Atlantis: Reviewing Plato's Descriptions

Around 600 B.C., a famous Greek political leader by the name Solon traveled to Egypt and met with high priests of Isis and Osiris. Solon was one of the “seven wise men” of ancient Greece and is still remembered as one of the founding fathers of democracy; his statue is displayed in the Capitol Hill building in Washington D.C. The Egyptian priests told Solon that there was once an advanced civilization peopled by a superior race that lived on an island named Atlantis about 12,000 years ago. He was shown the ancient records of the Egyptians and was told that the story is based on fact, faithfully passed on for thousands of years. Solon was so fascinated by the tale that he translated it to his native tongue and brought it back to Greece. This precious document was kept by his illustrious family for over two hundred years and was later presented to Plato, who wrote about it around 400 B.C.

It was Plato’s Critias that popularized the story of Atlantis for the western world and it has continued to puzzle and fascinate every civilization since his time. He described a fertile and beautiful island surrounded by mountains, with an advanced city that had a multitude of buildings, bridges, temples, paved roads and irrigation canals, all at a time when the world was still supposedly in a barbaric state. From the Acropolis hill, the gods of Atlantis gave humanity the gift of civilization. Plato repeatedly stated that the story was based on fact and that he believed in it.

Since that time, every thinker and philosopher has conjectured about the reality of the story. It has inspired endless speculation and has caused explorers and adventurers to search for the mythical isle in every conceivable corner of the world. However, the potential for the actual discovery of Atlantis has become a reality only during our generation in the 21st century. For the first time in history, marine science has enabled us to view the topography of all of our seas and ocean floors. The ability to verify Plato’s detailed account of Atlantis Island has only become a reality in the last 10-15 years.

This scientific progress and technological knowledge enabled us to finally locate, examine and verify Plato’s account. Using bathymetric data and 3D modeling techniques, the island of Atlantis has been found and it is a perfect match with the descriptions that have been passed down for thousands of years. We are now fully capable of proving that we have found Atlantis and resurrect it from its watery tomb.

Our intention is to introduce this astounding discovery to the world in a series of steps. The fact that what was once the mountaintop of Atlantis remains as an island today affords us the opportunity to shoot a preemptive documentary on location. This initial documentary will introduce the story of Plato’s Atlantis in a simple but methodical fashion, in order to familiarize the audience with the true historical story, as opposed to the mythological garble most people know via cartoons etc. We will then begin to present out case for the discovery by showing the brand new bathymetric maps that reveal the topography of the sea basin around the island, and match them perfectly with Plato’s detailed descriptions.

Aside from the actual physical matches with Plato’s descriptions, there are many correlating facts, which will enable us to provide further support for the theory. The fertility of the island, its rich mineral resources, its susceptibility to volcanic, seismic and flood activity will be explored. The most up-to-date scientific information will be reviewed in order to show that the island was once the mountaintop of a large landmass that was submerged by a cataclysmic flood. Our island also has a very rich history and its own unique mythology, which will in itself corroborate the theory that Atlantis was once nearby. There will be interviews with the island’s top scientists and mythologists.

Once the initial documentary is released around the world, the second stage of the project will go on to include an actual expedition aboard a state-of-the-art vessel designed specifically for scientific investigation of seafloors. It will include the collection of higher resolution data for our primary target area, as well as deep-sea research by submersibles. The city of Atlantis is submerged under thousands of feet of water, a situation that has fortunately insured the preservation of its colossal ruins. The ultimate aim is to locate and film its many stone temples, palaces, roads, bridges and artifacts. We are already working with marine scientists, ship captains and underwater explorers that have expressed interest in the project, offered their vessels, experience, and support.


