ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, Santorini Frescoes Room 41

I’m sure you’ve heard of the legend of Atlantis, when an entire civilization was plunged into the depths of the sea for eternity following the eruption of a volcano.

This legend, told by Plato, could also be the story of what happened about 4600 years ago on the island of Thera, modern-day Santorini, one of the Cyclades. The island was shaken by a series of extremely violent earthquakes, followed by a volcanic eruption that buried its buildings below a thick layer of ashes.

Like Pompeii, the ancient city was later discovered and explored by archeologists. The private homes and public buildings yielded a huge number of well preserved paintings, some of which were removed and brought to this museum.

Many of the scenes, such as the painting of “Spring”, offer a joyful representation of the natural environment. Observe the brightly colored lilies at the top of a cliff, and the birds, perhaps swallows, blissfully chasing each other in the clearest of skies....