There really, exist, Atlantis? And if the answer is yes, where should it look? While Jules Verne described the future using his imagination, on the contrary, our task is to discover the reality that the foundation of what later was thought to be only imagined.
Between fable and truth When disaster struck, he did it with a terrifying swiftness. It started with a major earthquake strikes, followed by a giant tsunami wave that swept almost the entire island. The survivors lived to witness just how an even greater horrors. Powerless to phenomenal unleashed, the island was entirely submerged.
This was the fate of Atlantis – at least according to Plato’s words. Even today, after almost 2,400 years since the birth legend, retelling it loses nothing of spectacular and tragic.
Until recently, few scientists have looked different than those reported by Plato as the acquisition and processing of a myth. From July 2005, however, began to appear and the evidence supporting claims scientifically philosopher. Last year, at a conference held on the island of Milos in Greece, many scientists have revealed and discussed the results of extensive geological and historical studies undertaken by an international team of researchers in the western Strait of Gibraltar. These results promote the idea that in any particular area of investigation, there was indeed an island hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami wave covered a period even referred to Plato.
Greek philosopher Plato best known works (427-247 BC), Atlantis legend refers to a very advanced civilization (“a fairy land, peaceful, prosperous, with monumental buildings and high technology, created by a superior civilization” ) who died as a result of a disaster of epic proportions.
Since then, researcher and scientists have debated the veracity of the story many times of Plato. Many have labeled it as a myth, others consider a truncated story that describes the effects of huge volcanic eruptions that affected the Mediterranean settlements with over a thousand years before the time that Plato lived.
Some bizarre structures found at the bottom of the Mediterranean, near the Cypriot coast, were designated in 2004, as vestiges of the city disappeared. But a more likely location of Atlantis is seen as a small portion of the right Straits of Gibraltar – Spartel island hypothesis, reacreditata earlier this year.
Project director, Dr. Marc-Andre Gutscher of the European Institute of Marine PLOUZANE, France, said the resemblance between legend and reality is striking geological discovered: “The possibility that a high magnitude earthquake and tsunami wave to devastate geographic region chosen by Plato for the legend seems to be more than a coincidence. ”
Greek philosopher during his lifetime, his story about the submerged city-fortress was considered implausible in several ways, including skeptics counting is even (as) famous pupil of Plato, Aristotle. There were few, however, those who believed the story. “Plato said flat out that neither the Egyptians – who transmitted Greek legend of Atlantis – not its creators, the text being translated into their language from an earlier source and a remaining unknown language,” says Professor Robert Sarmast, author of “Discovery of Atlantis”.
Plato puts its diving event “… by 9,000 years before Solon” – Athenian politician who lived around 600 BC -, Ie about 11,610 years ago, a period which have not kept any written records.
In these conditions, it is not surprising that the description of a “highly advanced civilizations”, located in a “thriving metropolis, with walls aurite” caused so much doubt.
FACTS.
Atlantis Plato to be devised? If so, why? In his work, the philosopher always made the difference between myth and reality.
Born in Athens in 427 BC, Plato is recognized as the founder of classical philosophy (and the greatest philosopher of all time), was a pupil of Socrates and Aristotle’s teacher.
In two of his famous dialogues, “Timaeus” and “Crito” philosopher argued that the old civilization of the Atlanteans had links with the Athenian, which preceded it.
Plato described Atlantis as an island about 15 km diameter “hosts a city surrounded by a huge circular wall.”
“Inside they found a series of concentric rings of stone and water channels”, the latter being used by commercial vessels to enter the city.
Plato provides extensive details on the form and dimensions of structures, while others are only sketched and left in the fog. Also, the philosopher tells us much about the technologies most Atlanteans, stating only that they were very advanced, “nepamantene”.
In addition, he evokes lyrical metaphor, full pages, sewer system and the cold water and warm city.
Is it all mere fables? Plato argues that his account is based on a description obtained by the great Athenian statesman Solon by Egyptian priests during his travels in the land of the pyramids.
Rediscovering Atlantis
Founded on a variety of contradictory arguments, placing Atlantis was made, over history, in many parts of the world. In 1882, the statesman and writer Ignatius Donnelly U.S. has made perhaps the most relevant attempt to follow as closely thread legend, even placing Atlantis in the Atlantic Ocean. According to his deduction, ingenious inhabitants of Atlantis would have invented gunpowder and include highly advanced agricultural techniques.
These views bold fascinated the public, but many intellectuals have remained skeptical. State of affairs changed in 1939 when the Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos supported the idea of sinking Atlantis legend has its origins in an actual event: the disappearance of an island after a volcanic eruption.
Thus, Plato’s account back to the attention of archaeologists and historians worldwide. First, Marinatos suggested that instead of Thera disaster – an island that existed beyond the Columns of Hercules, as Plato called the Strait of Gibraltar. The same research says that on that island was a volcanic eruption of the giant, which placed it around 1500 BC – About 900 years before Solon and not 9000, as Plato says. In addition, linking the island of Thera volcanic eruption and disappearance of the famous Minoan civilization, provide credit Marinatos existence of advanced civilizations that died in the disaster.
Mediterranean Mystery
In the 90s of last century, Robert Sarmast claimed that Atlantis would be located about 80 kilometers southeast of the island of Cyprus and that it was destroyed during the flood Mediterranean, about 12,000 years ago. In 2004, Professor Sarmast has released images of bizarre structures discovered during a dive up to 1,500 meters deep. “These pictures show what I believe is the oldest structure built by man,” he said.
