This is a completely new and revised edition of the
best-seller "Fire in the Sea: The Santorini Volcano,
Natural History and the Legend of Atlantis" (originally
published by Cambridge University Press, 2000). When the
Greek island of Santorini, classically known as Thera,
dramatically erupted in 1613 BC 13 years, it produced
one of the largest explosions ever witnessed, thereby
possibly giving rise to the legend of Atlantis. This
so-called 'Minoan' eruption triggered tsunamis that
devastated coastal settlements in the region. On
Santorini it left behind a Bronze Age Pompeii, which is
now being excavated. Thriving Bronze Age settlements on
the island - rich in colourful wall paintings and highly
sophisticated pottery - were buried under thick layers
of volcanic ash. The ejection of an immense volume of
dust into the atmosphere also altered global climate for
several years. The author, a well-known geologist,
blends the thrill of scientific discovery with a popular
presentation of the geology, archaeology, history,
people and the environmental settings of the island
group of Santorini. He not only gives a comprehensive
overview of the volcanic island and its past, but also
reports on the latest discoveries: the finding, for
example, of olive trees which had been buried by the
Minoan eruption has now made it possible to give a
direct and precise radiocarbon date for the volcanic
catastrophe. The author also seeks to assign certain
geological structures, such as faulted rocks, red lavas
and harbour sites, as depicted on the Bronze Age frescos
from Santorini, to still-existing details in the
Santorini landscape of today. Excellent colour
photographs and illustrations along with easily
understandable scientific and historic details will make
this book highly appealing to a wide audience. It will
also be useful as a supplementary text for introductory
courses in earth and atmospheric sciences, geology,
volcanology, and paleoclimatology, as well as ancient
history and archaeology.
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