Akrotiri (prehistoric city)
Excavation of Akrotiri in 2018 | |
| Location | Santorini, Greece |
|---|---|
| Region | Aegean sea |
| Coordinates | 36°21′05″N 25°24′13″E / 36.35139°N 25.40361°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 5000–4001 BCE |
| Abandoned | 16th century BCE |
| Cultures | Cycladic |
| Events | Theran eruption |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | since 1967 |
| Condition | Ruins |
Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, pronounced Greek: [akroˈtiri]) is the site of a Cycladic Bronze Age settlement on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini (Thera). The name comes from the nearby village of Akrotiri.
The settlement was destroyed in the Theran eruption sometime in the 16th century BCE and buried in volcanic ash, which preserved the remains of fine frescoes and many objects and artworks. Akrotiri has been excavated since 1967 after earlier excavations on Santorini.