Tree Rings Date Santorini Eruption to Around 1600 BC
A radiocarbon study challenges the 1500 BC date favored by archaeological comparisons for the Minoan eruption of Thera.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Geology
Researchers using tree ring radiocarbon data dated the Minoan eruption of Santorini to near 1600 BC, earlier than the 1500 BC date favored by archaeological comparisons. The study was published in the journal Radiocarbon.
Why it matters
The Minoan eruption was among the largest volcanic events of the past 11,700 years and may have generated tsunamis reaching Crete and Anatolia. Pinning down its date matters for linking the eruption to the history of Egypt, Greece and the Levant.
The study recalculated dates from 24 short-lived plant samples from the Akrotiri destruction layer and compared 93 new oak measurements against bristlecone pine from California and juniper from Turkey, with small differences emerging. The precise eruption year is still unresolved because no clear radiocarbon spike appeared at 1557 or 1528 BC.
The players
Radiocarbon
The peer-reviewed journal in which the study was published, widely used for radiocarbon dating research.
Akrotiri
A prehistoric Bronze Age settlement on Santorini buried by the Minoan eruption and preserved in volcanic ash.
The details
Researchers recalculated dates from 24 short-lived plant samples recovered from the volcanic destruction layer at Akrotiri and examined models incorporating olive wood and shrub records from Thera and Therasia. The results point to a date near 1600 BC, while archaeological comparisons continue to favor 1500 BC.
Timeline
Around 1600 BC: strongest radiocarbon probabilities for the eruption date
Around 1500 BC: date favored by archaeological comparisons
1533 to 1528 BC: radiocarbon rise and peak observed across several laboratories
Deeper Dive
The new oak measurements largely agree with the IntCal20 calibration curve, reinforcing its reliability for dating Bronze Age events. Small differences from bristlecone pine and juniper records highlight where the calibration still needs refinement.
Refined eruption dating could sharpen the historical timeline linking Santorini to neighboring Bronze Age societies. The 1533 to 1528 BC radiocarbon rise may eventually serve as a practical dating marker for future studies.
The takeaway
Tree ring data is steadily tightening the timeline of ancient events, but archaeology and radiocarbon still need to be reconciled. Watching how these dates converge will clarify when Bronze Age civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean were reshaped.
Further reading
Explore more in our Geology coverage for context on volcanic eruptions and how scientists date them.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GreekReporter.
