The reasons for the demise of the Minoan civilization continue to be debated. The rise of the Mycenaean civilization in the mid-2nd millennium BC on the Greek mainland and the evidence of their cultural influence on Minoan art and trade make them the most likely cause. However, other suggestions include earthquakes and volcanic activity with consequent tsunami. The eruption of Thera (the present day island of Santorini) may have been particularly significant, although, the exact date of this cataclysmic eruption is disputed and therefore its connection with the end of the Minoan period remains unclear.