Geochemical correlation of archaeological sites using tephra from the Minoan eruption

New light on old pumice: the origins of Mediterranean volcanic material from ancient Egypt

“…Natural marine transport to Egypt seems improbable because of the great distance (more than 1500 km) coupled with the effective barrier of the Straits of Messina. Since this piece joins earlier evidence of pumice from Lipari in Egypt and Palestine (Steinhauser et al, 2006a;Huber and Bichler, 2003), we postulate that Lipari pumice was a Bronze Age trade item, especially since the pumice from Lipari has excellent qualities as a polishing stone due to the absence of phenocrysts. The pumice is approximately 8600 years old (Crisci et al, 1991;De Rosa et al, 2003) which agrees also with the stratigraphic position in recent deep sea cores (Di Roberto et al, 2008).…”

“…(Peltz and Bichler, 2001;Foster and Bichler, 2003;Huber and Bichler, 2003;Friedrich et al, 2006;Manning et al, 2006;Manning, 1999;Bietak, 2003aBietak, , 2004Doumas, 1983;Friedrich, 2000;Hammer et al, 1987Hammer et al, , 2001Hammer et al, , 2003Bronk Ramsey et al, 2004;Pearce et al, 2004a,b;Steinhauser et al, 2006b). The work forms part of the Thera Ashes Project within the framework of the Special Research Programme Synchronisations of Civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in the Second Millennium B.C.…”

Dendrochemical analysis of a tree-ring growth anomaly associated with the Late Bronze Age eruption of Thera

“…Given the rareness of Hf, its mode of formation, and the sudden, short-term increase, a volcanic origin seems a likely possibility. Hf has been measured in the Minoan eruption deposits by numerous research teams (Steinhauser et al, 2006;Eastwood et al, 1999;Huber and Bichler, 2003;Bichler et al, 2003), and zircons have been reported as part of the finer windblown fraction of the tephra (Vitaliano and Vitaliano, 1974). Equally it is difficult to offer an alternative explanation (other than the influx of new geological material) for an increase in the REE and unusual elements such as Se and Y. Whilst REE are common in the earth's crust, they tend to be of higher concentration in more acidic rocks.…”

Discovery of annual growth in a modern olive branch based on carbon isotopes and implications for the Bronze Age volcanic eruption of Santorini

“…The volcanic eruption of Santorini in the Bronze Age was one of the largest in historical time 1 , 2 , spewing volcanic ash and sending pumice across the Mediterranean 3 . This debris found in stratified layers in archaeological sites serves as an absolute anchor in time, deeming layers beneath as “pre-eruption” and layers above as “post-eruption,” along with the artifacts they contain.…”