Plato's Atlantis
Recently we have described various myths over the culture and history of the islands that made up the continent of Atlantis. While these detailed accounts have come from modern sources and methods (Edgar Casey readings, progressive hypnosis, dream therapy, etc.), it is also important to consider the original descriptions of Atlantis, which reveal some interesting aspects as well.
Timaeus and Critias
The only existing ancient written records which specifically refer to Atlantis are from Timaeus and Critias, two dialogues written by Plato around 360 BC. While there is clear evidence of Critias (and his relatives, who play a role in relating the story of Atlantis), there is no historical record of Timaeus, which has some speculating that he may be a fictitious character made up by Plato.
It is because of this speculation that creates one of the "controversies" over Plato's description of Atlantis. Plato sometimes created fictitious characters in his dialogues to allow him to make points he otherwise might be condemned for (which happened to Plato's mentor and teacher, Socrates, who was put to death by the authorities in Athens for "corrupting the moral of Athenian youth"). Some scholars reason then, the descriptions of Atlantis may be a 'disguised' commentary of current Athenian problems in the time of Plato.
However, the documentation from Critias - and his relatives - disproves this theory. Plato received his information over Atlantis from Critias, who was told the stories from his great grandfather, Dropides. Dropides was told the story by his distant relative Solon, an Athenian traveler, poet, and lawgiver who lived from 638 - 599 BC. While in Egypt, Solon heard from the Egyptian priests of the land of Keftiu, an island-nation named for one of the four pillars that supported the Egyptian sky.
Keftiu was, according to the Egyptians, an advanced civilization that was the gateway to, and ruler of all the lands to the far west of Egypt. Keftiu traded in ivory, copper, and cloth - and controlled ships and commerce far beyond the Egyptian domain. By Egyptian accounts, Keftiu was destroyed by the seas in an apocalypse - "in one day and one night" - this, and other accounts (and artifacts), it seems evident that the first known myths of "Atlantis" originated in Egypt.
Plato's "translation"
Plato recorded and embellished the story from Solon as told by Critias, however in his writings translated the names to correspond to Greek mythology. For example, in Egyptian mythology there were four magical pillars which held up the sky (Keftiu being one of them), and in Greek mythology this task was done by Atlas (the titan who held up the world, and for whom the Atlantis ocean is named for). Plato simply substituted the Greek mythological figure's name for the Egyptian one.
Part of Plato's "translation" is also the source of controversy over the location of Atlantis, and is fuel for those who argue that Atlantis is in reality an ancient description of the Minoan culture (a civilization that existed in present day Crete, approximately 1,500 years before the ancient Greek culture developed).
In the Egyptian account, Keftiu was the gateway to the "western" lands (Greece, Libya, and beyond), which basically referred all lands west known to Egypt. However, it was Plato who specifically put Atlantis west of the Mediterranean Sea - which was west of all the lands known to Greece. Was this an accurate translation? If so, then both Egyptians and Greek sources place Atlantis west of the "Pillars of Hercules" (the Straits of Gibraltar). If not, then there is an argument for Atlantis being a description of the Minoan culture.
Minoan = Atlantis?
With it's capital in Crete - an island - and it's influence spread throughout the islands of the Aegean Sea - "an island continent" - the Minoan culture was an advanced civilization with complex architecture, rituals, commercial shipping, as well as a unique language and unusual games. Minoa, whose culture came to an abrupt end around 1470 BC, also traded ivory, copper, and elegant cloth - the very elements the Atlantean were famous for
Another aspect shared between the mythical Atlantis and known Minoan culture was the unusual art of bullfighting. By legend, the inhabitants of Atlantis would engage in a ritual where unarmed Minoans would wrestle and jump over fully unrestrained bulls. This practice was said to be the "national past time" in both cultures drawing huge crowds - in much the same way a football match does so today. This art of "bull fighting" is richly illustrated in remaining Minoan artwork and vases found by archeologists.
The accepted theory for the destruction of the Minoan culture is also very similar to Atlantis. Approximately 75 km north of Crete lies the island of Santorini (also known as Thera) which used to be a volcano - the diameter of which was 4 times larger than Krakotoa, the volcano that erupted in 1883 east of Java that could be heard over 800 km away! Geological core samples show the volcano had a violent eruption approximately 1,500 BC.
