Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption: archaeological and scientific evidence supporting a high chronology

Abstract

The date of the Late Bronze Age Minoan eruption of the Thera volcano has provoked much debate among archaeologists, not least in a recent issue of Antiquity (‘Bronze Age catastrophe and modern controversy: dating the Santorini eruption’, March 2014). Here, the authors respond to those recent contributions, citing evidence that closes the gap between the conclusions offered by previous typological, stratigraphic and radiometric dating techniques. They reject the need to choose between alternative approaches to the problem and make a case for the synchronisation of eastern Mediterranean and Egyptian chronologies with agreement on a ‘high’ date in the late seventeenth century BC for the Thera eruption.

Mediterranean radiocarbon offsets and calendar dates for prehistory

“…The earlier 16th century BCE Mediterranean offset identified above in the Hd GOR and GrM NOC datasets is particularly relevant to a long-running controversy: the dating of the Minoan eruption of the Thera (Santorini) volcano and associated debates around its impacts and the chronology of the beginning of the Aegean Late Bronze Age (13,19,(54)(55)(56)(57)(58). Scholarship until now has used the various versions of the NH IntCal 14 C calibration curve.…”

The Influence of Calibration Curve Construction and Composition on the Accuracy and Precision of Radiocarbon Wiggle-Matching of Tree Rings, Illustrated by Southern Hemisphere Atmospheric Data Sets from AD 1500–1950

“…These include the dating of critical tephra marker beds (e.g. Santorini (Manning et al 2014), Taupo tephra (Hogg et al 2012), locking in floating tree-ring 14 C sequences for calibration purposes (e.g. Hogg et al 2016) and archaeological applications (e.g.…”

Urban micromorphology: A microecological narrative of a Neopalatial neighborhood at Bronze Age Palaikastro, Crete

“…The Neopalatial period (MM IIIA-LM IB), approximately 1700-1440/1430 B.C. (Manning, 2010a;Manning et al, 2006;2014;Warren, 2010), was characterized by a complex administrative system (Macdonald, 2002;Schoep, 2002), as well as major changes in material culture, around the time of the Theran eruption (Driessen, 2013(Driessen, , 2018Driessen & Macdonald, 1997; (Christakis, 2011;Driessen, 2013Driessen, , 2018Driessen & Macdonald, 1997;Jusseret & Sintubin, 2017;Macdonald & Knappett, 2013;Manning, 2010aManning, , 2010bManning et al, 2006Manning et al, , 2014Warren, 2007Warren, , 2010. Most researchers have viewed the fire destructions of LM IB as indicative of human actions (e. g., Cunningham, 2007;Driessen & Macdonald, 1997), while some have interpreted the destructions as caused by earthquakes (Warren, 2011).…”

“…The Neopalatial period (MM IIIA‐LM IB), approximately 1700–1440/1430 B.C. (Manning, ; Manning et al, ; ; Warren, ), was characterized by a complex administrative system (Macdonald, ; Schoep, ), as well as major changes in material culture, around the time of the Theran eruption (Driessen, , ; Driessen & Macdonald, ; Table ). Since structural transformations also occurred in the new neighborhood around the time of the Theran eruption, considering the local impact of the events related to the Theran eruption is relevant for establishing the microecological narrative of this neighborhood at Palaikastro.…”

“…), and then, at the end of the LM IB period (c. 1440/1430 B.C. ), destructions occurred not only at Palaikastro but across the island of Crete (Christakis, ; Driessen, , ; Driessen & Macdonald, ; Jusseret & Sintubin, ; Macdonald & Knappett, ; Manning, , , p. 15; Manning et al, , ; Warren, , 2010, p. 393). Most researchers have viewed the fire destructions of LM IB as indicative of human actions (e.g., Cunningham, ; Driessen & Macdonald, ), while some have interpreted the destructions as caused by earthquakes (Warren, ).…”