Sarmast has no problems admitting that there are many holes in this theory. Some geologists counters the Mediterranean basin was flooded with over 5 million years ago and that so-called “man-made structures” are entirely natural. Even so, Sarmast hopes to produce decisive evidence in the near future. “Our intention is to send a remotely operated probe or a manned submarine prototype to investigate these structures so that people can see the remains of Atlantis.”
Although his ideas have attracted the interest of public Sarmast, right now scientists are concerned to investigate a theory of art that much closer to Plato’s description. In 2001, Dr. Jacques Collina-Girard, the French Mediterranean University, a fact emphasized relatively overlooked by other specialists, namely that, in about 12,000 years ago, there was indeed an island even beyond the Columns of Hercules.
Following the last ice age, Spartel Island is now completely under water after the ocean was covered up. Dr. Collina-Girard highlighted the fact that Spartel is a highly active area in terms of seismic and tsunami waves swept – exactly the kind of natural disasters supposedly destroyed Atlantis.
It may be Plato’s account, so challenged over time, true, anyway? The latest research in the area have made the gift to intrigue. Marc-Andre Gutscher revealed that ocean floor sediments indicate the occurrence of a devastating earthquake in that region 12,000 years ago and the resulting tsunami would reach heights of over 20 meters. On the other hand, signs say Spartel island would have had a diameter greater than 500 meters. According to Professor geologist Floyd McCoy of the University of Hawaii, is necessary to analyze some rocks in the region to give a final verdict. Floyd jokes: “Please note that only refer to the rocks. I buy you a meal at the restaurant if you find any archaeological relic.”
Its no illusions that Plato’s story – including descriptions of large ports, the temples of a land ruled by the sons of Poseidon – will be entirely true. But it becomes increasingly likely that the story to refer to an actual event – missing a civilization produced in prehistoric times.
Thus, the legend of Atlantis could be interpreted as a warning transmitted over millennia about human indifference and helplessness in the face of natural phenomena. As revealed terrible havoc which occurred not long in the Indian Ocean are not able to control these forces or today. How could you do Atlanteans over 12,000 years ago?
Empires collapse
Be responsible for natural disasters destroy some of the most advanced human civilization?
Over time, historians faced with many mysteries like that of Atlantis. For example, the disappearance of Akkadian culture, which flourished in the center of the current Iraq 4,000 years ago, remained a mystery until 2001, when satellite images taken in the area revealed the existence of a form of relief of 3 km diameter leading to think of a crater. The images suggest that the Middle East was hit by a meteorite devastated the region with a force equivalent to that obtained by detonating a hundred hydrogen bombs.
Now about 3,600 years, settlements on Thera, a volcanic island in the Mediterranean, were destroyed by a giant eruption followed by a tsunami. It seems that this disaster has caused the collapse of the Minoan civilization disappeared & the island of Crete.
Many scientists today believe that Atlantis has perished about 12,000 years ago. If so, this time could link the sinking of Atlantis and the biblical flood. Stories about a flood of water that covered the Earth are found in the mythologies of many ancient cultures. Scientifically, the flood could be explained by sea level rise by 100 meters, following a sudden warming of the climate. 12,000 years ago, this has led to rampant melting of glaciers. Prospecting accredit the idea that the flood affected in different proportions throughout Europe and parts of Asia, the epicenter of the disaster being in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. But for people who have lived and have survived, obvious that such a calamity was universal connotations.
FACTS. Atlantis, through the eyes of a clairvoyant
In 1927, Edgar Cayce, a famous American clairvoyant, said he is aware of the famous fortress location vanished. During his hypnotic trances, Cayce described in detail the advanced civilization that flourished near the island of Bimini in the Caribbean and fell victim to a horrific natural disaster. In 1940, clairvoyant made a prediction that proved quite true: “The vestiges of Atlantis will be found the late ’60s.” Cayce died in 1945, and his words became reality somewhat when, in 1968, were found stone blocks with unknown inscriptions and remains of marble columns of submerged island near Bimini. However, expert analysis later showed that these columns had been built around 1800 and they were probably designed mansions construction materials on cotton plantations in the southern United States. How did they seabed but remains a mystery.
10 possible locations of Atlantis
Bimini. Island in the Bahamas. Atlantis has been “seen” here by the American psychic Edgar Cayce.
Sargasso Sea. In the nineteenth century, based on evidence then challenged U.S. Congressman Ignatius Donnelly suggested that the island was submerged in this area.
Spartel Island. In 2001, Frenchman Jacques Collina-Girard showed that 12,000 years ago, west of the Strait of Gibraltar Spartel island rises from the water. In 2005, Dr. Marc-Andre Gutscher claimed, based on geological evidence, that that island was even Atlantis.
Island of Thera (Santorini) in 1939, Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos revealed the island as possible host city of the Atlantic.
Off the coast of Cyprus. In the late twentieth century, Professor Robert Sarmast Atlantis positioned 80 kilometers away from Cyprus.
Spitzbergen Island. Joan French astronomer Bailly has indicated a possible location of Atlantis’s off the Norwegian coast.
Canary Islands. In the eighteenth-century Jesuit monk Athanase Kircher for the first time formulated the hypothesis that the Canary Islands as remnants of Atlantis.
German political theory resurfaced in the twentieth century.
In the heart of the Sahara. In 1919, novelist Pierre Benoit imagine a land hidden in the sands of the Sahara desert. He said he grounded his vision of a thesis French botanist of the eighteenth century, DA Godron, who “have evidence” that the ruins of Atlantis under the sands of North Africa.
Heligoland. National-socialist theorist Arthur Rosenberg developed the thesis that Aryans were a chosen people, descendants of the Atlanteans. Rosenberg is based on assumptions Professor Jurgen Spanuth, according to which the old capital of Atlantis was even located in the German North Sea island.
