Man and dog remains were discovered on the Aegean coast while attempting to flee an ancient tsunami

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About 3,600 years ago, the Thera eruption triggered a tremendous tsunami.

About 3,600 years ago, a large volcano erupted in the Aegean Sea and unleashed enormous waves. Tsunami-related skeletons were recently uncovered in Turkey's western Anatolia region.

The northernmost evidence of the tsunamis that followed the ancient eruption and the first time any casualties have been uncovered in their archaeological contexts.

Almost a decade ago, construction workers building an apartment complex in the village of eşme, some 40 miles (70 kilometers) west of the city of Izmer, discovered Bronze Age ruins.

A new study performed by University of Ankara archaeologist Vasif aholu—who oversaw excavations from 2009 to 2019 and is the paper's principal author—reveals that tsunamis generated by the Thera eruption are to blame for the devastation that was left behind.

A few years passed until aholu informed Live Science that "everything started to have some meaning." "The benefits of this are immeasurable... Everything will make more sense now that we have a better grasp on how to interpret it."

This volcano erupted in what is now known as Santorini's Aegean island chain in 1600 B.C.

When it exploded, scientists believed that it had 2 million times more power than Hiroshima's atomic bomb, according to NASA.

Minoan village Akrotiri was wiped out, and its destruction may have contributed to Crete's Minoan civilization, which is 75 miles (120 kilometers) away. The volcano's plume may have been seen as far away as Egypt, likely triggering a global volcanic winter that extended to China.

eruptions in the past

Only the remains of one person buried beneath the rubble of Santorini and unearthed in the 19th century have ever been linked to the eruption, despite the massive destruction and the certainty that tens of thousands of people perished as a result, according to aholu.

Many people are estimated to have perished in the water following the Thera eruption, which sent at least four tsunamis throughout the Mediterranean. In addition, he said, archaeologists may have unearthed other skeleton remains from the calamity, but they may have concluded those people had been killed for different reasons, such as earthquakes.

Often, evidence of an ancient tsunami's devastation can only be proven by the presence of microscopic fossils of marine animals, archaeologist Beverly Goodman-Tchernov, a co-author of the study, tells LiveScience.

Only six locations in the Aegean have previously been found to have evidence of the Thera tsunamis, and eşme is the furthest north at roughly 140 miles (220 kilometers).

It's possible that the finding of the man and dog's bones in 2017 means that the spot at eşme can serve as a "frozen moment," she said.

After being murdered by one tsunami wave, the man washed up against a wall in a Bronze Age settlement and was buried there.

But there is no proof that the dog and its owner had a relationship before their deaths, according to Goodman-Tchernov.

Actions were taken to assist those in need.

To add to the mystery, the man's body appeared to have been purposefully dug into a pit above the ground's surface. After one of the first tsunami waves, she claims to have seen similar holes being excavated elsewhere on site.

Live Science spoke to Goodman-Tchernov about the preserved 'negative spaces,' where people had come to help the injured or remove [the deceased]. A second tsunami wave came in and filled them all, which was unfortunate.

aholu stated that scientific studies, including DNA analysis, would be performed on the remains to discover more about the young guy and the dog.

In addition, archaeologists will be on the lookout for more evidence of tsunami damage, and this discovery should prompt specialists to examine evidence from surrounding ancient sites, he said.

Today, eşme is a significant tourist destination on the Aegean coast, and the archaeological site is located directly next to the town's coastline. aholu remarked, "Working in the center of one of Turkey's biggest touristic destinations was quite difficult."

According to him, the excavations at eşme have already been completed, and the authorities are now waiting for authorization to establish a museum on top of them to protect them.

A paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Jan. 4 described the remains. 

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Reference : https://www.livescience.com/skeleton-man-dog-ancient-thera-eruption-tsunami

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/photos/air-berselancar-alam-semprot-laut-3288126/

The remains of a man and his dog who were attempting to flee an ancient tsunami were discovered on the Aegean shore.

The remains of a man and his dog who attempted to flee an ancient tsunami have been discovered on the Aegean shore.