Palea Kameni, also known as Palia Kameni, is a

volcanic island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...

within the Santorini Caldera. The island was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions that formed large deposits of

pumice Pumice (), called pumicite in its powdered or dust form, is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough-textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. It is typically light-colored. Scoria is another vesicular vol ...

and

dacite Dacite () is a volcanic rock formed by rapid solidification of lava that is high in silica and low in alkali metal oxides. It has a fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic texture and is intermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. ...

. The island's name translates to "Old Burnt Island". This Island is in the west of the Greek coast and is private territorium. It wasn't inhabited for 15000 years until it was bought in 1899 and sold in 1975. It is available for tourists though. The owners build various hotels and made multiple beaches public.

History

Palea Kameni was formed by a series of eruptions between 197 BCE and 47 CE. The appearance of the island was first noted in the journal of Roman scientist

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

, who wrote "This year 7 CEa small islet, hitherto unknown, made an appearance close to the island of Thera." The island was gradually built up by further volcanic activity, though outright eruptions ceased by the end of the 1st century CE. No signs of activity were reported on the island until 726, when the island suffered an

explosive eruption In volcanology, an explosive eruption is a volcanic eruption of the most violent type. A notable example is the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Such eruptions result when sufficient gas has dissolved under pressure within a viscous magma such ...

. Volcanic activity then ceased again until the 1500s, when the development of Palea's sister island Nea Kameni caused increased volcanic activity to be reported. Other ancient authors note that it arose from the sea in 197 BCE and was given the name Hiera ( grc, Ἱερά), a name frequently given in antiquity to volcanic mountains. This fact is stated by

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...

, Justin,

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

, and

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''P ...

. It is related by Strabo that flames burst out of the sea for four days, and that an island was formed 12

stadia Stadia may refer to: * One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums" * The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes''). * Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey * Stadi ...

or in circumference. The island lies to the southwest of Nea Kameni. Though the island is for the most part uninhabited, several structures (including a small church) are located on the island. Due to a lack of good harbors, most recreational watercraft do not stop at the island, though tourists can swim to the island from nearby Nea Kameni. Like the larger island to its east, Palea Kameni is sparsely vegetated with succulent plants. A herd of goats is present on the island, as is a single inhabitant, Sostice Arvanitis. The island also contains a

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...

References

Santorini Volcanoes of Greece Volcanoes of the Aegean Uninhabited islands of Greece Landforms of Thira (regional unit) Islands of the South Aegean Islands of Greece 197 BC {{Volcano-stub