We follow to the Cape of Santorini the scientists who discovered and studied the civilization that disappeared with the great volcanic eruption of the 17th century BC.
"When I first came to the island, the 1961, as the newly appointed curator of Antiquities of Cyclades, the old museum guard told me: “If you are lucky, sir diligently, we might have some volcanic eruptions for you to admire. It's a wonderful sight”». Sitting around a nice Santorini table, with the euphoria created by wine and good company, the professor Mr. Christos Dumas recalls his first visit to the island half a century ago.
So far he has not been "lucky" to see the volcano wake up, but the fact is that the inhabitants of Santorini are both accustomed and reconciled to the beast that hides in the bowels of their land. They may even love it knowing that everything on the island today is due to it, and their own belongings of course. As for him, he probably couldn't imagine what would follow: the 1967 Spyridon Marinatos would begin the excavations at Akrotiri (the first indication of the existence of prehistoric antiquities had come the 1866, when terracotta was used to insulate the walls of the Suez Canal), he would soon announce his findings, but the 1974 he would die, after an accident in the so-called Trigoniki square of the settlement. Christos Dumas took over Akrotiri and since then has been linked to it with loose bonds.
The replacement of the old and now rusted roof that Marinatos had arranged to place over the delicate remains of the prehistoric city, which was preserved over time because it was buried by the volcanic materials of the great eruption of the 17th century BC., it was the reason that brought us once more to Santorini, guests of the mayor Mr. George.
Spielberg's new film is based on the popular homonym, bioclimatic canopy, extent 12 acres – as well as the excavated city -, with all the modern facilities now imposed on archaeological sites, is another station in the history of Akrotiri, which flourished from the 2000 as the 1613 e.g., that is, when the volcano erupted, according to the latest dating by the volcanologist Mr. George Vougioukalaki.
A city-open museum was the goal of the project, which has largely been achieved thanks to the close and long-term cooperation of Mr. Duma with the architect Mr. Nikos Fintikakis, internationally awarded for the design of this carport. "Monument of modern Greek architecture, worthy of admiration" the archaeologist characterizes it. Adapted to the environment, covered by theraic earth that allows greenery to grow on its roof, as throughout the surrounding area, this construction becomes "one" with the landscape, despite its size.
The image
The coolness that prevails inside, the lighting and arrangement of the space make the conditions of stay ideal, while the wooden ramp allows exploring the city with the houses – so today that one would say they are inhabited. The same feeling intensifies when we reach the famous Trigoniki square of the settlement, with its familiar image referring to corresponding contemporary ones, small squares of the Cycladic islands. "Culture is nothing more than the composite of man's responses to the pressing challenges of the environment," says Mr.. Dumas. “This is happening now, this always happened. Santorini is a great example".
Founded in the middle of the 5th millennium BC. on a peninsula in the south of the island, the small one, cat’ initially a Neolithic village had succeeded over the centuries and thanks to the strategy, its geographical position to develop into a cosmopolitan one, commercial port. This is evidenced by the exotic objects that the well-traveled sailors brought from places unfamiliar with landscapes, fauna and flora, described in the frescoes of the houses.
"The archaeologist who excavates the ruins of the city has a strong feeling that he is reading the history of a consumer society" affirms Mr.. Dumas, who guides us to Akrotiri. "Not one of the buildings that have been uncovered has been found without at least one room decorated with frescoes. It is as if the new city had been transformed into a huge workshop where patrons and artists discussed how to best highlight their social status., their artistic talent" he adds.
The art
About the 200 μ. murals, most from a single house which is thought to have been a ritual site, they are waiting, stored in boxes, at the time they will be maintained. The "luckiest" ones are already in the Akrotiri laboratory, where scientists and craftsmen reconstruct them, revealing unique colors, shapes and compositions that speak of people's lives before 3.700 years. And it is really unfair that it was not possible to find a solution so that at least some murals can be highlighted in their natural space. (Today they can only be seen in the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira and the National Archaeological Museum.) Hence the professor's request for a museum next to the archaeological site specifically for them, something that is not currently foreseen anyway.
