Eruptions of the Santorini Volcano from Contemporary Sources

Nevertheless, either naive or sophisticated descriptions of any eruption are of great value, for they provide first-hand information. It has been considered useful to include some such reports in this section. Of particular interest are the passages which refer to the eruption of Columbo in 1650 because they cover almost the entire Aegean region.

SANTORINI FROM CONTEMPORARY SOURCES

1.     THEOPHANES CHRONOGRAPHIA (de Boor 1963², 404 - 405)

«... .έν αύτώ δέ τώ 'έτει ίνδικτιώνι θ΄, ώρα θέρους, άτμίς ώς έκ καμίνου πυρός άνέβρασεν άναμέσου Θήρας καί Θηρασίας τών νήσων έκ τού βυθού τής θαλάσσης έπι ήμέρας τινάς, καί κατά βραχύ παχυνομένης καί άπολιθουμένης τή έξάψει τής πυρώδους έκκαύσεως, ».

The eruption of 726 A.D. has been ascribed by some contemporaries to the

iconoclasm of the Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian. Pumice from Santorini

had then reached the coasts of Macedonia and Asia Minor.

*

**

2.

THE CHRONICLE OF PERISSA

(KC<'t'crbt"f)C;1958, 10 -12)

«... Kat sf3yijxsv OAO~a xoapo~, plxeot xat flSyaAOl, {ivtJes~ xat YV')laixs~ al£'OTCI

xaaTea xat al£'oTa al£'lua ps Tai~ aYlal~ slxovs~ sk TOVxapl£'ov ps l£'oAAa{)6.xeva xat

sAsyav OU s({JTaasv1}avvdASta TOVxoapov xat savyxweovaav a lJva~TOV{iAAovps l£'OA-

Aa xat mxea tJaxeva».

« ... IIij(!sv avxtai~, l£'ijQSVsA'Yjaiq;,sl£'ijQSVsxxA'Yjalaq;yij MatJlap Ta sxapsv OAa

a1£" aA'Yj()S£aq;.

,...........

.

J.:TOViOl£'OV,onov dnapsv fjyovv slq; ii]V IIsQiaaa

ia paQpafja nov ~ixwvs, nOAAa 'Tavs nSQlaaa...)).

In these passages two anonymous Santorinians describe the misery of the island

caused by the eruption of Columbo in 1650.

3.

(idem)

«' Ef3Aaf3iaTau lSQk xat TlplOl yiQOVT8~ Tij~ XOQaq;xat nSQlXOeWV Tijq; viaov Na~

laq;.

,Epsi~ ({JTWxot SQ'YjPOlxat aXAaf3ol or nOAA2c xavpivol ans Tal; apaQiialq; pa;

ans iO v'Yjat iij; aavToQlv'Yj; tJ[(jopsv srr5'YjalJ!r5la TO pvai~QlOV TO'I'nOonov paq; saif3lxsv

sl; iOV Tonov STO'I'nOViOV dQYlapivov anWTOV psyaAor5vvapov esov. KadxsT8 noq;

ans Talq; Mxa TOV aSTsf3Qiov sQXlaav or aSlapot d; TOViOJ TO Vlal xat SiQalpsv daav

TQaipSl TO xaAapl xat sxapapsv PSQovvXTk M'ialY' xat sl; Taiq; 26 TOV a({JTov P'Yjvoq;

SVl~S pia ({JAiya nVelYi] xat ({JwTla ps xanvov piaa st; ii] ()aAaaaa tJvo plAta aAaQyov

sl; Tonov A8YovflSvOV KovAovnov xat stq; ifjk 1}pifjal; naAl (lv'Yj~s 1} ({JAiya ps TOV

aSlGpov xat sf3yaAs ({Jwwl ps xanvov xat aaTfjansq; ps f3QOVTSQ;aaTQondixla

p8 fl8

aSlapo xat ps Tafjaxt psyaA'Yj xat TQopaxuxi] xat sxaAaas Ta rJnlTla paq; xat snAaoas

aV()Qonovq;xat oaOl (lv()QonOl ria')! o~o OAOlsni()avav xat Ta nSTOvpsva OAa s1pO({JiaaaSl

xat 7:(1 xovTQa 'wa OAa sxa()vxav xat a aiQaq; hl({JAovs Tovq; aV()Qonovq;PlXQOVq;xa~

psyaAovq; xat fj ()aAaaaa S({JlYSVans TOV Tono uq; xa~ smQs ia XOQa({Jtapaq; OAa xa~

