THE VOLCANO
The beginning of the geographical history of Santorini lies millions of years ago when there was still Eurasia and the Aegean was a united land, Aegiis, connecting mainland Greece to Asia Minor and Crete.
About 6 million years ago, due to many geological turbulence, the Aegiis sank and the peaks of the mountains were the only ones who stayed out of the water and which today constitute the Aegean islands. What now is Santorini, it used to be two or three islands, the hill of Prophet Elias, the rocks above the new port of Athinios and the remote rock on the eastern coast, Monolithos. Later, the eruption engulfed many parts of the island and created many legends, including the one about lost Atlantis. Then the ash covered an area from Chios to Italy, from North Africa and almost to Cyprus. Geological evidence shows that the volcano first appeared about 80,000 years ago. Out of the ashes, the crater miscarried other heavier substances in liquid or semi-liquid form, which created a cone which gradually covered the entire surface of the sea and joined existing islets in a circular island that had a diameter of 14 to 15 km (9 miles), but it is unknown how after many centuries the island gained its current form. However, at about 2,000 B.C. the island was called Strongyli. The next catastrophic volcanic eruption occurred around 1450 B.C. that led to the disappearance of life on the island. Beneath the surface of the earth, in the center of the island, the lava had created a hollow dome, which could not support the weight of the island and, therefore, the top of the dome collapsed and most of the island sank beneath the waves. All that remained out of the sea were part of the perimeter, which created a basin filled with water, the so-called Caldera. These sections are now Santorini and Thirasia. 84 square kilometers (32 square miles) of land collapsed and sank. The Aegean Sea blanketed by an intense black cloud of smoke and ash, while a tidal wave of 250m. (820 feet) was moving in all directions with 350 km. (217 miles) per hour. In less than 30 minutes it arrived to Crete, and many historians believe that is responsible for the destruction of the Minoan civilization.
Gradually, various craters exploded at caldera and slowly created the lava cones around the craters, first down and then over the sea creating two islands, namely those who are now "Volcano", the Old and New Kameni.
Between 198 B.C. and 1950 A.D. 14 explosions occured. Specifically from 1707, the activity in the center of the caldera started causing the appearance of an island where before there was only sea. These chain events created several islands that are still visible in the Caldera. Finally, in 1956, another earthquake destroyed everything on the island and since then the island has been
rebuilt.
The volcano of Santorini is characterized as active and it belongs to the Aegean volcanic arc. Data show that it exists at least for 2,000 years and that in 1,500 B.C. the biggest first historically recorded eruption occurred; then volcanic cones were created in the area, which ultimately formed the so-called Strogyli.
In later years, the first volcanic eruption, which was named Minoan, happened in the 16th century B.C. and resulted into covering the entire eastern Mediterranean with ash, as the volcanic materials catapulted up to 40 km. in height. The mountain in which there were the volcanic materials, got emptied and, therefore, it collapsed, forming the caldera. The land got at a lower level than the sea and, thus, it flooded with water. The archaeologist Spyros Marinatos considered that the tidal wave that was created then, was the cause of the destruction of the Minoan civilization. Probably in 197 B.C. an island named “Iera” (meaning Holy) was created at Caldera. At 46 A.D. another island, was formed, which was united with the island Iera, and, consequently, the current Palea Kameni was created.
After several years, in 726 A.D., a piece of land was created in the port of Agios Nikolaos, after a small explosion. According to the myth-believers, this eruption was a warning to the Emperor Leo III of Byzantium and his beliefs, as he was an iconoclast. At 1459 A.D. a small island was formed next to Palea Kameni, the Mikri (meaning small) Kameni, which existed for about a century. In 1650 A.D. many people died because of the tidal waves and the gas generated by the eruption of the underwater volcano Columbo.
In 1711 A.D., after coasts of Thera and a portion of Small Kameni were drowned, Nea Kameni was created and Aspronisi emerged. The 1860s is characterized by intense volcanic activity, Mikri Kameni is joined with Nea Kameni and young volcanic craters are formed. During the 20th century, the volcanic activity was increased and it culminated with the eruption of 1950. Nowadays, there are several craters: one in Palaia Kameni, seven in Nea Kameni and the submarine volcano Columbo located near Oia.
The scientific view is that these craters contribute to the regional stability, since they vent the gases from the volcano chamber. Those who visit the island are able to come near the craters of Nea Kameni, and swim in the warm shores of the sulphurous waters, which are characterized by their beneficial properties.
