Santorini (Thera) island- Myths of the Region of South Aegean

The myth of Santorini island (Thera)-REGION OF SOUTH AEGEAN
Ancient legends recognize the Carians were the first residents of Thera. According to Herodotus, the Phoenicians, who were left there by Cadmus on his journey to find Europa, were the ancient residents of Thera. Thera remained under their control for eight generations until the arrival of Theras who gave his name to the island which was called Kalliste until then. Before the volcano eruption in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, the island of Thera was round and Therasia and the rest of the smaller islets were a part of it. The settlement in Akrotiri, in the north of the island, dates back to the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze period (4th – 3rd millennium BC). It was there that one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the Aegean bloomed during the Middle Cycladic period (first half of the 2ndmillennium BC). By the 18th century BC, a town had developed, which was destroyed by a major earthquake in the early 17th century BC. The town was rebuilt and extended over a large area. It had an elaborate sewer system and carefully designed multi-storey buildings with wonderful murals, furniture and utensils that indicate the level of cultural development and prosperity of the town. The numerous excavation findings highlight the cosmopolitan nature of Akrotiri’s port. The town reached its peak during the Late Cycladic period. However, according to various scientific data, it was buried under thick layers of ash around 1630 BC after the major volcano eruption. The island was repopulated during the Mycenaean period (14th – 12th century BC).

Created for the Region of Spouth Aegean