Atlantis: Plato's Description, Human Translation, And Archaeological Resemblance To The Richat Structure
The enduring mystery of Atlantis, as recounted by Plato, describes a powerful island civilization in the Atlantic beyond the Pillars of Hercules. However, modern researchers propose an intriguing alternative: that Atlantis, or at least its capital, may have been located in Africa. They present compelling evidence pointing to the Eye of the Sahara, a theory so persistent that both professional and amateur archaeologists are now advocating for crucial excavations in the Mauritania Slide Complex.
Where is Atlantis? Does evidence suggest it or its capital was in Africa?
Plato consistently described Atlantis as a vast island located in the Atlantic Ocean, "beyond the Pillars of Hercules" (Strait of Gibraltar), and larger than Libya and Asia combined. He stated its empire extended over other islands and parts of continents, including Libya (Africa) as far as Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia, but the main island itself was in the Atlantic. Researchers, however, question translations and strongly suggest that Atlantis or its capital was in Africa, while majority of its civilization was likely in the Azores; if not in Africa. Specifically identifying the Eye of the Sahara (Richat Structure) in Mauritania as the most likely location. They cite its concentric rings, matching dimensions, geological and environmental evidence of past water presence (salt, marine fossils, erosion patterns), geographical features (mountains to the north, southern outlet), and parallels in ancient texts and cultural symbols as supporting their theory. Along with providing a location of where the evidence would be, citing the Mauritania Slide Complex.
Were the rings man-made, God-made, or natural?
Plato describes the rings as initially God-made by Poseidon, who carved the mountain into a palace surrounded by circular moats and rings of land. Following this divine creation, the Atlanteans (man-made) extensively developed these rings, building bridges, canals, tunnels, docks, gates, towers, and walls to enhance and utilize the concentric layout. Researchers applying theories to the Eye of the Sahara describe its rings as natural geological formations, resulting from terrestrial processes like molten rock uplifting and subsequent erosion. However, researchers also propose a compromise, suggesting that the Atlanteans adopted and adapted this natural structure for their city, citing Plato's credit to Poseidon and the Atlanteans.
How advanced was the building structure?
Plato described Atlantis's building structure as highly advanced and opulent. This included extensive infrastructure like a vast canal system (e.g., a canal "three hundred feet in width and one hundred feet in depth, and fifty stadia in length" leading to a harbor), sophisticated bridges (wide enough for a trireme and roofed), and elaborate docks. The city featured grand palaces and numerous temples (including Poseidon's temple, "a stadium in length and half a stadium in width"), often adorned with precious metals like brass, tin, silver, gold, and orichalcum, and lined with ivory. They utilized advanced water systems, including hot and cold springs, cisterns, and aqueducts to supply various baths (for kings, private citizens, women, and animals). The city was also fortified with multiple walls, gates, and towers, constructed from quarried white, black, and red stone. Researchers supporting the Eye of the Sahara as Atlantis's location infer a highly advanced building structure, implicitly suggesting sophisticated engineering and planning capabilities. While direct archaeological evidence of such a civilization is noted as missing, the sheer scale and concentric symmetry of the Richat Structure, if adopted, would require advanced construction to integrate a city. Proponents point to geometric patterns resembling "foundations of buildings covered with soil" visible on Google Maps within the Richat, and the existence of a central quarry, as potential indicators of organized, large-scale construction by a "highly developed culture" or "prosperous African empire." And point to the Mauritania Slide Complex for the location of evidence of their civilization.
Final thoughts:
While Plato's narratives depict Atlantis as an Atlantic powerhouse with rings divinely initiated and then elaborately engineered, contemporary theories offer a compelling African counterpart. Researchers propose the Eye of the Sahara, a natural geological formation, as a potential site for a highly advanced Atlantean capital, speculating that evidence of this lost civilization might lie within the vast Mauritania Slide Complex, recognizing the catastrophic end to a technologically sophisticated society as described by Plato. One more thing that I had to double check and fact check, which fuels the mistranslation possibility is the claims that the athens word for island, ""νῆσος" (nêsos)" had many meanings, and one of them, land surrounded largely by water or sea is one of the definitions. The Richat Structure is also west of the Pillars of Hercules. The calls for digging the Mauritania Slide Complex underscores the scientific drive to move beyond theoretical models and find concrete evidence, which would be crucial in validating or refuting this intriguing modern proposal as that's where the scientific prood would be best the structure's shape strikingly similar to the description by Plato, and if they got "νῆσος" (nêsos), and "stadia" also fluctuated in length, when you consider the full dimensions of Plato's described concentric city (not just the central acropolis), the natural water availability of the Green Sahara period, and the broader interpretation of "island," the numerical and environmental discrepancies often cited against the Richat theory become far less problematic, and in fact, start to align quite compellingly. The idea of a major civilization flourishing there during that wetter period is precisely why advocates push for archaeological investigation.
