What effect did the volcano on the ancient island of Thera have on the Minoans of Crete 70 miles?
What effect did the volcano on the ancient island of Thera have on the Minoans of Crete 70 miles?
Digging on the island of Mochlos last summer, two archeologists discovered what they called the first direct and conclusive evidence that the volcanic eruption 70 miles away on Thera, the present-day island of Santorini, did not destroy the Minoan civilization of ancient Crete, as had been widely assumed.
What happened after Mount Thera erupted and caused much damage to Minoan civilization?
Based on the nearby island of Crete, the powerful Minoan civilization declined suddenly soon after Thera blew its top. Tsunamis spawned by the eruption would have swamped its naval fleet and coastal villages first off, historians think.
What is the connection between the Minoan civilization and a volcanic eruption on Thera?
In 1939 the Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos suggested that the eruption on Thera had led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization; his theory was widely accepted. During the 1980s, however, archaeologists found evidence that Minoan culture continued to flourish for some time after the eruption.
What happened to Minoans and Mycenaeans?
According to Homer’s Iliad, the Minoans were defeated by the Mycenaeans at the city of Troy. When the Minoan culture declined the Mycenaeans eventually occupied the mainland and islands of ancient Greece. They also used much of the Minoan culture like adapting the Minoan writing into their language.
How much damage did Thera cause?
The explosion, estimated to be about the equivalent of 40 atomic bombs or approximately 100 times more powerful than the eruption at Pompeii, blew out the interior of the island and forever altered its topography. Possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed as a result of the volcanic explosion.
How did the Mycenaeans fall?
What happened to the Mycenaeans? It is not clear why the Mycenaean civilization collapsed. The reasons may be one or more of the following: natural disaster, overpopulation, internal social and political unrest, invasion from foreign tribes such as the Sea Peoples, and regional climate change.
How was Thera affected by the volcanic eruption?
Possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed as a result of the volcanic explosion. Just as happened at Pompeii centuries later, a settlement on Thera known as the town of Akrotiri was buried under a thick blanket of ash and pumice.
Who looked to Thera to find out why the Minoan civilization ended?
The civilization was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans.
What destroyed Minoan civilization?
Three and a half thousand years ago, the tiny Aegean island of Thera was devastated by one of the worst natural disasters since the Ice Age – a huge volcanic eruption. This cataclysm happened 100km from the island of Crete, the home of the thriving Minoan civilisation.
What caused the fall of the Minoan civilization?
The volcanic eruption in Thera, destroyed the Minoan settlement in Akrotiri, which had as a consequence the beginning of the end for the Minoan civilization. A massive tsunami devastated the coast of Crete causing significant damage that led to the economic drop.
How did the Minoans fall?
Volcanic explosion. Three and a half thousand years ago, the tiny Aegean island of Thera was devastated by one of the worst natural disasters since the Ice Age – a huge volcanic eruption. This cataclysm happened 100km from the island of Crete, the home of the thriving Minoan civilisation.
How were the Mycenaeans influenced by the Minoans?
The influence on the Mycenaeans by the Minoans on Crete has been expressed through their similar yet smaller palatial centres, their burial practices, possession of goods and adoption of common Minoan symbols.