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The fascination of Atlantis.
Frequently asked questions.
This section is a brief but helpful section of the most frequently asked questions connected with the Atlantis Mystery. If your question is not answered in this section then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will do our best to answer your enquiry.
queries@returntoatlantis.com
Did Atlantis really exist?
Even if we didn’t have the philosopher Plato’s crucial account of Atlantis a wealth of ancient texts speak volubly of a world destroyed by a massive disaster. These accounts were known throughout the ancient world, and provide the backbone of Plato’s account. Moreover scores of sunken sites and cities the world over, testify to a particularly turbulent side of nature. There are literally dozens of these remnants and even if not dating back to the Atlantean time period show that whole areas can disappear beneath the waves in a very short time
Established historical reality
Without the presumed existence of a bridging island in the Atlantic Ocean numerous biological and geological anomalies would not make sense. In short the study of Atlantis is closely related with an intellectual imperative to explain many key problems without the main linking feature - in this case Atlantis. Many mysteries of the scientific and academic world make perfect sense when viewed in the context of this long lost island, and sooner or later we are sure Atlantis will be accepted back as the established historical record that it really represents.
Where did Atlantis exist?
The reality is that virtually hundreds of locations have laid claim to a share of the Atlantis mystery. Yet the Greek philosopher Plato from whom we derive the Atlantis account was perfectly adamant. Atlantis was to be found just beyond the Pillars of Hercules - the modern Straits of Gibraltar. There are undoubtedly hundreds of submerged ancient ruins throughout the world but there was only one Atlantis and if Plato’s account is to be respected the Atlantic is where we must look for it.
Please see our separate section Atlantis in the modern world.
How long ago did Atlantis exist?
Since the island is no longer there it would be impossible to speculate. However in the Timaeus and Critias Plato tells us that the disaster that wiped it out occurred over 9500 years before his time - which would place it close to 12000 years ago. That was the end of the island though of course the civilisation that inhabited it must have been there many thousands of years. Times which to us seem unimaginably distant.
Wasn’t the Atlantis story just allegory?
On numerous occasions Plato stresses that the Atlantis story was a true account. It was not invented, as some have said to give glory to Athens - who once defeated Atlantean colonisation - but was intended to be taken at face value. In any case many of the geographical accounts given in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias are stunningly precise and go beyond what was thought to be known of the geography of the world at those times. This all points to an authentic account that to all intents and purposes was meant to be taken seriously.
Who was Plato?
Central, if not crucial, to our knowledge of Atlantis,Plato was a Greek philosopher who lived between 427-347 BC. His family played a prominent part in Athenian politics, but disgusted with the corruption that he found, turned to a life of philosophy. He founded the famous Academy of Athens and is known to have travelled extensively. He is known to have written at least twenty philosophical dialogues.
What is the Timaeus and Critias?
The Timaeus and Critias are a collection of books - now grouped under one manuscript in which the Greek philosopher Plato explains the history of the lost island of Atlantis. The books are not exclusively devoted to the Atlantis account but for many people this is the sole focus of their attention.
When did Plato write his Timaeus and Critias?
Plato lived between 427-347 BC and is believed to have written the Timaeus and Critias after the death of his friend Socrates in 399 BC. Some discussion exists - as is often the case with ancient texts - regarding the dual authorship of the Timaeus and Critias. However lack of any real consensus has left the whole question in the air.
Where was the city of Sais?
The city of Sais in the Nile delta of Egypt is central to our knowledge of the whole Atlantis saga. It was here that priests from the Temple of Neith (the equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena) explained to Solon the story of Atlantis. Solon later took back the story to Athens where it was published in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias. Another Greek visitor to Sais was a personage named Crantor who backed up Solon’s account with his own observation that the priests of Sais had shown him pillars decorated with an inscribed history of Atlantis.
Centre of culture.
In his book “History of Atlantis” author Lewis Spence makes the following comments: “It is of course well known that Sais, where Solon heard the story of Atlantis was a city closely associated with Greece. It was indeed, a centre of Greek culture.”
Unique legacy.
The central link between this exchange was made possible by the close bond of a shared deity. Lewis Spence describes it thus: “The intercourse between Sais and Athens was especially promoted by their worshipping the same deity.” A link that ultimately led the world to inherit the unique legacy of a story that has crossed the ages undimmed by its original magnificence - the lost island of Atlantis!
Was Tartessos Atlantis?
The lost kingdom of Tartessos is believed to have occupied an area of the Spanish coastline just beyond the Straits of Gibraltar - the ancient Pillars of Hercules. Although there are many similarities to the Atlantis story it is clear this is not Plato’s Atlantis. However Tartessos may well have formed part of an Atlantean colony and further information can be found in our special feature on the topic.
Is Santorini Atlantis?
Every time the remains of a sunken city are discovered people call it lost Atlantis. The island of Santorini in the Greek Aegean is a notable example. Around 1300 BC the whole island was ripped apart in a massive volcanic eruption credited with wiping out the Minoan civilisation on nearby Crete. Although there are striking similarities to the Atlantis account there are also substantial differences. Not least of these is Plato’s insistence that Atlantis was an Atlantic island. There is also the time scale involved. Santorini erupted just under 1000 years before Plato’s time whereas the Atlantis disaster was said to have happened over 8000 years beforehand. This means that all things considered Santorini makes a very poor candidate for the Atlantis story.
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