the Sea People: History & Hypothesis

[michaelbix]

Apollo - Is it germane or helpful for chronology-verifying that the date for the Thera/Santorini eruption was recently "re-set" more than a half century later to approximately 1605 BCE and its "output"/debris-fall has been doubled as well as its likely distribution area in the northern hemisphere? 

I've decided (vis-a-vis the North Atlantic) to attempt a multi-millenium chart of all the major eruptions in Iceland right up to the present day, as the significant disruptions (such as consequential tsunamis, famines, fluoridosis poisoning of cattle/"murrains," etc.) can help cross-check dates possibly quite helpfully.  But I wonder if someone such as yourself is doing a multi-millenium chart for the major volcanoes of the Mediterranean and Anatolia such as Etna, Pompeii and Santorini?

I observe the Santorini eruption of 1605 BCE and the Hekla eruption of 1159 BCE as "bracketing" an enormous cooling spell for the entire northern hemisphere... among other things the oceans (which had been progressively rising at a fairly steady but slowing clip, compared to pre-4000 BCE) reversed themselves and began to draw down a bit, as glaciers reformed for the first time since about 18,000 BCE.  Events like this seem to not enter every historian's "radar screen" significantly when calculating historic and pre-historic events but I suspect it would be helpful if they were considered as major culture-impactors.

Michael Cerulli Billingsley

[Apollo]

Welcome back, Michael, your ideas have been missed in this forum. 

Yes, we had the same idea and at one time had a chart of eruptions in the Mediterranean in prehistory, however, it is incomplete. It also leaves off the volcanoes in the Atlantic Ocean, the eruption of one may have also been responsible for the Atlantis catastrophe.

I did some digging, though, and did find an abstract that details some of these events:



Towering above the city of Catania (315,000 inhabitants), Mount Etna is Europe's largest volcano, and probably the second most active volcano on Earth, with eruptions occurring almost continuously in its summit area, and every few years on its flanks. This photograph, taken on 13 February 1999 from the center of Catania, shows lava flowing from an eruptive fissure close to the Southeast Crater (one of the four summit craters of Etna) into the Valle del Bove, a deep collapse depression on the eastern flank of the volcano. Though spectacular, this eruption did not cause any damage, but attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists over the nine months of its duration

http://boris.vulcanoetna.com/ETNA_intro.html

[Apollo]

This is a very old abstract:

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 88, NO. B8, PAGES 6357–6371, 1983

Volcanic Eruptions in the Mediterranean Before A.D. 630 From Written and Archaeological Sources

Richard B. Stothers

Goddard Institute For Space Studies, NASA




Michael R. Rampino

Goddard Institute For Space Studies, NASA




Abstract

Written and archaeological sources from the Mediterranean region have been exhaustively searched for evidence of historical volcanism before the year A.D. 630. Volcanic eruptions are identified here by two methods: direct observations, which give information about Mediterranean volcanoes, and indirect, atmospheric observations, which give at least the dates of very large explosive eruptions that occurred somewhere in the northern hemisphere. Seven or more very large explosive eruptions have been detected by these methods. Direct observations indicate great eruptions of Thera (fifteenth century B.C.), Etna ( 44 B.C.), and Vesuvius ( 217 B.C., A.D. 79, A.D. 472). Indirect observations imply great eruptions of northern hemisphere volcanoes in the years 217 B.C.,44 B.C.,A.D. 472 A.D. 536, and A.D. 626. Some of the correlations with known Mediterranean eruptions may be accidental. It is found that atmospheric veiling and cooling were quite marked for about a year after the eruptions of 44 B.C., A.D. 472, A.D. 536, and A.D. 626 ( relevant data are lacking for the other eruptions). If the A.D. 536 eruption was a very distant one ( Rabaul, New Britain?), it may have been the most explosive in recorded history. There is independent evidence of the sizes of the eruptions that took place in these years: at least five of them coincide with the strongest acidity signals in Greenland ice for this period. In the case of the smaller eruptions, reliable ( though necessarily incomplete) chronologies are presented for Etna, Vesuvius, and the other active Mediterranean volcanoes. Full documentation from the original sources is provided throughout.

