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Archaeological  Site of Palaikastro

 
THE SANTORINI ERUPTION
The volcano on the island of Santorini or Thera, just 100 km north of Crete, erupted during the LM IA period (c. 1600-1520 B.C.) in one of the most cataclysmic events in human history. The eruption caused tidal waves (tsunamis) and ejected huge amounts of ash, darkening the skies for days, polluting agricultural and water resources. Earthquakes destroyed houses and thick layers of pumice were brought by the sea to wash up on the shores of Crete.


Building 6 was damaged by an earthquake and had to be demolished, but before any reconstruction was possible, the eruption struck, the ruins were covered in ash, found up to 12 cms. deep in places and the area was never reoccupied. Instead, in LM IB two new wells were dug here to replace those in Building 5 and Block B, which went out of use, probably because they were polluted by ash.

 











Copyright 2000 - 2006  © by www.palaikastro.com
Permission Granted by directors: Mr H.Sackett, Professor A.MacGillivray, Professor J. Driessen
and the British School At Athens Archivist.