Where is Atlantis? Does evidence suggest it or its capital was in Africa?
Plato consistently described Atlantis as a vast island located in the Atlantic Ocean, "beyond the Pillars of Hercules" (Strait of Gibraltar), and larger than Libya and Asia combined. He stated its empire extended over other islands and parts of continents, including Libya (Africa) as far as Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia, but the main island itself was in the Atlantic. Researchers, however, question translations and strongly suggest that Atlantis or its capital was in Africa, while majority of its civilization was likely in the Azores; if not in Africa. Specifically identifying the Eye of the Sahara (Richat Structure) in Mauritania as the most likely location. They cite its concentric rings, matching dimensions, geological and environmental evidence of past water presence (salt, marine fossils, erosion patterns), geographical features (mountains to the north, southern outlet), and parallels in ancient texts and cultural symbols as supporting their theory. Along with providing a location of where the evidence would be, citing the Mauritania Slide Complex.
Were the rings man-made, God-made, or natural?
Plato describes the rings as initially God-made by Poseidon, who carved the mountain into a palace surrounded by circular moats and rings of land. Following this divine creation, the Atlanteans (man-made) extensively developed these rings, building bridges, canals, tunnels, docks, gates, towers, and walls to enhance and utilize the concentric layout. Researchers applying theories to the Eye of the Sahara describe its rings as natural geological formations, resulting from terrestrial processes like molten rock uplifting and subsequent erosion. However, researchers also propose a compromise, suggesting that the Atlanteans adopted and adapted this natural structure for their city, citing Plato's credit to Poseidon and the Atlanteans.
How advanced was the building structure?
Plato described Atlantis's building structure as highly advanced and opulent. This included extensive infrastructure like a vast canal system (e.g., a canal "three hundred feet in width and one hundred feet in depth, and fifty stadia in length" leading to a harbor), sophisticated bridges (wide enough for a trireme and roofed), and elaborate docks. The city featured grand palaces and numerous temples (including Poseidon's temple, "a stadium in length and half a stadium in width"), often adorned with precious metals like brass, tin, silver, gold, and orichalcum, and lined with ivory. They utilized advanced water systems, including hot and cold springs, cisterns, and aqueducts to supply various baths (for kings, private citizens, women, and animals). The city was also fortified with multiple walls, gates, and towers, constructed from quarried white, black, and red stone. Researchers supporting the Eye of the Sahara as Atlantis's location infer a highly advanced building structure, implicitly suggesting sophisticated engineering and planning capabilities. While direct archaeological evidence of such a civilization is noted as missing, the sheer scale and concentric symmetry of the Richat Structure, if adopted, would require advanced construction to integrate a city. Proponents point to geometric patterns resembling "foundations of buildings covered with soil" visible on Google Maps within the Richat, and the existence of a central quarry, as potential indicators of organized, large-scale construction by a "highly developed culture" or "prosperous African empire." And point to the Mauritania Slide Complex for the location of evidence of their civilization.
Final thoughts:
While Plato's narratives depict Atlantis as an Atlantic powerhouse with rings divinely initiated and then elaborately engineered, contemporary theories offer a compelling African counterpart. Researchers propose the Eye of the Sahara, a natural geological formation, as a potential site for a highly advanced Atlantean capital, speculating that evidence of this lost civilization might lie within the vast Mauritania Slide Complex, recognizing the catastrophic end to a technologically sophisticated society as described by Plato. One more thing that I had to double check and fact check, which fuels the mistranslation possibility is the claims that the athens word for island, ""νῆσος" (nêsos)" had many meanings, and one of them, land surrounded largely by water or sea is one of the definitions. The Richat Structure is also west of the Pillars of Hercules. The calls for digging the Mauritania Slide Complex underscores the scientific drive to move beyond theoretical models and find concrete evidence, which would be crucial in validating or refuting this intriguing modern proposal as that's where the scientific prood would be best the structure's shape strikingly similar to the description by Plato, and if they got "νῆσος" (nêsos), and "stadia" also fluctuated in length, when you consider the full dimensions of Plato's described concentric city (not just the central acropolis), the natural water availability of the Green Sahara period, and the broader interpretation of "island," the numerical and environmental discrepancies often cited against the Richat theory become far less problematic, and in fact, start to align quite compellingly. The idea of a major civilization flourishing there during that wetter period is precisely why advocates push for archaeological investigation.
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