Received 11 August 1982; accepted 20 May 1983.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1983/JB088iB08p06357.shtml

[Apollo]

Mount Vesuvius




+The Basal Pumice (Pomici di Base) eruption, 18,300 years ago, VEI 6, was probably the most violent of these eruptions and saw the original formation of the Somma caldera. The eruption was followed by a period of much less violent, lava producing eruptions.
+The Green Pumice (Pomici Verdoline) eruption, 16,000 years ago, VEI 5.
+The Mercato eruption also known as Pomici Gemelle or Ottaviano 8,000 years ago, VEI 6, followed a smaller explosive eruption around 11,000 years ago (called the Lagno Amendolare eruption).
+The Avellino eruption (Pomici di Avellino), 1660 BC ± 43 years, VEI 6, followed two smaller explosive eruptions around 5,000 years ago. The Avellino eruption vent was apparently 2 km west of the current crater, and the eruption destroyed several Bronze Age settlements.
+Pompeii, Herculaneum, 79 AD

[Apollo]

Mount Etna



The first known record of an eruption at Etna is that of Diodorus Siculus.

The Roman poet Virgil gave what was probably a first-hand description of an eruption in the Aeneid:

“ Portus ab accessu ventorum immotus et ingens
ipse; sed horrificis iuxta tonat Aetna ruinis; interdumque atram prorumpit ad aethera nubem, turbine fumantem piceo et candente favilla, attollitque globos flammarum et sidera lambit; interdum scopulos avolsaque viscera montis erigit eructans, liquefactaque saxa sub auras cum gemitu glomerat, fundoque exaestuat imo. (3.39)"

“ A spreading bay is there, impregnable
To all invading storms; and Aetna's throat With roar of frightful ruin thunders nigh. Now to the realm of light it lifts a cloud Of pitch-black, whirling smoke, and fiery dust, Shooting out globes of flame, with monster tongues That lick the stars; now huge crags of itself, Out of the bowels of the mountain torn, Its maw disgorges, while the molten rock Rolls screaming skyward; from the nether deep The fathomless abyss makes ebb and flow.
 ”

(edition of Theodore C. Williams, ca. 1908 [lines 569 - 579])
 

In 396 BC, an eruption of Etna is said to have thwarted the Carthaginians in their attempt to advance on Syracuse during the First Sicilian War.

A particularly violent explosive (Plinian) summit eruption occurred in 122 BC, and caused heavy tephra falls to the southeast, including the town of Catania, where many roofs collapsed[3]. To help with reconstruction and dealing with the devastating effects of the eruption, the Roman government exempted the population of Catania from paying taxes for ten years.

[michaelbix]

Hi Apollo - Here's an article which might be of interest.   I'm writing something quite large in scope and hoping to post soon.

Michael

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18397467

Titre du document / Document title
Medical papyri describe the effects of the Santorini eruption on human health, and date the eruption to August 1603-March 1601 BC
Auteur(s) / Author(s)
IGINO TREVISANATO Siro ;
Résumé / Abstract
Egyptian medical papyri date the Santorini eruption, and reconcile the hitherto perceived dichotomy between archaeological/historical and scientific data. The medical documentation describes ailments, which can only have arisen from a volcanic source: ash fallout, rain acidified by ash, and a plume. Furthermore, the Egypt described by the medical texts matches the one in the series of so-called biblical plagues. This match in turn provides the length of time, 19 months, between the initial and final phases of the eruption, each phase contributing to the otherwise odd accumulation of sulfates spread over two consecutive biennia (1603-1600 BC) in Greenland's ice core. As a result, the initial phase of the eruption can be dated to August 21, 1603 BC, and the final one to March 1601 BC, in full agreement with the radiocarbon data (1627-1600 BC) based on the outermost ring on the branch of an olive tree killed by the eruption.
Revue / Journal Title
Medical hypotheses   ISSN 0306-9877
Source / Source
2007, vol. 68, no2, pp. 446-449 [4 page(s) (article)]
Langue / Language
Anglais
Editeur / Publisher
Elsevier, Kidlington, ROYAUME-UNI (1975) (Revue)
Localisation / Location
INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 18253, 35400014523832.0390

Copyright 2007 INIST-CNRS. All rights reserved
Toute reproduction ou diffusion même partielle, par quelque procédé ou sur tout support que ce soit, ne pourra être faite sans l'accord préalable écrit de l'INIST-CNRS.
No part of these records may be reproduced of distributed, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of INIST-CNRS.
Nº notice refdoc (ud4) : 1839746

[Helios]

Since the Santorini explosion has been dated now to 200 years prior to the collapse of Minoan civilization, I wonder if we can finally disqualify them (and Thera) as a candidate for Atlantis?  Yes, I believe we can, barring any good excuse.

