| Santorini Ancient Thira |
 The second important period in the history of Santorini is linked with the city of Ancient Thira. The excavations there, which began in 1896 by Baron Hiller von Gaertrinken in the area of Mesa Vouno, revealed ruins of a town which bore evidence of settlement as early as the 9th century BC.The mountain of Prophitis Ilias , Santorini's highest peak, runs eastward into the lower rocky outcropping of Mesa Vouno. these two mountains are joined by a ridge named Sellada. Mesa Vouno, with an altitude of 369 meters, extends from west to south and its steep slopes descend to the shores of Kamari to the north and at Perissa to the south. This naturally fortified spot was an ideal place for the Spartan colonists to found their city and they built 2 roads, one to the beach of Kamari, where they had their port, ancient Ia, and the other to Perissa. The strategic location of the town was appreciated later by the Ptolemies. In the 4th century BC, the most important era in the history of the island, Ancient Thera was transformed into an Egyptian naval base with the installation there of a major military guard post. Digs in the area have brought to light a settlement that stretched from northwest to southeast. It was about 800 meters long and its greatest width was 150 meters. It was split in two by a central street, from which many side streets branched off. Because of the sloping terrain, many of the alleyways were stopped. All the streets were paved with flagstones, while sewage was conducted away via a system of uncovered channels. Of the buildings that have been discovered, the public ones were constructed of ashlar limestone blocks, a material found in abundance on Santorini; private houses were made of small stones of irregular shape. The public buildings and the sanctuaries lie to the right and left of the main street. The private houses are clustered in two neighbourhoods, one of which ascends the west side of the mountain, the other the east. The layout of Ancient Thera as revealed by excavations is the form it acquired in the Hellenistic era. The excavations have also brought to light two cemeteries, one on the southwest slope of Sellada, the other under the rocks of Mesa Vouno. Both were in use during the Geometric period and up to the mid 7th century BC. The cemetery used in the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC is located on the northeast slope of Sellada. The older graves, as a rule, are to be found at higher points than the later ones. Observing the same burial rites as the Dorians of Kimolos and Crete, the Therans used to cremate their dead. They would the ashes in a special, funerary urn and then place it along with libations inside the family tomb. In some cases, however, the corps was simply buried without being cremated. opening hours : Mon-Sat 08:00-14:30 (Mon closed) source : Getting to know Santorini, Haitalis ed. |
