THE IMPACT OF THE ERUPTION OF THERA IN THE CENTRAL PALACE SANCTUARY AT KNOSSOS, CRETE

Abstract

The most discussed natural catastrophe in the Mediterranean region is the major eruption of the Thera volcano. The third Thera and the Aegean World (1989) conference reached some agreement on its relative chronology: the catastrophe came when the Late Minoan IA pottery style was in use. The more recent identification of tephra at Mochlos (1995), however, suggests that the eruption occurred when the LM IA pottery was at its very end. It, in fact, started off the LM IB pottery style-the marine style.

Irrespective of the exact absolute date of the eruption, an attempt will be made to pinpoint the effects it had at the Central Palace Sanctuary at Knossos.