[Qoais]

Hi Guys
I always wondered why Crete had a more sophisticated culture than those surrounding them.  Why and how did a culture build to such heights - way out there in the middle of the water?  Unless it was part of an earlier culture of the same development, but was later cut off. 

I have proposed a theory contending that although Plato wrote the story, there's a lot that may or may not be true.  I've said that it is actually a local story, and by that, I mean that he is using the island of Euobea for the description of Atlantis, a local area he knew, that he gave Solon the credit for the story because he felt Solon would have been deemed a greater poet than Homer or Hesiod had he been able to finish this great work, and the work itself is actually honoring Socrates, whom he thought highly of.  It's a story from a man who felt Athens was becoming too big for her britches and the ideal thing to do, would be to revert back to the ways of her Golden Days, and he's thumbing his nose at the establishment.  The whole story is showing what happens to a state that thinks too much about greed and avarice than more spiritual, cosmic things.  He's actually telling a story of thier own ancient history, when Greece was a larger peninsula, sticking out in the water, a larger land that could support more people and cattle.  He says the temple is not the original, that the original was destroyed in a cataclysm.  He says the remains of Greece are like a skeleton, as the island that remain. 

I drew a map to depict Greece as he descibes it, and how far it stuck out into the sea by drawing a line along the highest ridges showing in Google Earth, and then filled in the area with "land".  I'll post it here for you to see so you don't have to go searching for it.



I haven't figured out just what the war is about, altho that may just be something he put in for the sake of the story.  I'm still working on it, and another gal is working on the mythological end of it to see if she can figure out who's who in the characters.  I think that the destruction of Atlantis is not Santorini, because Crete itself is part of what was left after the destruction that rendered Greek a skeleton.  Afterall, the story is titled Critias isn't it? Critias - kriti - krete. 

So - do you fellows have any information on when their was seismic activity in the Aegean, rendering Greece a skeleton?
Thanks a lot.

[BlueHue]

Dear   QOAIS, 

Sorry " Crete" seems not on Topic here, but Sea-Peoples( in 1200 bc)
were actually confused with Persian-allies that made an attack on Egypt in 380 bc.
( Book" who were the Peoples of the Sea ? by dr V.-1970-)

  When 'Atlantis' florished, mean-Sealevel was only 50 meters lower than today,
 have you taken this in account with your " Highest Ridges-Land-map" ???otherwise you will have to redress it !

Today I have  tried to answer your latest Private messages,
several times  but just when I finished I accidentally keep hitting the ESC button
as if my subconsiousness  prevents the message transfer! so I'll re-try to finish a reply to your private message

"ESC" as you know is always at the TOP left corner of the Keyboard and as a sort of Damocles-sword or a DEAD MAN's button.
I cannot help it to accidentally touch it.  Well I'll try again after this message !

CRETE is a colonists name meaning holi, like ESCHERIA: Esch or ACHE= Holi, RIA=Land.
Crethe = Holi and TE= Land. the original name for CRETE in Hindi was SRI- LANKA (= Atlantis a holi-white-Land/Patala.)

Talk about seismic waves in the AEGEAN
and the Silt and Cracked surface age determination !
in 855 bc, The MOON has struck Mars and put a lot of debris comets in Earth's orbit.

After hitting Mars ,
 copping off 1/3 chuncks of it's oceans, Mars for loss of volume changed orbits with planet Venus,
MEANING, that when MOON hit MARS both were in very-close orbit around the SUN, about where Venus orbits today !

MOON hit Earth at Hawaii in 855 bc,
 and bounced off the Indian Sea- bottom creating in it's wake,
 the Himalayians which were almost litterary" Surged upwards" not by a 'drift'mechanism ! Mars' water is said to float in orbit around Planet Saturn !

The other day Nat geogr. Mag, had a feature about these COMETS coming from MARS and their SKID-MARKS on EARTH !
The Magazine's cartographists artmap,  established that the Skidmarks were made just prior to the breaking-up of the Continents

If one puts two and two together:
First MARS gets hit by the MOON( Story of Plutarch or Ovid about MARS 'visiting' his old Anna/Moon !)
than, Marsfragments fall to Earth and skidmarks are made, than Earth continets break-up not by Continent wandering but by the MOON
falling to Earth at TWO occasions,  I dare to be bold in my theory! to suggest that MOON hit Earth !
 
