Mythological Creation of Santorini

The mythological creation of Santorini Island: According to an ancient myth, Santorini was formed out of a miracle. The ancient Greeks had invented an imaginary story over the creation of Santorini Greece, connected to the Argonaut expedition. They said that as Jason and his fellow companions were on their way home, they landed on Anaphe (Anafi), a small island of the Aegean Sea.

While in Anafi, Euphemus saw a dream that he was making love to a nymph, the daughter of the sea god Triton, in particular. After making love, the nymph got pregnant and told Euphemus that her father would be enraged if he found out. That is why she needed a place to hide and give birth to her child. She then told the man to get a clod of earth from Anaphe and throw it into the sea.

When Euphemus woke up, he decided to take the woman's advice and, when the Argonauts sailed, he threw a clod of earth onto the open sea. Suddenly, like a miracle, an island emerged to provide a safe place for the pregnant nymph. Euphemus named this island either Calliste, which means the most beautiful, or Strogyli, due to its round shape. The son of Euphemus, who was born there, was named Theras. Eventually, the island got his name and is now called Thera.

Although the myth does not lack imagination, scientists believe there is a scientific explanation behind this fable. After all, every myth has an interpretation, and that is why they were created: to explain anything we do not logically understand. Therefore, if one studies this myth more carefully, a connection with the story about the volcanic creation can be noticed.

In particular, geologists believe that Santorini was created when a volcano erupted and caused an island to emerge, as usually happens with strong volcanic eruptions. It is suggested that the ancient Greeks observed the gradual appearance and created an appealing story to explain this phenomenon, which was strange and inexplicable at the time.