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Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, pronounced Greek: ) is a Cycladic Bronze Age settlement site on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini.

The name comes from the nearby village of Akrotiri, the name of the site in antiquity is unknown. The settlement was destroyed during the Theran eruption sometime in the 16th century BC, and was buried in volcanic ash, which helped preserve its fine frescoes. Akrotiri has been excavated since 1967, after earlier excavations on the island.

The earliest evidence for human habitation of Akrotiri can be traced back as early as the fifth millennium BCE when it was a small fishing and farming village. One factor for Akrotiri's growth may be the trade relations it established with other cultures in the Aegean, as evidenced in fragments of foreign pottery at the site. Akrotiri's strategic position on the primary sailing route between Cyprus and Minoan Crete also made it an important point for the copper trade, thus allowing it to become an important centre for processing copper, as proven by the discovery of moulds and crucibles there. Akrotiri's prosperity continued for about another 500 years; paved streets, an extensive drainage system, the production of high-quality pottery and further craft specialization all point to the level of sophistication achieved by the settlement. This all came to an end, however, in the 16th century BCE with the volcanic eruption of Thera. Radiocarbon dating places it most probably between 1620 and 1530 BCE, which is also in accord with the date range of 1570 to 1500 BCE suggested by similarities of the material culture with other sites in the Aegean.

Akrotiri was buried by the massive Theran eruption in the middle of the second millennium BCE (during the Late Minoan IA period); as a result, like the Roman ruins of Pompeii after it, it is remarkably well-preserved. Zahn excavated in the locality of Potamos, near Akrotiri, under the auspices of the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. Marinatos's choice of the site proved to be correct and a few hours into the excavation, the remains of the buried city began to be discovered. Excavated artifacts have been installed in a museum distant from the site (Museum of Prehistoric Thera), with many objects and artworks presented.

The frescoes in Akrotiri are especially important for the study of Minoan art because they are much better preserved than those that were already known from Knossos and other sites on Crete, which have nearly all survived only in small fragments, usually fallen to the ground. All of the pigments used by the artists at Akrotiri for painting the frescoes look as though they are mineral based and thus have resulted in the great preservation of the pieces. Specialized techniques were required when it was discovered early on in the excavation process that the site contained numerous well preserved fresco wall paintings.

The excavations at Akrotiri have produced a large variety of artifacts revealing numerous varieties of Late Cycladic (LC I) pottery from the area. At Akrotiri, pottery is particularly abundant because of the circumstances surrounding the demise of the town, in that its sudden evacuation meant that inhabitants were only able to take their most valuable possessions with them. In regards to furniture, the volcanic ash which engulfed the city often penetrated into the houses in large quantities and, in these layers of fine volcanic dust, produced negatives of the disintegrated wooden objects. Offering tables are one of the most common finds in Akrotiri and were either made of clay or coated with plaster, decorated in the same technique as the wall paintings, and only consisted of three highly decorated legs and a top.

There is a path descending from the first houses of the modern settlement to the parking lot of the excavations of Akrotiri, connecting the old excavation site to the town of Akrotiri.

Thera, Pompeii of the Ancient Aegean: Excavations at Akrotiri 1967-1979.

Quick Facts

• The name comes from the nearby village of Akrotiri, the name of the site in antiquity is unknown.
• Akrotiri has been excavated since 1967, after earlier excavations on the island.
• The earliest evidence for human habitation of Akrotiri can be traced back as early as the fifth millennium BCE when it was a small fishing and farming village.
• The settlement was destroyed during the Theran eruption sometime in the 16th century BC, and was buried in volcanic ash, which helped preserve its fine frescoes.
• There is a path descending from the first houses of the modern settlement to the parking lot of the excavations of Akrotiri, connecting the old excavation site to the town of Akrotiri.

Source material: Wikipedia - "Akrotiri (prehistoric city)". Adapted and summarized for DiscoverScroll. Original contributors are credited through the linked Wikipedia article. Read original on Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes were made from the original.