It’s
civilisation originated towards the end of the last Ice Age. Later, it
had significant trade with other nations. There were elephants
(imported?) and chestnut trees. It was close enough to Africa to be able
to dominate the lands of Libya. Orichalcum could be mined on the
island. It was probably volcanic. It was destroyed by an earthquake
(volcanism).
If we accept that Plato’s description is accurate
and don’t tamper with the story of Atlantis to make it fit other
possible locations then we need to look for a volcanic island (or the
remains of one) in the Atlantic beyond the straights of Gibraltar but
close enough to North Africa for it to have been able to control the
coastal lands of Libya up to the borders of Egypt.
If we faithfully follow this description we do
find an actual place. We find the volcanic Canary Islands. Quite a great
deal of Plato’s description matches this location. They are volcanic,
on the ancient but disputed trade route to the Americas, were once
considerably more fertile than they are today, are still unstable and
have unusual (if limited) ruins. Pliny the Elder (AD23 - 79) reports the
Canary Islands were uninhabited in the time of Hanno the Navigator (c.
600 BC), but nevertheless contained the ruins of buildings.
“He (Juba II) said that in this island there are
traces of buildings; that while they all have an abundant supply of
fruit and of birds of every kind, Canaria also abounds in palm-groves
bearing dates and in conifers; that in addition to this there is a large
supply of honey, and also papyrus grows in the rivers,” From the
Translation of The Natural History of Pliny the Elder by H. Rackham,
first published 1942, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
Even so, where is the conclusive evidence? Well it
may well be on the bottom of the sea between (and to the south) of the
islands that may be all that remain of the northern mountains described
by Plato.
One theory regarding Atlantis that has been put
forward is that as recently as 10,000 years ago some of the Canary
Islands, as we know them today, were actually linked together (or more
likely surrounded) by an unstable plateau or rim of volcanic rock
(basalts) and soil that had built up over the 60,000 years of the
previous ice age. (Remember, sea levels were lower).
Also, the geological record (above) clearly
shows that from-time-to-time; fairly large parts of these islands have
collapsed into the sea leaving significant debris surrounding them.
The theory suggests that as sea levels rose,
the underlying rock of the rim plateau became saturated with water and
increasingly unstable. Finally, when a severe earthquake occurred, this
landmass literally vibrated itself into a fluid state and sank away to
be dispersed in the ocean currents.
If you want to see this happen then take some
beach sand and place it a container as a flattened cone. Fill the
container with water until at least two thirds of the original sand is
saturated. Now place a model building on top and then vibrate the
container. See what happens.
Why does this theory about Atlantis have some
credence? The answer lies in Plato’s description of what remained after
the collapse of Atlantis. He refers to a huge layer of mud that blocked
the passage of ships.
“One ‘slope anomaly’, the S1 (175 Ma) anomaly,
has also been identified between the easternmost islands and the African
continent. The continent-ocean boundary is characterized by the
presence of a 10-km-thick layer of sediments.” José Mangas Viñuela,
Departamento de Física-Geología, Edificio de
Ciencias Básicas, Campus Universitario de Tafira, Universidad de Las
Palmas de Gran Canaria
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that again we
find a consistency between the evidence and Plato’s account. To ensure
objective study it should also be mentioned that the water between the
islands is deep and so the concept of a single linked island is
unlikely. However, not even the scientists seem to agree on many
geological aspects of these islands – particularly their formation and
erosion.
Let’s be clear! It is not our intention to
persuade you that the Canary Islands are the location of Atlantis or
that Atlantis ever truly existed as described by Plato. What we have
tried to do is demonstrate, through a process of Literary Forensics,
that many of the key points of Plato’s account do stand up to a fair
degree of scrutiny.
However, some do not.
Plato refers to significant trade between the Atlanteans and other nations. Trade means records and none have ever been found.
No trace of Elephants or their remains have
ever been found on the Canary Islands although they were said to exist
in abundance on Atlantis..
Gold and copper has been discovered in nearby Morocco but not on the Canary islands.
Still, we’re open to updated information if you have any.
The Verdict:
It’s fair to say that we are really divided on
this one. The safe verdict would be to state that as there is still no
“concrete” or undisputed “physical” evidence then Atlantis is probably a
myth created by a man who had a superb understanding of the natural
history and geography of his time. He most likely did so for the purpose
of promoting and presenting his views regarding utopian societies. He
may well have used the records of travellers such as Hanno the Navigator
to “work-backwards” to locate his Atlantean land and to establish his
facts.
The less-safe verdict is that Plato has
provided a remarkably consistent account that actually provides a
location precisely where he says it will be. He supplies very few
details that can be proven wrong and does provide many references that
are absolutely correct. Of particular importance is the sheet of mud
that would have existed if the (possible) land mass linking or
surrounding the Canary Islands had been vibrated away. The real question
that should be asked is this: If the account of Timaeus and Critias was
meant to be used just for the purpose of expounding a theory then why
so much detail and why not a more elaborate and fanciful
description. Why go to so much trouble to get the details correct?
Thank you for reading our account of
the Lost City of Atlantis. Perhaps as archaeology discovers more of our
ancient history we will find more convincing evidence, or perhaps even
proof, that that this remarkable myth is actually real. What a story
that would be.
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