The Connection Between Santorini and Minoan Crete

This article presents the study by archaeologist Maria Ifigeneia Ntoka, a special collaborator of our educational activities. The study concerns the architecture of the Akrotiri settlement on Thera — one of the most significant archaeological finds in the Aegean.

The researcher studies in detail the building materials and timber bonding of the settlement, proceeding to examine particular techniques and idiosyncrasies that distinguish the architecture of Akrotiri from that of Minoan Crete. This analysis contributes to understanding the cultural ties and architectural exchanges between Aegean islands during the second millennium BC.

The Akrotiri settlement, destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Santorini around 1620–1500 BC, is one of the best-preserved prehistoric settlements in the world. Its two- and three-storey buildings, magnificent frescoes and refined ceramic objects reveal an exceptionally developed society.

The correlation of Akrotiri's architecture and art with Minoan Crete is one of the central issues of Aegean archaeology. Through comparison of building techniques, building plans and fresco themes, the researcher examines the degree to which the Akrotiri settlement was a Minoan colony or had developed an independent cultural identity.

The full scientific article is available from the Society of Friends of Byzantine Monuments.