Akrotiri - the Minoans and a Greek Island Top 10 Ancient Site

We learned that the prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri, located on the southern end of the island, was continuously inhabited from the middle of the Neolithic Age (5th millennium BC) through the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC). With two sandy beaches on either side providing safe refuge for vessels and crucial proximity to Crete and Cyprus, Akritori became an ever more important regional location for trade.  Consequently the city was rebuilt several times in spite of multiple earthquakes.  The city reimerges post-earthquake in the Middle Bronze Age (2100-1600BC), creating ever more palatial multi story buildings, decorated in both the red and black lava stone and limestone of the area.  

The final rebuilding was in the Late Bronze Age, but a sudden eruption of the volcano at the beginning of the 16th century, buried the city under a thick mantle of pumice and volcanic ash, preserving evidence of the Minoan civilization lifestyle for posterity. This volcanic eruption was so huge that it created a tsunami reaching the shores of Minoan Crete, 70 miles away and, many believe, was the main contributor to the rapid decline of the highly advanced civilization. 

 The partial excavation of Ancient Akrateri is completely covered by a modern shelter that disappears into the landscape. This nearly three acre site includes 32 buildings, sewage system, in-home sanitation facilities, and hot-cold running water, all of which speak to a highly evolved cosmopolitan city. 

The sophisticated decoration and brighlt colored artifacts are typical of the Minoan civilization, who were the inhabitants during this area's protracted Bronze Age. The exquisite wooden furniture, rich household goods, including many imported items, speak to the prosperity and bourgeois mentality of its populace.

Many of the items from this extensive time period, along with the more recent artifacts and mural paintings, have been moved to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera (ancient name for Santorini) located in Fira. The colors are bright, rich and diverse. The decorative images include intricately detailed dress, birds (swallows), plants, fish and dolphins, all typical of the area. The inclusion of plants and animals, such as blue monkeys, not inherent to this part of the world, speaks to Akrateri's worldliness as a result of their important role in trade. 

The quality of the excavation and documentation rivals what we saw in Ephesus, so if your an ancient-city-junky, Akrateri is just one more reason to add Santorini to your list.