One day in about 1500 BCE - - newer scholars say about 1648 BCE, the volcano beneath the peaceful round island erupted, belching smoke, ash, and lava, making an island initially round as a full moon turn into a crescent shadow of its former self. The inhabitants here had warning, and fled with their possessions, though where they fled and if they survived is unknown. Some claim that a few abandoned the devastation in the Aegean and fled to Egypt, which had ties with Thira and the rest of Minoan culture. The tidal wave from the explosion showed less mercy than the eruption itself, and battered Crete many miles away, contributing to the eclipse of its culture.
Most of the colorful frescoes have been removed, mostly to the National Archaeological Museum far away in Athens, though the Museum of Prehistoric Thira on Santorini has brought some of the frescos back home. Other artifacts, such as jars and figurines, are found on Santorini at the Archaeological Museum in Thira. A few large [link http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh151.jsp?obj_id=3400]pythoi, storage jars used for food, remain, their spiral designs brighter than almost anything else under the enclosure. A double axe adorns one structure, and reminds us of the Cretan influence on Santorini, then known as Strongyle. A tiny triangle formed by the intersection of two miniature streets is overlooked by a building that still stands two stories high.
Behind us, the building fills as bus after bus disgorges passengers. The silence flees from the spiels of a dozen tour guides talking in several languages, all jostling for the best spots to deliver their words of wisdom. Akrotiri starts to feel like a bustling construction site, as if the walls are about to be completed, painted, and sport "For Rent" signs instead of empty windowframes. Just one bad day for one volcano made all the difference, and leaving Akrotiri, it's hard not to think of home and wonder, just for a minute, if everything's okay for another day.
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Santonet - Hotels on Santorini
Nice clickable map shows accommodations (including hotels, apartments, rooms, and villas) in each area.
Santorini (Sandorini, Thera) - Fira
Find out about the capital city of Santorini, perched on the edge of the caldera, in this page from GNTO.
