The Impact of the Theran Catastrophes on Egypt
Kathryn O. Eriksson

Towards the middle of the 2nd Millennium BC, there were several catastrophic events which impacted on Thera. In particular there were two distinct, but very significant, incidents:
I. a major earthquake which destroyed most of Thera and which resulted in a hectic rebuilding program and,
II. 55 - 60 years later, the huge Thera volcanic eruption which devastated the island and created havoc in the surrounding lands.
These two events also impacted on Egypt. Unfortunately, however, there has often been confusion in archaeology between the impact of the earthquake and the impact of the volcanic eruption. I shall argue that the first event is reflected in the descriptions in the Ahmose Tempest Stela and that the contents of the Stela make the most sense when associated with the tsunami and storms which would have occurred subsequent to the earthquake. I shall also argue that the later Thera eruption resulted in further dramatic consequences in Egypt recorded especially in the Speos Artemidos Inscription and other texts related to the time of Hatshepsut. Here we have the records of a massive set of storms, a tsunami and the death of a pharaoh.

Further evidence of the impact on Egypt will be provided and reference made to the discussion of this issue by Wiener and Allen, Goedicke, Marinatos, Warren, Bietak, Manning and others.