Environment: Flora & Fauna

Fossil plants from Weichselian interstadials, Santorini (Greece) II

A study of the fossil plants from datable geological strata on Thera and Therasia suggests a repeated series of vegetational changes from trees to small plants. This could be the result of volcanic activity or of climatic changes connected with the Würm glaciations and interstadials.

Observations on the Historical Ecology of Santorini

The vegetation and land use of Thera in ancient times are largely conjectural; but recent developments in ecology have set up a basis for the conjecture.

Animals and Human Diet in the Prehistoric Aegean

The study of faunal remains from archaeological sites can make a significant contribution to our understanding not only of animal evolution but also of the people who exploited those animals.

The Crocuses of Santorini

In the building known as Xeste III at Akrotiri on Santorini a large wall-painting with many female figures was found in 1973. A few photographs were published in the volume Thera VII.

Santorini: Flora

The native flora found on the island of Santorini originates from species that survived the volcanic eruptions because of their high pick locations, on the mount of Profitis Ilias.

Santorini: Fauna

Santorini has less diverse fauna than the rest of the Cycladic island chain.

Prehistoric Plants of the Islands of the Aegean Sea - Sea Daffodils (Pancratium Maritimum)

The flora of the islands of the Aegean sea has its roots in the flora of the tertiary period and there has been a local evolution of the remnants of the vanished flora of the Aegean since it was submerged, probably at the beginning of the quaternary period.

The Pre-Minoan Landscape of Thera: a Preliminary Statement

Until recently the concept of landscape archaeology has hardly been applied to the landscapes of Greece. There have, however, been several attempts to reconstruct the outline of the island of Thera before the Minoan eruption.

An Ancient Caldera Cliff Line at Phira, and its Significance for the Topography and Geology of Pre-Minoan Santorini

Minoan pumice occurs plastered, in situ, against the present-day caldera wall at Cape Apanofira, below Phira town. The cliff surface at this locality is part of the denuded wall of an ancient caldera formed during the 18 ka Cape Riva eruption.

Palaeotopographic and Palaeogeologic Reconstruction of Minoan Thera

Reconstruction of Thera during Minoan times, before the Late Bronze Age eruption, conclusively shows a topography dominated by a flooded caldera that formed a bay in the south-central part and low hills in the northern part of the island.

Soil Studies at Akrotiri

The deposit which overlies rubble from clearance of earthquake debris and underlies the pumice, and which has been interpreted by previous writers as evidence of soil formation in an interval before the eruption, as entirely the product of clearance of collapsed building materials, or as the result of localized rain washing, was examined in the field and by laboratory analyses and soil micromorphology.

New Palaeobotanical Data for the Evolutionary History of Plants in the Aegean Area, with Special Reference to the Palaeoflora of Thera

During the last decade, systematic palaeobotanical investigations have been carried out in many areas of Greece, mostly in the Aegean islands Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios, Evia and Santorini, in brackish and fresh-water sediments.

Sea-Shells, Land Snails and other Marine Remains from Akrotiri

The marine and land snails from the Cycladic City at Akrotiri are analysed by species, which are various. They are significant indicators of the ecological environment, as well as the utilization of molluscs.

New Evidence of Late Holocene Sea-level Changes in the Aegean and Santorini: Tectonic, Eustatic and Volcanological Effects

Archaeological and geomorphological study of sea-level changes along mainland and island coasts of the central and northern Aegean, including Santorini, revealed a regional, recent sea-level rise, locally counter-balanced by raised beaches, up to 100 km long.

'Small Fields or Big Fields?' That is the Question

The intention of this paper is to instigate as much discussion as possible, mainly as the points raised here are still at an experimental stage of study.

New Stratigraphic and Geochemical Data for the Megalo Vouno Complex: a Dominating Volcanic Landform in Minoan Times

In this paper we present new stratigraphic and geochemical data for the Megalo Vouno complex (MV) (Fig. 1). MV which has not been studied in detail until now, must have been active during most of the volcanic history of Santorini.

Fossil Plants from Weichselian Interstadials, Santorini

A study of the fossil plants from datable geological strata on Thera suggests a repeated series of vegetational changes from trees to small plants. This could be the result of volcanic activity or of climatic changes connected with the Würm glaciations and interstadials.

The Bronze Age Animal Economy from Akrotiri: A Preliminary Analysis

A preliminary account is presented of the 7155 animal bone specimens so far studied from Akrotiri. The structure of the sample together with the wider implications of animal management practices in the Aegean are discussed.

The Flora and Vegetation of Thera and Crete Before and After the Great Eruption

The wall-paintings and pots of Akrotiri depict a wide range of real and imaginary plants. Those which can be identified with reasonable certainty are mainly species of gardens or of foreign countries, although agricultural crops and the indigenous flora are also represented.