Such an explosion would not only cause ash to fill the sky and ruin crops for hundreds of kilometers around, but would also cause huge tidal waves. Since most of the Minoan settlements were coastal villages on Crete and nearby islands, it is very likely these were destroyed by the tidal waves, earthquakes, and magma. It is also this event wiped out an entire civilization in "a day and a night".
Of course, this is but one possible explanation of Atlantis based on ancient accounts, relating them to an existing earlier culture. Next week we will look at other evidence that indicate that Atlantis indeed was a great civilization west of the "Pillars of Hercules".
According to Plato, Atlantis existed as an island nation 11,000 years ago which was located in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. This island nation was actually very large, for the culture of Atlantis was spread over several large islands, which together formed what could be called its own continent.
On the largest island was found the city of Atlantis, which was circled by many canals - in much the same way canals ring Amsterdam. However the inner city of Atlantis must have been almost 20 times larger than Amsterdam, for the inner most canal that circled Atlantis was said to have run for 12 miles (about 20 kilometers!).
The canals are an important infra-structure for the city of Atlantis, for these are used for ships to trade within and beyond the city, as well as for irrigation. The climate was such that two harvests were possible each year - one in the winter fed by rains, and one in the summer fed by irrigation from the canals. Beyond the city lay a fertile plain, 530 km long and 190 km wide which was also interlaced with canals that collected water from river and mountain streams.
Atlantis was populated by a proud and noble people, who had powerful weapons that could kill enemies over a long distance - using "rays of light that could burn" (perhaps a type of laser?). They also had the most advanced ships in their world, "which could travel swiftly even when there was no wind", and some descriptions suggest they had some sort of flying machine.
Along with these descriptions of technical marvels, there are also many descriptions that show the culture and society of Atlantis were advanced as well. As mentioned in previous articles, Atlantis had a form of representative government - a very unusual creation, since ruler ship by the right of kings was the main practice during this time, and for many thousands of years after.
Poseidon's domain
While the actual origin of Atlantis is unknown (except for a few descriptions from subjects under regressive hypnosis, which we will cover in future articles), Plato naturally associated the beginning of Atlantis with the existing Greek myths of his time. By Plato's account, Atlantis was the domain of Poseidon, god of the sea. When Poseidon fell in love with a mortal woman, Cleito, he created a dwelling at the top of a hill on an island, and surrounded the dwelling with ring of want and land to protect her.
Cleito gave birth to five sets of twin boys, and the eldest of these, Atlas the Titan, became the first ruler of this island continent. The Greek word "Atlantis" actually means "the island of Atlas", just as "Atlantic" means "the ocean of Atlas". Atlas was given ruler ship of the main island, while his brothers controlled the other islands.
On the top of the main central hill which would become the city of Atlantis, a temple was built to honor Poseidon which housed a giant gold statue of Poseidon riding a chariot pulled by winged horses. It was here that later rulers would come to discuss laws, pass judgments, and pay tribute to Poseidon. (It is worth noting that this temple has been confirmed by many different sources. For example, several of Edgar Casey's subjects in the 1930's who were put under regressive hypnosis described this temple in detail - even though these individuals never had any previous contact with one another, nor knew of any descriptions of Atlantis. Even in later studies done during the 1970's and 1980's, many subjects under hypnosis gave the EXACT SAME DESCRIPTIONS - even though they were unaware of the Edgar Casey readings, the other subjects, and descriptions of Atlantis!)
For many generations the people of Atlantis lived peaceful and virtuous lives. There is no account of the people of Atlantis ever starting a war, or invading a land for the sake of conquest (all accounts describing Atlantis invading another land shows this was either to neutralize a king who had waged war on Atlantis or plundered her trading ships, or to rescue citizens of Atlantis who were being held for ransom.
According to Plato, the people of Atlantis slowly became corrupt and immoral, so Zeus gathered all the other gods to determine a suitable punishment. Even in suffering the punishment put upon them, the people of Atlantis stood up to the gods, and even rebelled against the will of Poseidon. This being the final insult, Poseidon commanded the ocean to swallow the continent, to rid the world forever of the only race of mortals who felt they were equal to the gods.
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