History of Atlantis: myths, speculation, riddles and real facts. Mysterious Atlantis Myth of Atlantis read summary

History of Atlantis: myths, speculations, mysteries and real facts

For more than one generation, researchers have been debating the existence of Atlantis, a powerful ancient state that disappeared from the face of the Earth once and for all. Interest in this topic arose after the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato saw the light of day. It was Plato who first wrote about Atlantis, described the ancient civilization, the strength and power of the Atlanteans. Was this a deliberate and skillfully created myth, or are we dealing with a description of real facts? ancient history human civilization remains a mystery. Neither before nor after it was possible to obtain and find evidence of the existence of the Atlantean state. The mysteries of Atlantis remain unsolved to this day, forcing historians to put forward new hypotheses and researchers to look for the location of the disappeared island-state on the map of the planet.

The Atlantean civilization is a source of controversy

Today about a lost mighty civilization ancient world written great amount works, ranging from poetic essays and literary descriptions to serious scientific treatises. In each individual case, one has to deal with a huge set of assumptions and hypotheses that the ancient world looked different from what the world map looks like today. Another new hypothesis gives rise to a new myth, which instantly acquires new details, assumptions and details. Another thing is the complete lack of facts that can answer the question: whether Atlantis existed in reality or not. This meager research material remains the preserve of science fiction writers and atlantologists. Skeptics believe that the history of Atlantis is an artificially created phenomenon in modern historical science.

The problem of Atlantis must be considered in two aspects: from the point of view of the historical epic, and using a scientific approach. In the first case, you have to deal with evidence and materials, the existence of which is never disputed by anyone. The palm in this area belongs to the works of Plato. The ancient Greek philosopher mentioned the powerful state of antiquity in the dialogues “Critias” and “Timaeus”, which were compiled on the basis of the diaries of another prominent ancient Greek scientist philosopher Solon, who was Plato’s great-grandfather. With the light hand of Plato, the name of the ancient state appeared, and its inhabitants began to be called Atlanteans.

In his notes and books, the ancient philosopher relied on the legend according to which the ancient Greeks fought with the state of the Atlanteans. The confrontation was ended by a grandiose cataclysm that led to the destruction of Atlantis. According to the ancients, it was this catastrophe that led to the island city of Atlantis disappearing from the face of the planet forever. What planetary scale catastrophe led to such consequences is still unknown and unproven. Another question is that in the scientific community this moment There is a point of view that 12 thousand years BC. the world has truly comprehended major disaster, which changed the geography of the planet.

Plato's dialogue “Timaeus” quite accurately indicates the location of the country of the Atlanteans, and is full of descriptions of the details of the culture and life of the Atlanteans. Thanks to the efforts of the ancient Greek philosopher, the disappeared civilization is being persistently searched for in the Atlantic Ocean. Just one phrase, “opposite the Pillars of Hercules,” recorded by Plato, indicates the location legendary country. There is no more accurate data on the location of the mysterious ancient state, so many researchers on this topic believe that Atlantis could have been located in any other part of the ancient world.

The inconsistency of many of the facts set forth in Plato’s works raised a number of questions for subsequent generations. The main secrets of Atlantis are as follows:

Is there a high probability of the existence of an island of such a large size, traces of which are almost completely absent today;
what catastrophe that occurred in ancient times could lead to instant death large state;
could a civilization exist in such ancient times with such a high level of development, which is attributed to the Atlanteans by ancient and modern researchers;
why today there are no real traces from the past indicating the existence of Atlantis;
Are we descendants of the highly developed Atlantean culture?

How did the contemporaries of the ancient Greeks see Atlantis?

By studying Plato's works, we can briefly summarize the information that has reached us. We are dealing with the history of existence and mystical disappearance large archipelago or a large island that was located in the west of the then ancient world. Central city superpower was Atlantis, which owes its name to the first king of the state, Atlantis. The island location explains government system empires. Probably Atlantis, like many cities of ancient Greece, was a union of island rulers united under imperial leadership. Perhaps there was a different government system in Atlantis, but in Plato’s dialogues the names of the kings are given, after whom the other islands of the empire were named. Hence, ancient civilization took the form of a union or confederation.

Another question is detailed description Plato's life structure of a mysterious power. All the main buildings and structures of the state are located on the central island. Acropolis, royal palace and the temples are protected by several rows of earthen ramparts and a system of water channels. The interior of the island is connected to the sea by a huge shipping canal, so we can safely say that the power of Atlantis was focused on achieving sea power. Moreover, according to Plato’s version, the Atlanteans worship Poseidon (ancient Greek god, ruler of the seas and oceans - brother of Zeus). In Plato, the temples of the Atlanteans, their architecture and the arrangement of their homes shine with luxury and wealth. Reaching the shores of Atlantis, surrounded on all sides by water, and the path to the island lay only by sea, was not an easy task for sailors of that time.

