One of the greatest mysteries in the world is the Lost City of Atlantis. Many believe this was a beautiful city with an amazing history, while others believe this to be a mythical story created to help children fall asleep. Researchers have been trying to prove its existence for decades, sometimes even coming close to finding its exact location before getting debunked. So, “Is the Lost City of Atlantis real or myth?” If it is real, then what happened to it, and if it is a myth, then why is it so popular?
The Origin of Atlantis
Around 360 BCE, a Greek philosopher, Plato described Atlantis in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias (Augustyn). He described an island nation situated in the Strait of Gibraltar (Augustyn). According to Plato, Atlantis was a utopian society with immense technological advancements and wealth (Augustyn). Because of this, they had a growing arrogance and loss of morality, angering god, which resulted in them being swallowed by the sea in a natural disaster (Augustyn).
Plato’s dialogues are the only ancient tale mentioning Atlantis leading to many historians doubting its existence. Is it real or is it a warning towards losing morality and adopting arrogance?
Theories about Atlantis
Atlantis was a mid-Atlantic continent that suddenly sank into the ocean
In the 19th century, writer Ignatius Donnelly argued that an ancient advanced civilization must have handed down the accomplishments of the ancient world (ex. agriculture or language) as the ancients were not sophisticated enough to invent it on their own (Pruitt).
Donnelly argued that the Atlantic Ocean was only a few hundred feet deep. Because of shifting ocean waters, Atlantis sank in the exact location described by Plato (just past the Pillars of Hercules; the entry to the Strait of Gibraltar). Modern oceanography and the understanding of tectonic plate movement debunked his theory of shifting waters, however, the idea of Atlantis having sunk in this location is still large because of finding tool-modified square rock formations near the Pillars of Hercules (Pruitt).
Atlantis was swallowed by the Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is a region in the Atlantic ocean where more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes have mysteriously disappeared (Tikkanen). One theory is that Atlantis was actually situated near Bermuda and because of the increase in energy near the Bermuda triangle, there was an earthquake, through which the city drowned (Pruitt). Supporters of this theory have found rock formations they believe cannot be formed without human help (Pruitt).
This theory has been debunked by scientists claiming that those rock formations have indeed been made by the natural world. They claim these structures are actually natural beach-rock formations (Pruitt).
Atlantis is the story of the Minoan civilization, which flourished in the Greek Islands circa 2500 - 1600 B.C.
Believed to be Europe’s first civilization, the Minoans built incredible palaces, intricate water systems, constructed paved roads, and were the first to use a written language (Pruitt). However, at the height of their power, they suddenly disappeared (Pruitt). Furthermore, it is believed that the Minoans were situated on the Greek islands of Crete and Thera (now Santorini). When visiting, you can see the remains of an ancient Greece city named Knossos. Knossos is one of the most intricate buildings from its time period with four floors and intricate hallway design with wooden doors (something unheard of in that particular time period) (Pruitt). Using modern technology, archeologists have created a digital model of what the city must have looked like in 2500 B.C (Pruitt).
Historians believe that around 1600 B.C., there was a volcanic eruption in Thera, and the tsunamis that followed were big enough to wipe down the Minoans civilization (Pruitt).
Atlantis does not exist. Plato invented it.
After decades of research, many historians have come to the conclusion that Atlantis is a fictional place invented by Plato to warn of the dangers of human hubris (Pruitt). No written records other than Plato’s were ever found; even the ones that survived from Ancient Greece (Pruitt). Also, modern oceanography has not relieved any indication of this lost sunken city.
Modern-Day Searches for Atlantis
Despite some believing that Atlantis is a myth, there are still many searches around the world to find this lost city. People have many beliefs of where Atlantis can be located.
Some of these include:
The Mediterranean - near Santorini or Malta
Regions support the idea of advanced civilizations
The Caribbean - near the Bahamas
Many underwater structures have been found, but none of them are confirmed to be Atlantis
Antarctica
Fringe theory about Atlantis being a part of Antarctica until an ancient ice age buried it under glaciers
Why is the Discovery of Atlantis so important?
Even though Atlantis is a very old mystery, people are still fascinated by it, why? Atlantis combines two universal themes of humanity; the rise and fall of civilizations, and the mysteries of the unknown (Radford). Whether Atlantis is real or a myth, it continues to inspire many pop culture movies, songs, and novels (Radford).
Also, as climate change is starting to float the idea of civilizations being lost at sea, the idea of previous civilizations lost at sea is prevalent in the modern world. The fate of Atlantis can be seen as a warning about environmental and societal collapse (Radford).
Final Notes
While the location of Atlantis remains a mystery and unproven, its legend continues to inspire. Whether the Lost City of Atlantis is real or a myth, it serves as a reminder of the secrets Earth and its history holds, and invites the idea of exploration further into historical legends and myths.
Written By: Krisha L
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