Greek, Japanese and Turk scientists, who have been conducting geological studies across the northern coast of Crete, claim that they have found traces of a tsunami (huge waves) that hit the northern coast of the island during the minoan period. The astonishing discovery was announced in May 1998 during the proceedings of the 7th International Symposium for Natural and Technological Catastrophes by the Greek Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos and Prof. Fumikhiko Imamura of Tochoku University (Japan) and tsunami specialist.

In Ammudara region, west of the modern city of Herakleion, in a depth of 4 m. and close to the coast, the scientists traced a characteristic tsunami sand deposit which most probably dates to the minoan period. It is assumed that it might coincide with the c. 1650 BCE explosion of the volcano of the island of Thera (modern Santorini) which in the past was held responsible by the late Prof. Spyridon Marinatos for the destruction of Minoan Civilization on Crete. Papadopoulos and Imamura estimate the height of the waves to have been about 10 m. which it is assumed that can cause damages as the ones revealed by archaeological excavations on the coastal Amnisos minoan site (east of Herakleion).

Scientists from the Greek National Observatory of Athens, the Japanese Universities of Tokhoku and Naboja and the Turkish University of Ankara will continue their work on tsunami sand deposits in east Mediterranean and hope to announce in the future more detailed results.

Pierre Ducrey and Stephen Smit of the Swiss Archaeological School of Athens (Greece) announced in March 1998 that they unearthed in Eretria (on the west coast of Euboia island, southeast of the city of Chalkis) a red dye workshop which dates to the 2nd CE century (Roman period).

The red dye industry was a phoenician discovery which was later widely practiced on various cities of the northern Mediterranean coast. The workers broke the sea shells (murex type) and got the liquid used for the dyeing of textiles in various shades of red. The archaeologists discovered shells, water tanks for the dyeing of cloth and a number of items used in red dyeing.

The importance of the discovery lies in the fact that it is now revealed that Eretria prospered even in the roman times since red dyed textiles were in high demand in this era.

The Greek Central Archaeological Board decided in March 1998 that a late minoan sanctuary in Ierapetra, Crete is not going to be moved in order to facilitate the building of the new local airport.

It was also announced that excavations in the area will continue by the Greek Archaeological Service because the sanctuary reveals that minoan religion continued all the way to at least 1000 BCE. The unearthed sanctuary was divided into three wings and included an altar, a hearth, store rooms, benches and a lot of clay objects for religious purposes.

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