ring in 1653 BCE followed by ring-width minima in 1652 BCE [77][82]
1649 BCE Tree ring ring-width minima [82]
1619 BCE Tree ring narrow ring [82]
1611 BCE Ice core sulfate spike, estimated 2–8 trillion grams of sulfur [77]
1597 BCE Tree ring ring-width minima [82]
1561 BCE Ice core and tree ring large sulfate spike, estimated 22 trillion grams of sulfur; ring growth reduced in 1560 BCE; calcium depletion in Mediterranean tree ring in 1560 BCE possibly caused by volcanic eruption in this region [77][58]
1558 BCE Ice core sulfate spike, estimated 10 trillion grams of sulfur [77]
1555 BCE Ice core and tree ring sulfate spike, estimated 6 trillion grams of sulfur; reduced ring growth in 1554 BCE [77]
1546 BCE Tree ring reduced tree ring growth [58]
1544 BCE Tree ring ring-width minima [58]
1539 BCE Ice core sulfate spike, estimated 6 trillion grams of sulfur [77]
1524 BCE Tree ring ring-width minima [82]

The date of Minoan eruption does not necessarily have to be in one of the years listed in the table, because the eruption may not have been environmentally impactful enough to leave any detectable signal.[69]

In addition, a stalagmite from Turkey shows bromine peaks at 1621 ± 25 BCE, molybdenum at 1617 ± 25 BCE and sulfur at 1589 ± 25 BCE. The authors interpret that all three peaks were caused by a single volcanic eruption in the Mediterranean region and the time difference was related to differences in their retention rates.[85] Others have suggest the sulfur peak maybe related to 1561 BCE chemical anomaly recorded in Mediterranean tree ring.[58]

Historical impact

Minoan sites

Excavation into rock showing doors and windows among the rubble.
Excavation of Akrotiri on Thera
A simple golden figure, displayed.
The only gold object found at the excavation of Akrotiri, a small sculpture of an ibex that was hidden under a floor; a thorough evacuation in advance of the catastrophe must have occurred since few artifacts, and no corpses were buried in the ash.

The eruption devastated the nearby Minoan settlement at Akrotiri on Santorini, which was entombed in a layer of pumice.[86] It is believed that the eruption also severely affected the Minoan population on Crete, but the extent of the impact is debated. Early hypotheses proposed that ashfall from Thera on the eastern half of Crete choked off plant life, causing starvation of the local population.[87] After more thorough field examinations, the hypothesis has lost credibility, as it has been determined that no more than 5 mm (0.20 in) of ash fell anywhere on Crete.[88] Other hypotheses have been proposed based on archaeological evidence found on Crete indicating that a tsunami, likely associated with the eruption, impacted the coastal areas of Crete and may have devastated the Minoan coastal settlements.[89][4][90][91] Another hypothesis is that much of the damage done to Minoan sites resulted from a large earthquake and the fires it caused, which preceded the Thera eruption.[92][93]

Significant Minoan remains have been found above the Thera ash layer and tsunami level dating from the Late Minoan I era, and it is unclear whether the effects of the ash and tsunami were enough to trigger the downfall of the Minoan civilization. Some sites were abandoned or settlement systems significantly interrupted in the immediate aftermath of the eruption.[91] Some archaeologists speculate that the eruption caused a crisis in Minoan Crete, opening it to Mycenaean influence or even conquest.[4]

Chinese records

A volcanic winter from an eruption in the late 17th century BCE has been claimed by some researchers to correlate with entries in later Chinese records documenting the collapse of the semi-legendary Xia dynasty in China. According to the Bamboo Annals, the collapse of the dynasty and the rise of the Shang dynasty, approximately dated to 1618 BCE, were accompanied by "yellow fog, a dim sun, then three suns, frost in July, famine, and the withering of all five cereals".[94]

Effect on Egyptian history

Apocalyptic rainstorms, which devastated much of Egypt, and were described on the Tempest Stele of Ahmose I, have been attributed to short-term climatic changes caused by the Theran eruption.[94][95][96] The dates and regnal dates of Ahmose I are in some dispute with Egyptologists (leaving aside alternate chronologies). Proposed reigns range from 1570–1546 BC to 1539–1514 BC. A radiocarbon dating of his mummy produced a mean value of 1557 BC. In any case this would only provide an overlap with the later estimates of eruption date.[97]

Alternatively, if the eruption occurred in the Second Intermediate Period, the absence of Egyptian records of the eruption could be caused by the general disorder in Egypt around that time.

While it has been argued that the damage attributed to these storms may have been caused by an earthquake following the Thera eruption, it has also been suggested that it was caused during a war with the Hyksos, and the storm reference is merely a metaphor for chaos upon which the Pharaoh was attempting to impose order.[98] Documents such as Hatshepsut's Speos Artemidos depict storms, but are clearly figurative, not literal. Research indicates that the Speos Artemidos stele is a reference to her overcoming the powers of chaos and darkness.[98]

Greek traditions

The Titanomachy

The eruption of Thera and volcanic fallout may have inspired the myths of the Titanomachy in Hesiod's Theogony.[99] The Titanomachy could have picked up elements of western Anatolian folk memory, as the tale spread westward. Hesiod's lines have been compared with volcanic activity, citing Zeus's thunderbolts as volcanic lightning, the boiling earth and sea as a breach of the magma chamber, immense flame and heat as evidence of phreatic explosions, among many other descriptions.[100]

Atlantis

Spyridon Marinatos, the discoverer of the Akrotiri archaeological site, suggested that the Minoan eruption is reflected in Plato's story of Atlantis.[101]

Book of Exodus

Geologist Barbara J. Sivertsen seeks to establish a link between the eruption of Santorini (c. 1600 BCE) and the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt in the Bible.[24]

Bicameral mentality

In the controversial bicameral mentality hypothesis, Julian Jaynes has argued that the Minoan eruption was a crucial event in the development of human consciousness[102] since the displacements that it caused led to new and important interactions among communities.

See also

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Further reading

  • Bietak, M (2004). "Review – 'A Test of Time' by S. W. Manning (1999)" (PDF). Bibliotheca Orientalis. 61: 199–222. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
  • Callender, G (1999). The Minoans and the Mycenaeans: Aegean Society in the Bronze Age. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-551028-3.
  • Forsyth, PY (1997). Thera in the Bronze Age. Peter Lang Publishing. ISBN 0-8204-4889-3.
  • Friedrich, WL (1999). Fire in the Sea, the Santorini Volcano: Natural History and the Legend of Atlantis. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-65290-1.
  • Notti, Erika, "The Theran Epigraphic Corpus of Linear A : Geographical and Chronological Implications", Pasiphae, vol. 000, no. 004, pp. 93-96, 2010
  • Notti, Erika, "Writing in Late Bronze Age Thera. Further Observations on the Theran Corpus of Linear A", Pasiphae, vol. 000, no. 015, 2021 ISSN: 2037-738X
  • Page, D. L. (1970). The Santorini Volcano and the Destruction of Minoan Crete. The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, London.
  • Warren PM (2006). "The date of the Thera eruption". In Czerny E, Hein I, Hunger H, Melman D, Schwab A (eds.). Timelines: Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 149. Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium: Peeters. pp. 2: 305–21. ISBN 90-429-1730-X.

External links