In his narratives, Plato is very keen on describing the improvement of the Atlantean capital. The most interesting thing in this aspect is that the descriptions of the ancient Greek philosopher strongly resemble the descriptions of other ancient Greek cities found in other ancient sources. The described infrastructure, weapons, ships, religion and lifestyle of the inhabitants of Atlantis look like the height of human perfection and a model of well-being.

The mystery of Atlantis in Plato's descriptions is present at every step. Isn’t it amazing that people live far from the centers of civilization known to the world at that time, but have a fairly high level of development, can make long sea voyages, trade with everyone around them, eat spices and other crops. The Atlanteans have a powerful army and a large fleet capable of entering into confrontation with the armies of the ancient states of the Mediterranean.

This should be the end. Only Plato was able to describe the life and structure of the legendary state so clearly and in detail. There were no other sources that would point to similar facts, no, and perhaps there will not be. Neither the Sumerians nor the ancient Egyptians said anything about a large state in the Western Hemisphere. The ancient ruins of the Indian civilizations of the Northern and South America. Could there have been such a powerful civilization in the central Atlantic many years ago, about which there is still no real evidence?

Secrets of Atlantis: myths and legends versus real facts

Some researchers continue to feed the world illusions that Atlantis really existed. Following the lead of Plato, who pointed out exact location location of the island, researchers in search of Atlantis are checking the areas in the area Azores, in the Bahamas. This is facilitated by the consonance of the names Atlantic Ocean and the legendary island.

According to one version, Atlantis was located in the Azores region. Studies of the Ampere seamount, located on the way from Europe to America, and the neighboring areas of the Atlantic mid-ridge have not yielded any results. The geological and morphological structure of the seabed does not give reason to believe that in ancient times there existed earth's crust large geological formation. Even the gigantic cataclysm that wiped out so much from the face of the earth large island or archipelago, would have left behind undeniable evidence. If the island sank as a result of a successive chain of earthquakes and floods, then its remains could still be found today.

Modern scientists do not have information about the major geological and tectonic catastrophe that befell the earth in ancient times. The biblical data about the global flood that befell the Earth and humanity takes us to a completely different era. All information, events and facts that speak in favor of the existence of Atlantis in this part globe, do not stand up to criticism if we rely on the theory proposed by Plato.

Supporters of another hypothesis, the Mediterranean one, have more compelling evidence in their favor. However, here too there are a number of points that cause controversy. What were the real boundaries of such a powerful union, and where could such a union be located? big Island or a small continent. Western border known to people of that time in the world, runs along the Pillars of Hercules - now the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic. Why, with such an eventful and crowded environment, did the ancient world not have cartographic data on the location of a large state that influenced the political and economic structure of the world? On maps drawn up by the ancient Greeks, Phoenicians and Egyptians that have survived to this day, known areas are limited to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Many Atlantologists increasingly agree that a civilization of similar proportions could have existed in the Eastern Mediterranean, within the explored sphere of political and economic interests of ancient states. The disappearance of the island and the death of the country of the Atlanteans can be linked to the catastrophic eruption of the Santorini volcano, which erupted around the 17th century BC. This hypothesis takes place, since it was during this period that the Cretan power flourished. According to this theory, the volcanic eruption not only destroyed half of the island of Thira, but also destroyed numerous city-states that existed in the region. If we put aside the question of names and the connection to Plato’s statements about the Pillars of Hercules, such a picture of the ancient world has a right to life.

In this context, the version about the existence in ancient times of a powerful state competing with the ancient Greek city-polises fits perfectly. The facts of the strongest cataclysm of that time were also noted in ancient sources. Today, volcanologists and oceanologists reasonably consider this version of the death of Atlantis to be quite real. Scientists have found evidence that Minoan civilization really possessed enormous military power and had a high level of development, allowing it to wage a confrontation with the Greek states.

Sparta and Athens are located 300-400 kilometers north of the islands of Thira and Crete, which are ideal for the location of the Atlantean state. The explosion of a volcano, which destroyed a mighty power in one night, destroyed the balance in the world that had existed until that moment. The consequences of such a large-scale disaster affected the entire Southern Europe, North Africa and the coast of the Middle East.

Versions in favor of another location of the legendary power today have no basis. Researchers are increasingly linking the existence of Atlantis with Plato's philosophical view of existing world. This is echoed by other sources in which the land of the Atlanteans is associated with other mythical territories and states that existed in the imagination of the ancient Greeks.

Hyperborea and Atlantis - ancient mythical states

To the question of where to look for Atlantis today, the answer may sound prosaic. You have to look everywhere. It is possible to rely on ancient sources only in cases where the question is raised about cultural heritage, which has survived to our times. In the sense in which we perceive Atlantis today, as an imaginary country and highly developed civilization, the ancient Greeks at one time imagined Hyperborea. This mythical country, located in the far north, a thousand kilometers from the shores Ancient Greece, was considered by the Greeks to be the habitat of the Hyperboreans, the descendants of the gods. Is this the Atlantis that Plato wanted to tell the world about when writing his treatises?