MOON's seismic collision-wave
travelled through to break-up Pangea at the other end of the globe opposite the impact/ bounce site!
The lift-off of the Moon explains the DENT in the Indian ocean floor/basin where Scientts claim that the MOON was originating from
( but in a different way than they suspected.)

in 855 bc,Moon was named DIONE but She was re-named DIONE- Nyssos or APHRODITE whebn she rose again from the( Indian-)Ocean !

Around 1.000 bc the MOON was orbiting much closer to Earth with much more impact on tidal waves
especially ion conjunction with planet MARS.

I guess that MOON was ousted by planet Venus when this'Venuschild'it hit Earth first time in 1055 bc( War of the GODS! / TITANO-machia.)
At that occasion seismic waves travelling through earth split the American continents from the Europe african site.
the SILTs may be different but the Mountainranges had continued at an 90 degree angle beyond the separationlines proving their former connection !

The SKIDmarks of Mars fragments/
comets/meteorites in North-Europe continued at a slightly differend angle in Canada !which is the best proof of former(recent!)connectivity.
Even the now abandoned dry riverbeds( of Indus/ Ganges.) that flowed to Sea before the Hymalayian mountains were uplifted were retraced. Loss of life occured by animals asphixiated in their prime( like Mammouths in Siberia( not in 2.000 bc but 855 bc!)

I guess that MARS was hit by the MOON which afterwards hit Earth for the second  time( in 200yrs!) at another WAR of the Gods:GIGANTO-Machia !@( 855.bc)

So my " BlueHue" theory dictates that North-America separated from Europe around 1055 bc
and India separated from Africa around 855 bc. Thus NOT in MIOCENE or EOCEN nor PLIOCENE but in LATE- Quarternary !
the MAIN-seismic waves in the AEGEAN therefore should be also dated to 1055-855 timeperiod.( Explosion of Thera: 855 bc NOT 1650 bc.)

The Himalayian Mountains were LIFTED from the Indian Ocean floor by a seismic wave in 855 bc
if that seems incredible, and this event should be dated to: 20 or 8 million years bc,
than how is it possible that the TOPsiltlayers of this Mnt range ( thus the former Indian SEA- Bottom!)
shows traces of riversilts from Africa and Arabia from Quarternary times ?!

The socalled " Quarternary Lake Burst" , which is a shortened version of the " Quarternary Glacier lake damburst"
supposedly happened in 8.000 bc but in my" BlueHue"s theory it occurred in 855 bc. Earth stood still, while the water flowed on(= Sintflood.)   Mario-Dantaz could'nt come up with a seismic scenario like that.

As the original homes of the Atlanteans or proto-Greeks in ADEN/(= old Athens), were floodded with Mud-silt
from the river TYPHON/ now TUBAN, they mannaged to regroup and colonize Europe( since :1055 bc, when Princess Europe(= ino) sailed to New- Athens and CRETE with her minions called MINEANS( from Asir-above- Aden.) at the time but which word evolved into MINOANS.

By the way nice of you to spot that IERLAND BLOG link
but " BlueHue "s theory in 2004,  was then still in it's infancy and full of spelling errors that I hope to correct sometime !

Sincerely :" BlueHue "   :'(dd 25.Aug.2008

Ps.
the equasion of " Larger than " and " Between" backfired
because in English-translation they are -ofcourse- incompatible,as standalone keywords! but
However, One should realize that they are in GREEK almost the SAME words: audial-'homonyms' Mezo/ Meso

So I suggest you re-phrase the question you put to drLEONARD as Following: not
Atlantis-island is larger than (= MEZO-n)Lybia and Asia combined/together
Atlantis-island is larger than( the continents of.) Lybia and Asia- combined
 but better ask whether  MESO-s can cange the former into a NEW sentence
(Which was probably the original anyway:)Thus the official wording was

Atlantis Island ( Pelagus.)was in Mid -Ocean  larger than(= MEZO-n)  Libia & Asia together.

Atlantis(Ad-land.)was situated on a Sea-arm(= Pelagous.)mid-way inbetween (=MESO-s)
the Sea-SHORES of Lybia(= now Ethiopia)and Asia.

( NOTE:  ASIA, was Greek-Asia Major, was: never Latin-Asia Minor.) in greek, Asia Major was ARABY FoELIX,
Ras- Aden- Crater, is situated in the extreme WEST of Araby, but in the Centre(= Mid-Way inbetween.) of TWO ( Red-)Sea-Arms !)