The Vegetation of Greece During Prehistoric Times: The Palynological Evidence

During the last twelve years a number of pollen diagrams from Greece have been published. They cover the period from before the last ice-age to the present day and come from places as far apart as Pylos in the Peloponnese and Gravouna, near Kavala, in the north-east.

Microorganisms from the Volcano of Nea Kammeni Island (Santorini)

Material from the volcano of Nea Kammeni island has been investigated. A part of it was inoculated while the rest was immediately treated.

Trace Elements in the Volcanic Waters of Thera and Milos

This study reveals the importance of trace elements deposits in the hot waters flowing out in the marine environment of the volcanic areas of Santorini and Milos. The analyses have been done by neutron activation method.

The 'Fishermen' Frescoes in the Light of the Fish Bone Evidence

This paper explores the Akrotiri wall paintings with representations related to fishing. A review of current research provides the background against which these representations are re-examined. A new approach is attempted through a comparison of the fishing scenes depicted with the fish bone evidence from Akrotiri and other Bronze Age Aegean sites.

Baskets in the Fresco of the 'Saffron Gatherers' at Akrotiri, Thera: Relevance to the Present

When the artist responsible was painting the unusually sensitive and imaginative fresco of the'Saffron Gatherers' on the east and north walls of Room 3a of Xeste 3 at Akrotiri on Thera, little did he imagine that he was leaving us an additional legacy. This takes the form of six beautiful examples of prehistoric Aegean basketry, consisting of four baskets and two panniers

The Insects Depicted on the Wall Paintings of Thera: An Attempt at Identification

Relatively detailed representations of insects are seen as part of the necklace of the ‘Mistress of Animals' in Xeste 3 at Akrotiri, on the bowsprits of two of the ships in the miniature frieze of the West House, and among the reeds of the newly restored ‘Reed fresco' also from Xeste 3.

Butterflies, Flowers and Aegean Iconography: A Story About Silk and Cotton

Wild silk cultivation preceded the imported Bombyx mori culture by at least two thousand years. The Late Bronze Age iconographic motif of the butterfly is reinterpreted and further discussed in the light of the fossil evidence from Akrotiri, Thera, Greece. New evidence on wild Mediterranean silkworm species and their exploitation, as well as on the economy of the Mediterranean, is presented.

Domestication of Ornamental and Aromatic Plants in the Aegean: The Case of the Madonna Lily

This contribution presents an attempt, based on artistic, literary and botanical evidence, to outline the domestication history of the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Flora of the Theran Wall Paintings: Living Plants and Motifs - Sea Lily, Crocus, Iris and Ivy

The first part of a study of the flora of the Theran wall paintings is presented, covering the sea lily, crocus, iris and ivy. Field observation of the flowers depicted on the Theran wall paintings and pottery, design analyses of the floral motifs, and restorations of the stigma presentation scene with the goddess and the girls from Xeste 3 were undertaken to clarify species, symbolism, stylisation strategies, crocus picking methods and crocus-decorated costumes.

The Reed Motif in the Thera Wall Paintings and its Association with Aegean Pictorial Art

On Late Bronze Age pottery the ‘reed' is usually a simple but vague floral device and rarely can the actual plant be securely identified.

Plants Chosen to be Depicted on Theran Wall Paintings: Tentative Interpretations

Plants depicted on the Theran wall paintings are examined again, not in order to identify the plants per se, as this has been ably tackled by various colleagues, but in order to extract some of the economic and social information encapsulated in this visual language. The messages read concern Late Bronze Age plant collection, plant protection, 'wildscapes' versus 'tamescapes', and plant management in general.

Birds of the Thera Wall Paintings

The wall paintings of Thera are considered from an ornithological standpoint. About thirty-five birds are depicted in the published paintings, and an attempted identification is made for each one.

Some Remarks on the Felids of Thera

This paper summarises and compares the archaeological and iconographic evidence for lions and other felids in ancient Egypt and the Aegean area.

Animal Bones and Animal Representations at Late Bronze Age Akrotiri

Both osteological material and artistic representations at the site of Akrotiri indicate the important part that animals, both wild and domesticated, played in the lives and economy of the Bronze Age inhabitants of Thera.

Nature Scenes: An Approach to a Symbolic Art

The excellent state of preservation, number and variety of Theran nature scenes provide us with a unique opportunity to tackle a number of questions concerning the meaning of the scenes and the character of the iconographic elements, in an attempt to approach and comprehend the function of this symbolic art.

The 'Little Fisherman' and the Fish he Holds

The 'Little Fisherman' of Thera and the fish he holds are examined from an ichthyological point of view. The young boy holds two strings containing a total of twenty-two fish. The combined weight of all these specimens is estimated to be approximately 18-20 kilos.