Except for the murals, Nevertheless, in a house they came to light about the 2.000 ceramic glasses, in a store they were spotted 700 vessels, the so-called pseudo-mouthed amphorae, which were used to transport oil and wine, which correspond to half of those found throughout the Aegean, while the abundance of cooking and serving utensils shows a society that also knew how to enjoy good food. As Mr. Dumas, "from the sampling of the data that has emerged from the research, the participation of Akrotiri in a kind of cultural “common” that characterizes the Eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age".
Exhibitions
The impressive image of the settlement is however reduced by the lack of appropriate information – already recorded in guest complaints -, Fri.’ that Mr. Dumas assures that in a month the signs will be in place. However, the operation of the archaeological site will only be complete with the organization of on-site "exhibitions" with finds from Akrotiri, which are rich in number, art and variety.
Specifically, for the understanding of life in Akrotiri have been provided 12 exhibition sections that resonate with corresponding issues that one would like to know: the structure of society, the trade, the navy, worship etc., while there are an equal number of guided tours and informational material. The objects will be exposed to 100 showcases (60X60X90 cm.), already ready and placed in specific places.
They are made of wood and in the dark gray color of the volcanic stone (midro) of the island, Fri.’ that glass prevails throughout the construction, so that their content is visible. However, it is unknown when the reports will be implemented due to a lack of funds, as stated by Mr. Dumas. However, the shelter has not yet been officially delivered. This will be in July 2013 and until then it can be hoped that all the intermingled – Archaeological Society, manufacturers, ministry, municipality – they will coordinate to find a solution. "In order to highlight the shelter, the archaeological exhibition must also be completed. It is the only deficiency. Everything else works perfectly," says Mr. Fintikakis, who only a few days ago gave lectures at the University of Strasbourg and the European Parliament on the subject of the shelter of the Cape.
What did the Chinese see?
Late at night, looking at the dome above my head, deep inside a cavernous room of the "Sunset", I think of the ingenuity and adaptability of the Santorini people. Those dug in the "aspa" (beastly land) spaces, with its vaulted roof and narrow, burrow-like facade, that is, which housed the poor sailors – the rich houses were of course in the center of the village -, who would have thought that today they would be very expensive real estate, first on the demand list by island visitors.
However, the Chinese language dominates the hotel's guest book with only recognizable elements… international hearts in between the texts, painted by newly married couples.
"They write us good things" a hotel manager tells me with a laugh. "At least that's what the translator told us". If I met her too, I would really like to know what they saw and what they understood from prehistoric Santorini.
The largest volcanic eruption on Earth
“Two million years have passed since the magma, the molten rock, he found his way and made his appearance in the area. Since then thousands of eruptions were needed to build the island of Santorini, the last of them about 3.600 years ago, when the island was alive with life and movement and a great civilization flourished" says the volcanologist. Giorgis Vougioukalakis of the Santorini Volcano Study and Monitoring Institute.
In everything,what about the size of the explosion, the volume of its products was estimated at 150 di. tons of rock. And with this estimate, the Minoan eruption of Santorini ranks first in terms of the size of the last volcanic eruption 10.000 years on Earth. It is enough to think that the eruption of Vesuvius, who destroyed Pompeii, was five times smaller.
Precursor phenomena of large earthquakes and especially a surface one, size 7 Richter, they destroyed Akrotiri. "Due to the earthquakes, the inhabitants must have moved to the countryside where they would have created makeshift camps and that's where the explosion must have found them" says Professor K. Christos Dumas. "It rained pumice for four to six hours and the volcanic materials were thrown high 36 km. They should all have died of suffocation within minutes." adds Mr. Vougioukalakis.
What is certain is that not a single skeleton has been found in the settlement. It is also certain that its inhabitants did not manage to go far. Even if some had moved to nearby islands in the first place, again they did not survive, since the effects of the explosion spread throughout the Aegean and beyond.