Although many researchers and explorers have already claimed to find Atlantis it should be mentioned that virtually none of them could substantiate their theory. Every continent and island in the world has at some point or another been associated with Atlantis, which has unfortunately served to muddy the water and confuse the masses at large. The most often encountered theories involve the Azores in the Atlantic or the islands of Crete and Thera in the Mediterranean Sea. However, over the course of the last few centuries researchers have pointed to many other locations, including but not limited to: Britain, Spain, Scandinavia, the Sahara Desert, Bolivia, Brazil, Tunisia, Malta, Bimini, the Bermuda Triangle, Cuba, the Canary islands, Indonesia and even Antarctica!

A basic review of the most common mistakes will help to clear the field. The most important thing to realize is that most of these claims are not based on Plato’s description of Atlantis Island, which is quite detailed, but rather on superficial finds such as the mere discovery of some underwater structure. Another problem that is often encountered is that most of these supposed discoveries of Atlantis involve lands that are not even under water! Some base their theories solely on the fact that an ancient ruin has been found by the coast, and proceed to substantiate their claims by pulling ideas from thin air. Others place Atlantis too far from the center of the ancient world, in places such as Peru, Bolivia or Antarctica, thus completely distorting Plato’s account.

In reality, anyone who wants to make a legitimate claim to the discovery of Atlantis must provide certain essential matches with Plato’s story. It is foolish to assert to have found Atlantis in Antarctica, for instance, when Plato described the empire to have embraced the Mediterranean region, particularly Egypt and Greece. It is even more bizarre to associate Atlantis with a region that is not under water, considering the fact that the flood is the central theme of the story. In short, the point is that common sense and logic do not seem to be a part of these so-called discoveries, and anyone who has done their homework can easily see that they are all skating on thin ice.

For this reason, we are including a list of the actual physical descriptions of Atlantis by Plato. In order to cut to the quick, every single feature has been methodically compiled in order to show the decisive test that any researcher must pass before staking a claim for discovery. As evident in the table below, Plato’s story leaves little to the imagination.


Atlantis was opposite the Pillars of Hercules. - [match]

It was in the Atlantic. - [match]

It was prone to volcanic activity. - [match]

It was larger than Asian and Libya combined. - [match]

The plain of Atlantis was submerged under water. - [match]

It was flooded about 10,000 B.C. - [match]

The mountaintop of Atlantis survived the flood and remains as an island. - [match]

Atlantis was connected to mainland by a land bridge (“isthmus”). - [match]

The island had extremely fertile soil. - [match]

It was a long peninsula. - [match]

It ran from the mainland in to the sea. - [match]

The basin around Atlantis was very deep. - [match]

The island was prone to repeated flooding. - [match]

Thick woods covered its mountains. - [match]

Traces of its forests remain. - [match]

The mountains still “sustain bees.” - [match]

It had cultivated trees. - [match]

Rainfall was collected in the higher regions and was absorbed in large quantities. - [match]

The collected rainwater flowed downward into valleys and appeared in a multitude of rivers and springs. - [match]

There are surviving springs and shrines. - [match]

Atlantis had a well-balanced climate. - [match]

The island enjoyed “warm wet winters and hot dry summers.” - [match]

The Acropolis hill was for the most part level—a low mountain. - [match]

The plain of Atlantis ran midway along the greatest length of the island. - [match]

The plain was long and rectangular, or oblong. - [match]

The plain was near the sea. - [match]

The plain faced south. - [match]

To the north, mountains protected the plain from cold winds. - [match]

The base of the Acropolis hill was fifty stades (~6 miles) from the southern sea. - [match]

The Acropolis hill was “near the middle” of the rectangular plain of Atlantis. - [match]

Atlantis had mines with solid materials as well as various metals. - [match]

There were elephants on the island. - [match]

Atlantis had gold. - [match]

Atlantis had copper. - [match]

Atlantis had silver. - [match]

Atlantis had marshes, rivers, swamps, mountains and a plain. - [match]

The “remnant” of Atlantis still bears “roots, herbs, bushes, and gums.” - [match]

There were crops, cereals, pulse, fruits and oils in “wonderful quantity.” - [match]

The canal that ran from the outermost ring toward the sea was fifty stades long. - [match]

