| Thera, in a photo taken from the "inner harbor". The harbor was once the center of the volcano, now purged of its magma. The island itself is what is left of the volcano's rim. Photo: Dick Cretcher. |
| Thera (THEE-ruh). Volcanic Aegean island which erupted disastrously during the time of the Minoan civilization of Crete. Once the volcano had been purged of its molten core, the hollow cone collapsed. The sea rushed in, rebounded when it hit bottom and then recoiled in a tidal wave that impacted the coastal settlements of Crete. This may account for the legend of Atlantis sinking beneath the sea. |