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Thera: Pompeii of the Ancient Aegean: Excavations at Akrotiri 1967-1979
Describes the excavation of a Bronze Age city that has been preserved under a layer of volcanic ash for centuries
- GenresHistory
168 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
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January 25, 2020
Ever since first reading about Thera, and the cataclysmic eruption, I’ve looked for a book that would, not just cover the excavation, but also delve into the island’s history. This is that book. Even better, the book goes into the island’s prehistory, starting with the formation of the Aegean Sea during the Pliocene Age, and then onto the formation of Kalliste, later called Thera, itself, its many fragmentations and rebirths.
Interspersed within that history is the story of the excavation of Akrotiri near the island’s southern coast. I was surprised at the city’s size. Even thirty-five years ago, it was estimated that it covered at least fifty acres. The description of various building are quite detailed, giving the reader a vivid picture of how Akrotiri must have looked. The art is especially impressive, and one can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to walk the city’s streets before it was buried. Beauty certainly abound.
But then, of course, comes disaster. It’s heartening to know that there is no evidence of human or animal remains in Akrotiri. Unlike Pompeii, the population heeded the early warning signs and evacuated the city.
Doumas does an excellent job of covering the explosion, its affect on the island, on its island neighbor, Crete, on he rest of the Aegean, and even further afield. The book is over thirty-five years old, so I was lucky to find that there’s a more contemporary account. It will be wonderful to see how much more of Akrotiri has been excavated. To visit would be even better.
My only complaint is that the drawings and plates are scattered through the book, so there was much to and fro-ing. Still, it’s a fascinating book and well worth reading.
Interspersed within that history is the story of the excavation of Akrotiri near the island’s southern coast. I was surprised at the city’s size. Even thirty-five years ago, it was estimated that it covered at least fifty acres. The description of various building are quite detailed, giving the reader a vivid picture of how Akrotiri must have looked. The art is especially impressive, and one can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to walk the city’s streets before it was buried. Beauty certainly abound.
But then, of course, comes disaster. It’s heartening to know that there is no evidence of human or animal remains in Akrotiri. Unlike Pompeii, the population heeded the early warning signs and evacuated the city.
Doumas does an excellent job of covering the explosion, its affect on the island, on its island neighbor, Crete, on he rest of the Aegean, and even further afield. The book is over thirty-five years old, so I was lucky to find that there’s a more contemporary account. It will be wonderful to see how much more of Akrotiri has been excavated. To visit would be even better.
My only complaint is that the drawings and plates are scattered through the book, so there was much to and fro-ing. Still, it’s a fascinating book and well worth reading.
Displaying 1 of 1 review