The diameter of the Acropolis hill was roughly 3 miles (27 stades). - [match]

The outer stone wall that surround the city of Atlantis was ~14 miles in diameter. - [match]

The island was made of volcanic rocks (lava). - [match]

The “region as a whole” (the whole island) was high above the level of the sea. - [match]

The island of Atlantis rose sharply from the sea. - [match]

The plain of Atlantis was “uniformly flat.” - [match]

The plain was “enclosed by mountains which came right down to the sea.” - [match]

The island stretched in an east/west direction. - [match]

The length of the plain was parallel with the length of the island. - [match]

A river went out of the plain toward the mainland. - [match]

There were smaller islands nearby, forming stepping-stones to other continents. - [match]

The Atlantis empire embraced three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. - [match]

River water was collected in clay earth. - [match]

Black, white, and red marble was quarried on Atlantis. - [match]

The island was laden with precious stones. - [match]

The mountainous island was known as “Mt. Olympus.” - [match]



By providing this compilation and showing the nearly perfect match with Plato’s description of Atlantis, the aim is to show that our claim to the discovery is not based on hollow speculation. The only points that do not match are that Plato placed Atlantis in the Atlantic, and said that it was larger than Libya and Asia combined. However, even these points do not contradict our find because no one knows what the ancients meant by the word “Atlantic,” or just how big they thought Asia and Libya were. It is therefore not presumptuous to state that our island is technically a perfect match with Plato’s description. The images and maps speak for themselves.

Very very enticing theory. I look foward to more in the future

But how does anyone know if there's elephants on this submerged island. Last time i checked they still don't know if there are ruins down there let alone amphibious elephants. Hmmmmmm. Please explain more about how these things match especially the knowledge of gold silver and copper on the island. If only the mountain top remains above water now then how big is it and how does anyone know about the bridge anyway?

Atlantis was opposite the Pillars of Hercules. - [match]

Depends on what you call the Pillars of Hercules.

It was in the Atlantic. - [match]

Cyprus is in the Atlantic? Someone should notify Rand McNally asap.

It was larger than Asian and Libya combined. - [match]

Cyprus, including submerged environs even, is larger than Asia and Libya combined? Add an addendum to that call to Rand McNally.

It was flooded about 10,000 B.C. - [match]

The translation of the numbers are still hotly disputed (i.e. 1000 or 10000 years ago). Even NASA drops or adds a zero now and then.

The plain of Atlantis ran midway along the greatest length of the island. - [match]

Plato's word was "continent", not island...

The base of the Acropolis hill was fifty stades (~6 miles) from the southern sea. - [match]

The Acropolis hill was “near the middle” of the rectangular plain of Atlantis. - [match]

At the beginning of the discussion about Atlantis, Plato states very clearly that he is using Hellenic names (i.e. Greek names), for the sake of his audience (fellow Greeks). Therefore the descriptions of statues, etc. should be relegated to fictional narrative.

Atlantis had gold. - [match]

Atlantis had copper. - [match]

Atlantis had silver. - [match]

No mention of orichalcum?

Black, white, and red marble was quarried on Atlantis. - [match]

Plato said stone (not marble specifically). Are there ruins using these colored stones in Cyprus? Is there a wall remnant as described by Plato?

Aside from many of the more superfluous "points", such as rising from the sea (as most islands do), etc., the area in question has some serious areas on not conforming to Plato's narrative.

I'll admit I'm intrigued, but I'd have to see much evidence than a "bump" on the ocean floor, and conjecture.... Get to the goods!

[edit on 4-10-2005 by Morzikaga]

Interesting. I have serious doubts, but I look forward to additional information.

Zip

when exactly did the last ice age end? could it explain the sinking or submergement of Atlantis?

Originally posted by ivanglam
when exactly did the last ice age end? could it explain the sinking or submergement of Atlantis?

Sure it could also explain the great flood.

Originally posted by sardion2000

Originally posted by ivanglam
when exactly did the last ice age end? could it explain the sinking or submergement of Atlantis?

