Was the Minoan Cvilization Declined Due to the Attack of the Large Tsunami Caused by the Late Bronge Age Eruption of Thera Volcano?

Gerassimos Papadopoulos
National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece

One of the most popular geoscientific working hypotheses of the last century has been the one put forward by the late Professor of Archaeology Marinatos (1939) that the Minoan civilization of Crete, dominating the region of east Mediterranean Sea at Late Bronge Age times, was declined due to the impact of the large tsunami caused by the so-called Minoan giant eruption of Thera volcano, South Aegean, Greece. Recent geological studies in coastal zones of the South Aegean Sea revealed Minoan tsunami sediment deposits of 5-10 cm thickness, which make a good piece of evidence that the Minoan eruption indeed triggered a large tsunami. Results of tsunami wave numerical simulation indicate that the Minoan tsunami had wave height ranging between 10-15 m in coastal segments of north Crete island. These results along with the experience gained from recent large tsunamis, such as the devastating 26 December 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, imply that the Minoan tsunami was powerfull enough to cause destruction in vessels, port installations and other facilities along the north coast of Crete. However, it is not likely that the wave was capable to cause destruction in Minoan palaces and cities located far inland. Therefore, we suggest that the Minoan tsunami was a hit for the Minoan civilization but very probably it was uncapable to cause the decline of the civilization.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90072 © 2007 AAPG and AAPG European Region Conference, Athens, Greece