Radiocarbon dating of the Theran eruption

Abstract

Radiocarbon dates from material found in the Theran Volcanic Destruction Level are frequently said to require an earlier date for the event than the date range provided by the traditional chronology based on Near Eastern and Egyptian texts, archaeoastronomy, datable deposits of pumice from the eruption and numerous archaeological interconnections between Egypt, Cyprus and the Aegean. This paper considers a number of problems inherent in the proposed 14C dating.