SVyiVSl ToaOq;f3QoPOq;onov tJsv spno(!ovpSV va ({Japsv api] iO aTopa pac; slval yspaT'o

r5la({J'Yjapi] a~opa swq; TO(!a sXOJpsv nSelaOiS(!W ({Jwf3ovxat 0 palyaAor51pavoq; eSOq; va

xapl sAs'ipoalv'Yj slq; spaq; xat 1} ()aAaaa sm~s ana avxlalQa xa~ r5svslpnwQsl nAsovpsVov

va ns(!aa'Yj xat 13 navToMvapoq; va paq; AVT(!OGlans iOVT'YjV T'YjVr5'YjaT'YjXla')!onov dpsaTav.

1650 oXTOf3QlOVslq; Talq; B».

A more official description of the Columbo eruption (1650) is given in the

~~.u_..u

"

above letter sent to the priests of Naxos by the priests of Santorini. The letter is

dated October 3, 1650.'

4. (idem)

«.Koma -ijyow iO Yao'Viije; anoXelau; de; iij'v d6rj(1w iije; aavio(!l'V'Yje;

.

A'ilJealfldn:aiol nana6sr; xa/' neOXeliOl iije; flsyaAswiai'YjC;XOWOi'YjC;

Eavioelv'Yjr;.

ME flSY6.Aoflac; xaflo xa/' Avn'Yjalno'V 'lJfVxw'Vflac; eaxaaafls iO yeappa aac;xa/' e~

lafJaaaflsv m xaCa xa/' i'Yj 6vaivxla iijC; aTsvna aac; xa/' neenSl nwc; 0 na'VeAsor;

Bsor; Osva el!;sl dJv xaiaea iOV anavw aE iOVia ia 6vaivXlapeva v'Yjalaxa/'a-rexovll-

TGJ!oAa xa-ca-CeSflBvaano niiaa Aoyijr; xaxOiee!;lpo xa/' 6vaivxtsc; xa/' aTaVlapO/,apn

xal s6w a-cn Na!;ta enlj(!apsv db'Yjal xa/' sxovaaps'V xa/' iO fJO'YjiOnov syev'Yjxeaiov oveavoxa/'

sic;-rnyij"sic;in OaAaaaaxa/'e-reepaps'VOAOlplXeOtxatpsyaAolBaxoviac;xal

"a pnv SpSieOpSV a Os viival -co -reAOr;iOV 'Xoapov 'Xa/'{Jnvo ifavxo bEVSXolpovpaais'V

anav-rexov-cac;wea -c~v wea iO xaAaapo -cov v'Yjawvpac; ijyovv ano aSl<1poxat ano 8Tom'Yj

OA'Yj-c~ ()six~ oeY~ nov aXOAOVO'YjaGJ!nwr; av o(!lCsis ana

xa/' aiie;yeaTopsv

ia~ va !;sxwljasie dc; bla iO v'Yjaipac; Os va aiic; anObSXiOVPSVwr; sival iO pnoes-co

pat; fls -c~'Vnii{1a par; xaA~ xaebla wc; bla va I'Avnh(1'YjfJ apsvna aar; ano -ca alIT(!

OneAeXlaxat -cn'VT).6ya onov aw-CeeXsl as aiir; xat anopelvoflsv Bxovmc; xa/' i~V

lmeoOvpla va sl;8ewps xat nwr; anoyevl'Xs-cs.

'Ano Na!;la hoc; 1650 dr; NospfJetov 17.

Of. neO'Xel-COl7:0V peeovc; Kaa7:(!ov xat Mnoveyov Na!;lar; YeaTopsv.

t'1w. 0 rac; xaelSl eSOV Tavse°C;aeXlyeappa7:SVr; xal NO7:a(!wc; VOPlXOc;-cov7:1}r;

T~ psyaASlO7:a7:'Yjr; XOWO7:'Yj7:0C;Na!;or; SXOma(!laa».

The priests of Naxos in the above letter (November 17, 1650) express their

sympathy to the people of Santorini and describe how the eruption was felt in

)j"axos.

