Summer 2010
My youngest daughter was only one year and 4 months old when we went for two weeks holiday in Santorini. She was light and agreed to be in the Bjorn Baby Sack so it was easier for us to explore or hike when she does not feel like walking. To keep her entertained while I explore the ancient ruins of Ancient Thera, we devised a game of peekaboo so she won’t complain on the heat but she also liked walking along the uneven paved stones and ruins. It was after lunch that we decided to explore the Ancient Thera.
The Ancient Thera is the city of the mythical King Theras. It was the centre of the island for the whole millennium. The buildings, the temples, the vases, the pottery, and the coins that have been found, record accurately the thousand-year long history of the island, from the age of the Dorians to the age of the Roman Empire.
The choice of location must have not been random. It may be connected to the defensive needs of the inhabitants of the island during the millennia B. C. This interpretation is supported by the partly preserved strong walls that surrounded the city.
A road paved with flagstones led from the capital to its port, ancient Oia (today’s Kamari). A visit to the archeological site may start from Fira, Kamari, or Preissa. The excavations that took place along the road between ancient Thera and Kamari brought to light tombs of the Hellenistic and Paleochristianic periods, which were hewn into the rock. The various artefacts, found there, including clay vases, pottery, and gravestones are exhibited in the Archeological Museum of Fira.
~ Santorini, I. Mathiolakis & Co.
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