New findings suggest that Ancient Egyptian cities were buried in the ash of a great volcanic eruption that occurred over 2000 years ago.
Archaeologists are thrilled to have discovered that traces of volcanic ash found near Sinai, in northern Egypt, dates back to an eruption that rocked the Mediterranean around 1500 B.C.
Ancient artwork implied that there was some kind of catastrophic event, and now archaeologists have their proof. The ash has been found to have come from the violent eruption on the island of Santorini, blamed for prompting the downfall of the thriving Minoan civilization, sometimes thought to be the legendary (and lost) civilization of Atlantis.
The ash found at the site was hardened (pumice), and encased another significant archaeological find: a settlement that included remains of a fort, homes, and tombs. Archaeologists theorize that this was a defensive settlement built to protect the northern borders from the invading Hyksos, who hailed from Palestine.
