The historical relevance of the Thera (Santorini) volcanic eruption is
unclear because of major dating uncertainty. Long placed ~1500 BCE and
during the Egyptian New Kingdom (starts ~1565–1540 BCE) by
archaeologists, 14C pointed to dates plus/minus 50–100 years earlier during the
preceding Second Intermediate Period. Several decades of debate have
followed with no clear resolution of the problem—despite wide
recognition that this uncertainty undermines an ability to synchronize
the civilizations of the eastern Mediterranean in the mid-second
millennium BCE and write wider history.

Recent work permits substantial progress. Volcanic CO2 was often
blamed for the discrepancy. However, comparison of 14C dates directly
associated with the eruption from contemporary Aegean contexts—both on
and remote from Thera—can now remove this caveat.

[journals.plos.org]

Hermione
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