Thera, now called Santorini, was a major cultural center of the Minoan Civilization nearly 4000 years ago. A huge volcanic eruption and caldera collapse about 1600 BC buried the city of Akrotiri, which was discovered in 1967 and has been partly excavated. Although wrong in details like location, size, and timing, the dramatic destruction of island of Thera and its remarkably sophisticated civilization may be the cultural memory that started the Atlantis legend.  Photo copyright Barbara Decker                 
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