Knowra Santorini Santorini Santorini is a Greek island in the Cyclades, formed by volcanic activity and known for its caldera, steep cliffs, and settlements such as Fira and Oia.
Santorini caldera : A flooded volcanic depression at the center of Santorini, formed when a volcano collapsed after major eruptions. Its sea-filled basin defines the island’s most distinctive landscape.
Akrotiri : A Bronze Age settlement on Santorini preserved beneath volcanic ash from the Minoan eruption. Its excavated buildings reveal the island’s prosperous pre-eruption society.
Oia : A village on Santorini’s northern tip, known for whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and caldera views. Its cliffside setting is among the island’s most recognized visitor destinations.
Bronze Age Aegean trade : The exchange of goods and ideas among Aegean communities during the Bronze Age. Akrotiri’s location and imported goods attest to Santorini’s place in these networks.
Minoan eruption : A major Late Bronze Age eruption of the Santorini volcano that dispersed ash across the eastern Mediterranean. This eruption enlarged the caldera and reshaped the island’s coastline.
Minoan civilization : A Bronze Age civilization centered on Crete, with cultural and trading connections across the Aegean. Akrotiri’s material culture reflects close ties between Santorini and Minoan Crete.
Fira : The capital of Santorini, built along the caldera rim above the island’s western coast. It concentrates administration, transport links, and services on the island.
Atlantis : A legendary island civilization described by Plato as having vanished beneath the sea. Santorini’s eruption has inspired, but does not establish, theories linking the island to Atlantis.
Thera volcano : The active volcanic system beneath Santorini, part of the South Aegean volcanic arc. Its eruptions built the island and continue to shape its geological hazards.
Thera : The ancient and formal name of the Greek island now commonly called Santorini. The name survives in the island’s archaeological and geological terminology.
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