Fig 2. Relationship between ¹⁴C dating of the Thera eruption and IntCal20 ¹⁴C calibration curve taphonomy [41].

(A) Calibrated calendar age probabilities (no modelling) using OxCal 4.4.4 [57] for ¹⁴C ages drawn from IntCal20 itself for calendar dates 1630, 1610, 1585, 1560, and 1530 BCE illustrate how ages around especially 1610–1530 BCE spread across the reversal-plateau in the calibration curve ~1620–1540 BCE [41] (see Materials and methods below). The only clarity is that ages ≥1630 BCE or ≤1530 BCE may be distinguished from those in between. A stated average ¹⁴C age for the Thera eruption [43] is shown at 1σ and 2σ by the yellow bars, intersecting with the calibration curve at multiple places from the early 17^th century BCE to mid-16^th century BCE. (B) The calibrated calendar age probabilities of each of the ¹⁴C dates in S1A Table (numbers 1–110) employed as relevant to the Thera date showing how the dating probabilities for the vast majority spread across the 17^th to 16^th centuries BCE given the calibration curve shape.