*

**

~ -AN ERUPTION OF THERA (Alexiou 1971, 136 -137)

N' aaiea:n:7:'Yj0 xoapor; pE fJeov.er;, xat va meaXOlVt87:al

fJ Kef]7:'YJ,xa/' 7:0 neAaOr;btxwr; aTeoVr; va aSl€-ral,

Xl Jjesr; eTV(!a povaxlj x' sic; Jjesr; va nA'YjOalv'Yj,

xa/' anOV ia 7:slX'Yj1Jeaaa$ waav ex()eor; va flnalv'Yj.

,EnAIjOawe x' sYlaysevs btxwr; avepov xae'Yj,

\\ '" , '"

xal 7:a xaea fJla sasevs aia fJa()'Yj 7:'Yjr;va nae'Yj.

KaeafJla, XaiS(!ya Yla Pla spVya<1l pE fJlav

xat nijyav xat amAAaeavs aV7:lnsea a7:~ N7:1av

,.

Kl aneinc; 7:0 vl'Xljaave Xl ansk enaeabO()'Yj,

anov iOV naiO 7:0V YlaAov OAOV e!;S(!lCwO'Yj.

Ta xaueya xa()ljxave aav s!;SOSpSAlWO'Yj'

7:0 neAaoc; e-raeaCs nselaaa x' e()oAw()'Yj'

nat. nx XlO'O'1}ela O"(h fJovva nJ nBAao,; YSfllCn

The eruption of Columbo (1650) was also felt in Crete. Marinos Tzane Bounialis

in the above passage describes the effects it had on the sea as well as in the

atmosphere.

6. (idem, 137. 138)

36.

AlfliJv ()e y' BflninJ..aTo nii,; vnee fl8Tgov

xat. a{)(Jt~ BX'X8VOVWxsgawOsZaa nw~

,

vijs~ ()' BAaalalal aVflnsnAsYflBval

B'Xl')J()VYBVOVfliJ gayijval aAA'ljJ..at~

.

,AAA' o'1jJeTWV()S vrwi()o~ LIia~ {)nsg

flb:agO'l~ slaogiiTo nsgawv anA8Twv

fJgoflO~ is nxgoiiTO fJgoVT1]i50VfJgBflW)J,

i5vaO(Jfl{1] i5' ijaOsiO aTflOV Osuh()ov~

xat. OlXOl nflavgOJlTat BVTO~BXTOr;is

w~ xaVTO~ Cigyvgo~ is BV XtfJwilol~

.

"Ynonia iaVi' l(5o~s iOZr; anAovaT8gotr;

(Vr; ngoa(5oxiiv laxaTa xstgovwv 19ywv.

.

,A Tflor; (5' as{eSiO O"qJoi5e'BxnvgO"wOd~ nse

xat. (JJniST' BflqJavwr; 'is BX{)Og(VV'iflfJ()1])J)

aX'YJnniw Mx'YJv (5' av{aXE i5oXflt' aflfJa{pOJJl

(Vr; aflqJ{gvTov 8v8a yijv ilTavof5aOal,

onEg ngO()'YJAoV8X is nA'ljOOVr;xurmlewv

aXTaZal TaZr; nBgl~ flOl s'XqJO(rCWOEvr:or;.

The Cretan doctor Athanasios Skleros wrote a poem in archaic style, called

"Lamentation of Crete", which has the above passage describing the spectacle

of the erupting volcano (Columbo) as seen from Heraklion. The sea and the air

were also affected.

*

**

7. (Papadopoulos -Kerameus)

t Eir; 'iOVr;1650 asniSflfJeiq> 30 s-ogw'XOflSVOlijflEZr; sir; vijao ABeo XVelaXfi fJgabl

BfJe6vTawaav va nOAsflovv, 'Xat.lAEyav aTt BxaAaasv a ijflsZr;

Bsor; TiJVI:avTog'ljv1]'J!'

BgxoflsvOl sk IIaTflov vijaov B'1jJoqJovaavnx o'1jJaglaslr; TiJV OaAaaaav and TOJlfJ(jwflo

iijr; I:avTogfJv'YJr;'Xat. TOV 'X'YJgafJgaI1wr;TiJV avaToAfJv.

The register of the Holy Sepulchre kept by Makarios, a monk from Crete

(1649 -1669), has the above note on the first sheet, dated September 30, 1650;

people travelling from the island of Leros to the island of Patmos on a Sunday

evening heard the thundering and saw dead fish in the sea. These things were

due to the eruption of Santorini (Columbo).

Source: "Thera and the Aegean World I" (pp. 819 - 823)

Author: C. Doumas