Sure it could also explain the great flood.

Yes it could i guess, but I distinctly remember watching a documentary on the discovery channel that stated that the rumored Atlantis is not under water, but burried under sand. Apperently this is the widespread belief among scientists.

I still like the idea that its under water though.

why couldn't it be hidden,

in plain sight ?

like the whole of south america for instance ?

Point of information regarding opening statements in the top posting: Plato wrote not "a story called Critias," rather he presented the Atlantis account as a dialogue between two persons named "Timias and Critias." -Orichalcum" is believed to have been an alloy (?"Aurium"=Gold, ?"-chalcum" refers to Copper) but in any case Plato indicates that orichalcum, whatever it was, should be found in prominent amounts in Atlantis ruins. One could not use simply "gold, silver, and copper" as guides to correlate a given site with Atlantis.

Right you are. (above) Only in the Andes do we find it naturally occuring.

like the whole of south america for instance ?

Now you're talking. In Bolivia, we have a rectangular plain of the size mentioned by Plato, which is midway along the continent's longest side, a canal leading to the sea, red/white/black stone ruins and a ruined wall, local legends of a sinking city, etc. And, the continent of South America is larger than (known at the time) Asia and Libya (as they didn't know the full extent of Asia).

The biggest stickler for many on SA is the elephants. Then again, there are pre-Columbian SA sculptures of elephants, African peoples, African animals, etc. which suggest some exposure or trade between the two continents some time ago. Another indicator is the Egyptian mummies found stuffed with tobacco, cocoa, and other crops found only in SA.

I had considered the possibility of South America as Atlantis for quite some time, before I read the account of a Bolivian Atlantis. Having read that, I am nearly thoroughly convinced. As for the elephants, well, the last elephants to roam South America died out around 10,000 B.C. There are pre-Colombian elephant drawings in South America in ruins such as the Puerta del Sol in Tihuanacu.

Here is some info on the Bolivian Atlantis.

Zip

Originally posted by ivanglam
Sure it could also explain the great flood.

Yes it could i guess, but I distinctly remember watching a documentary on the discovery channel that stated that the rumored Atlantis is not under water, but burried under sand. Apperently this is the widespread belief among scientists.

I still like the idea that its under water though.

Really? Most archeaologists I've talked to and read about talking about Atlantis are convinced it was made up by Plato or the person Plato got the story from. I've only really heard the Sand theory a few times and it got shot down numorous times if memory serves me correctly. How can you confuse something "sinking" into the Ocean with something "sinking" into the sand? I doubt the confusion arose from a mistranslation or even a mistelling as they are totally different. I like the idea that it was presant in the Mediterranian valley and when the Ice Age tapered off it flooded what must have been a very fertile flood plain that we now call the Mediterranian. It's all just speculation on my part though like everythintg about Atlantis really.

What if it's under sand thats underwater.

Magickesists that could very well be possible and if structures were buried under the sediement on the ocean floor they could be very very hard to find.

Many shipwrecks are covered by sediment and it makes them all the harder to locate.

None the less it's all heresay and untill the proof is present no one will no anything of the truth of it. Beliefs, They are so powerful this one in itself is practically at religous preportions.

Oddly enough, the same thing was said about Troy...

Until they found it of course.

I'm definatly keeping this on my subscribed threads list untill they find something. It seems like every 6 or 7 years theres a new supposed location of atlantis and I'm interested in whether or not they got it right this time. However There's really nothing valuable I have to say for now so See you all later when there's some news on this.

Originally posted by Morzikaga


The biggest stickler for many on SA is the elephants. Then again, there are pre-Columbian SA sculptures of elephants, .

Could the Mastodon have fit into the timescales given by Plato ? Mastodons went extinct about 10000 years ago and lived in South America

There are actually Mastadon skeletons in museums near the Bolivian site, so possible. I'm personally of the thinking that the dating method is in error, and the text meant 900, not 9000....