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Published on: May 20, 2019
Santorini eruption radiocarbon dated to 1627-1600 B.C.
Walter L Friedrich1, Bernd Kromer, Michael Friedrich
1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus, C.F. Moellers Allé 1120, Denmark. walter@geo.au.dk
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|April 29, 2006
Summary
Radiocarbon wiggle-matching of a Santorini olive tree precisely dates the Minoan eruption to 1627-1600 B.C. This finding challenges traditional Egyptian chronologies for the Bronze Age.
Area of Science:
- Archaeological Science
- Dendrochronology
- Radiocarbon Dating
Background:
- The Minoan eruption of Santorini (Thera) is a key global marker for the Bronze Age.
- Accurate dating of this event is crucial for understanding Mediterranean prehistory.
- Previous dating efforts relied on less direct methods and yielded varying results.
Observation:
- A unique olive tree, preserved in situ by volcanic tephra, was discovered on Santorini.
- The tree's annual growth rings provided a detailed sequence for analysis.
- This provided an unprecedented opportunity for direct dating of the eruption.
Findings:
- Radiocarbon wiggle-matching applied to the tree's carbon-14 sequence constrained the eruption date.
- The date was determined to be between 1627-1600 B.C. with 95.4% probability.
- This precise dating aligns with some scientific estimates but predates traditional Egyptian chronologies by a century.
Implications:
- Establishes a more accurate timeline for the Bronze Age in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
- Provides a critical anchor point for synchronizing regional chronologies.
- Highlights the importance of paleo-environmental archives for historical event dating.
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