From the lost city of Akrotiri to its breathtaking view, the picture-perfect Greek island is a photographer’s heaven, writes Fred Tan
SANTORINI is one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations and is considered by many as being among the most romantic spots in the world for honeymooners.
But due to its tragic past, this crescent-shaped island that is also known as Thera has a hidden treasure that is literally waiting to be dug up. On its southern tip, archaeologists and other experts are slowly unearthing the remains of a Late Bronze Age settlement that now bears the name Akrotiri, which loosely translates to “Cape Town”.
The city, said to be an offshoot of the Minoan Civilisation on the island of Crete further south, was at the peak of its strength more than 3,000 years ago when a cataclysmic earthquake and volcanic eruption completely buried it under a thick layer of pumice and ash.
Akrotiri was discovered by chance in 1866 when engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, tasked with the construction of the Suez Canal, used volcanic ash from Therasia, an islet that is part of the Santorini island group, to strengthen the canal’s walls.
Fast forward a century later, in 1967, Greek archaeologist Professor Spyridon Marinatos, with blessings from the Archaeological Society at Athens, began excavation works at Akrotiri, and astonished the world with discoveries that include multi-storey windowed buildings, proper streets and other treasures from a bustling city older than Ancient Greece itself.
GEMS OF THE PAST
But excavating and unearthing a lost city is a painstaking and expensive process, with many hours needed to peel through the dirt to unveil the “gems” underneath. And this is where Kaspersky Lab comes into the picture.
The cyber security company, which aims to “save the past and protect the future”, has since last year been sponsoring a number of activities for the excavation, restoration and conservation of priceless treasures at Akrotiri.
“Akrotiri is an absolutely remarkable site. It’s a treasure for the whole of humankind and there’s a threat it could disappear if it’s not preserved by archaeologists,” Kaspersky Lab chairman and chief executive officer Eugene Kaspersky tells a group of Malaysian media who fly to the beautiful island for a site visit.
“I believe it’s very important to continue exploring the site, as its excavation is likely to bring new artefacts to life. I am very proud that we can support the research process as well as the preservation of this amazing place for future generations,” he adds.
The 25 per cent of Akrotiri that has so far been excavated, previously at risks from the elements, is now safely protected by a vast roofed room.
A guided tour by Dr Clairy Palyvou, an architect overseeing the preservation efforts, sees us walking between buildings that are thousands of years old and down roads that would have been thronged with people before Akrotiri’s demise.
It is easy to visualise a bustling harbour city filled with traders and citizens as you weave through the shells of buildings built ages ago from dressed stones and timber frames and preserved by the volcanic ash. One distinctive feature is the existence of two- and three-storey windowed buildings.
“The windows are actually uncommon for houses in that era. But here, they provide views of the harbour as well as natural lighting,” says Dr Palyvou.
In one corner, workers are busy clearing away the packed earth with a shovel and small brushes. The finds recovered at Akrotiri to date include pottery such as cups, vases and cooking utensils, as well as stone and bronze vessels.
But the most amazing are the wall frescoes inside the buildings. Despite their fragmentary condition, a large number of wall paintings have been restored to a satisfactory degree, and are unveiling a trove of information about life in that era.
The most beautiful piece so far must be that of the “Great Goddess”, found on the second floor of a building named Xeste 3. Although incomplete, digital restoration has allowed researchers to fill in the missing pieces and paint a fuller picture of what the wall may have looked like. It shows a young girl collecting crocus flowers or saffron to offer them to a goddess, who is flanked by a monkey and a griffon.
“The monkey is presenting the flowers to the goddess as she cannot contact (the worshippers) directly. The monkey is acting as the intermediary while the griffon is the guardian.”
Another fresco recovered from the same building shows a wounded goddess flanked by two girls who bring her gifts.
Others have motifs of young men, animals and landscapes.
PAINSTAKING WORK
Meanwhile, in a small room filled with work tables and tools, lab technicians are busy piecing together small fresco fragments that have been recovered from the excavation site.
Fresco expert Professor Nanno Marinatos says restoration will take time as it requires a lot of detective work.
“As an archaeologist, I will try to identify, for example, the number of ears as that will tell me how many people there are. Then you calculate the space, and this is where the painters come in. The work is huge. It may take 10 years just to put a small piece together.”
Dr Christos Doumas, who took over as director of excavations following the death of Prof Marinatos in 1974, says the focus now will be on the conservation and preservation of the treasures that have already been unearthed.
“We must manage, and not excavate, at the moment.”
For those who love archaeology or not at all, Akrotiri is a precious reminder of how fragile life can be and that we should live each day to the fullest.
COLOURS OF SANTORINI
A trip to Santorini is incomplete without visiting its “Black, Blue and White” attractions.
On the eastern end of the island, within walking distance from the 9 Muses resort where I was staying, is the coastal town of Kamari, which is famous for its black sand (but more akin to small pebbles) beach.
The impressive Mesa Vouno “stands guard” at one end like a hulking giant as visitors, mostly Westerners, lounge on the sun beds, their pale skin a sharp contrast to the obsidian-like beach and deep blue sea that gently laps the shore. The sun beats down relentlessly overhead in the cloudless sky but the salty breeze entices one to slow down, take a deep breath, and just relax.
It is said the rocks here will glow at night, but unfortunately, I did not have the chance to witness that “magic”.
There are many pubs and restaurants offering a wide variety of dishes, especially fresh seafood. It is not uncommon to see holidaymakers partying from early afternoon till morning.
And on the northern edge of the island is Oia (pronounced Ia), the scenic and picturesque village that has come to be synonymous with Santorini among tourists, especially the newlyweds.
Tiny chalk-white and blue-roofed buildings that grouped together like a haphazardly built beehive reach down a red-black caldera towards the sapphire sea, a “splash of white on black upon blue”.
I join the throng of tourists swarming through the narrow lanes among the homes and shops, on paths that lead up and down and sideways, but ultimately towards the cliff’s edge where the most spectacular views await.
The view of the Aegean Sea from Oia can be summed up in one word — Breathtaking.
Therasia seems like it’s only a stone’s throw away, a reddish-brown blot that provides a great backdrop for photo-taking. Cruise ships sail slowly on the calm waters like elegant swans, ready to pick up or disgorge passengers at the small harbour.
There is a glimpse of a bride-to-be posing for her wedding photographer, her long gown fluttering in the wind like a scene from a Bollywood movie.
From my vantage point, the buildings stretch away to either side like a pair of snow-white wings, gently descending in an undulating wave. Click, click, click. the cameras and handphones are out in force, as tourists jostle for strategic spots to take the best possible pictures. The temperature continues to rise, but luckily, there a plenty of restaurants and bars to sate the appetite and slake the thirst.
Many soon make their way to the Agios Nikolaos castle, which is really a small open stone structure. It is regarded as the best spot on the island to view the famous Santorini sunset, when Oia is bathed in a yellow-orange hue that slowly deepens to red and gold.
It is indeed a truly amazing sight and one that will not be forgotten any time soon. The visit to Santorini begins with a journey into history but ends on a beautiful magical note.