Akrotiri is the name of an excavation site of an Bronze Age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini, associated with the Minoan civilization due to close similarities in artifact and fresco styles. The excavation is named for a modern Greek village situated on a hill nearby. The name of the site in antiquity is unknown. It was buried by a volcanic eruption in the 17th century BC, and as a result is remarkably well-preserved. Frescoes, pottery, furniture, advanced drainage systems and three-storey buildings have been discovered at the site. An ambitious modern roof structure, meant to protect the site, collapsed just prior to its completion in 2005, killing one visitor. No damages were recorded to the antiquities. As a result of this, the site is currently closed to visitors (early 2008). Excavated artifacts have been installed in a museum distant from the site (Museum of Prehistoric Thera), with many objects and artworks presented. Only a single gold object has been found, hidden beneath flooring, and no uninterred human skeletal remains have been found. This indicates that an orderly evacuation was performed with little or no loss of life. Tourist spot for Santorini travel guides. There are lot of cheap travels from Athens.
GPS travel destinations: 36° 21′ 5″ N, 25° 24′ 13″ E
Popularity: 2%
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