Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C.
Radiocarbon (carbon-14) data from the Aegean Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C. show that the Santorini (Thera) eruption must have occurred in the late 17th century B.C. By using carbon-14 dates from the surrounding region, cultural phases, and Bayesian statistical analysis, we established a chronology for the initial Aegean Late Bronze Age cultural phases (Late Minoan IA, IB, and II). This chronology contrasts with conventional archaeological dates and cultural synthesis: stretching out the Late Minoan IA, IB, and II phases by approximately 100 years and requiring reassessment of standard interpretations of associations between the Egyptian and Near Eastern historical dates and phases and those in the Aegean and Cyprus in the mid-second millennium B.C.
Manning
Sturt W
SW
Department of Classics, Cornell University, 120 Goldwin Smith Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-3201, USA. sm456@cornell.edu
Ramsey
Christopher Bronk
CB
Kutschera
Walter
W
Higham
Thomas
T
Kromer
Bernd
B
Steier
Peter
P
Wild
Eva M
EM
D001106:Archaeology; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002910:Chronology as Topic; D002962:Civilization / Q000266:history*; D000076145:Greece, Ancient; D049690:History, Ancient; D010944:Plants; D012639:Seeds; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development; D018707:Volcanic Eruptions
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes