One day in about 1500 BCE, a massive volcano erupted on the Greek island of Santorini. It buried the nearby city of Akrotiri under layers and layers of lava and ash, stopping a thriving city in its tracks.

The Ghosts of Minoan Culture

• The remaining crescent shape of the volcano's caldera forms the distinctive shape of the island
• The Minoans, who lived there, had enough warning to flee before the ash and lava buried their homes -- but no one knows where they went or if they survived
• The city of Akrotiri was a main urban center and port, and featured an elaborate drainage system, multi-storied buildings, and brightly-colored elaborate wall paintings called frescoes
• The archaeological site is one of Greece’s national treasures, one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the Aegean, and a popular tourist attraction

Read more on Wikipedia's website.

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