Ashes From Santorini Eruption Found at Smyrna

IZMIR, TURKEY—The Daily Sabah reports that ashes from the eruption of Thera, on the island of Santorini, some 3,600 years ago have been found in the ancient city of Smyrna, around 165 miles away. Cumhur Tanriver of Ege University said the volcanic explosion may have led to the collapse of Minoan civilization in Crete. “Once the ashes are examined, they will provide us the opportunity to see what changes the explosion caused in Smyrna and how it affected the people and their culture,” Tanriver said. “We will also be able to chronologically rank some events in Smyrna that for which could not set an exact date before.” To read in-depth about Minoan civilization, go to “The Minoans of Crete.”