The Hyperborean lands, according to modern scientists, should have been located on the territory of the current Scandinavian countries: in Iceland or Greenland. The Greeks directly pointed out that even Apollo himself, the sun god, was considered the patron saint of this people. What kind of lands are these, do they really exist? It was assumed that Hyperborea was a fictional country for the ancient Greeks, where perfect and powerful people lived and the gods rested. The country that Apollo regularly visits may be the same Atlantis - the state to which the ancient Greeks strove in their development.

The mystery of Atlantis is described in many works, both adventure novels and serious scientific research. To date, scientists and enthusiastic researchers have put forward more than 1,700 hypotheses about the location of this mysterious continent and the reasons for its disappearance without a trace. However, not so completely without a trace.

One of the most prominent scientists of Ancient Greece, Plato, in his works “Critias” and “Timaeus”, mentions Atlantis, citing data from the diaries of his great-grandfather, the no less famous Athenian poet and statesman Solon. An Egyptian priest told him about the existence of a large country of Atlanteans, which fought with the Greeks for 9000 years. According to this fragmentary information, the land of the Atlanteans was somewhere on the other side of the Pillars of Hercules. According to Plato, according to Solon, Atlantis was a large and rich country with big cities and a very developed economy at that time. Picturesque territory of the country, covered with dense forests, was cut by numerous irrigation canals. Atlantis was a federation of ten kingdoms. The Atlanteans hoped to expand their territory and tried to enslave Athens and Egypt, however, they suffered a crushing defeat in the fight against the Athenian army. According to the same data, as a result of a terrible earthquake within 24 hours, the mighty Atlantis disappeared forever under water.

Scientists to this day have not reached a consensus regarding Plato’s story about this mysterious country. Perhaps Atlantis was just the product of one of the ancient Greek legends? This assumption is supported by the fact that not all of Plato’s stories were believed even by his contemporaries. According to these scientists, in such ancient times, 9000 years before the birth of Plato, such a highly developed culture could not have existed. She couldn’t for the simple reason that at that time the end of the Ice Age had just happened. Many scientists agree that cavemen and highly developed Atlanteans could have lived at the same time. And can it really be that an entire country disappears without a trace overnight? However, most scientists argue that Atlantis could well have existed in reality, because the legends must have had at least some basis, and most of the myths reflected events that took place in reality.

After all, archaeologists found the ruins of the once mythical ancient Troy, which was also considered a figment of the imagination of blind Homer. And not so long ago, the fact was scientifically proven that the ancient Greeks could make quite long long journeys on their ships, and, like Odysseus, reach the shores of Colchis, the land of the Golden Fleece. As for the enormous and destructive power of earthquakes, then, according to geologists, it is really capable of a short time bury a huge area.

However, if we assume that Atlantis really existed, another rather important question arises. Where should researchers go, where should they look for this mythical land? Scientists from different times and countries could never come to a common opinion. Some of them believed that the mysterious Atlantis sank to the bottom of the central part of the Atlantic Ocean - somewhere between two continents, Europe and North America. This statement is based on the words of Plato, who noted that the mysterious land was located in front of a strait called the Pillars of Hercules (framed by the rocks Abilik and Kalpa), which was located at the Strait of Gibraltar. In addition, these lands are home to many of the same species of animals and plants. In addition, not so long ago the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, located in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, was discovered. Adjacent to the ridge is a vast plateau with a number of ridges, the peaks of which form the Azores.

It is likely that this area was once dry land and sank to the ocean floor about 12 thousand years ago during a geological disaster. This period exactly coincides with the estimated time of the existence of Atlantis. After this, the warm Gulf Stream finally reached the shores of Northern Europe, and as a result, the Ice Age ended in our part of the world. This version of warming in Europe was put forward by the Russian scientist N.F. Zhirov, as well as some other researchers. It is likely that the Azores and Madeira Islands are the very remnants of the lost continent. According to some scientists, not all the inhabitants of Atlantis died during the collapse of their continent - some survivors reached the shores of America, while others reached Europe. It was they who laid the foundation for the greatest civilizations of Mexico and Peru, as well as Egypt and Mesopotamia. This explains the striking similarities in their architecture, traditions and religions, all the more surprising because the countries were far from each other.

Indeed, the inhabitants of both shores of the Atlantic equally worshiped the Sun, and believed in the myth of the global flood, widespread both in Mesopotamia and among the Indian tribes that inhabited the South and North America. It is amazing that the language of the Basques living in northern Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains is completely different from other European languages, but at the same time is very similar to the languages of some Indian tribes. And the ancient pyramids created by our ancestors in Mexico and Egypt have a lot in common.

In addition, in both countries there is a custom of mummifying the dead, moreover, the same objects are placed in their graves. But the main thing is that in places where Mayan burials are located, archaeologists find jewelry made from green jade, the deposits of which simply do not exist in America. Maybe he got there from Atlantis?

According to a legend widespread among the Indians of Peru and Mexico, which tells about the white god Quetzacoatl, he arrived on the mainland on a sailboat from the edge of the early sun - that is, from the east. God taught the Indian tribes construction and crafts, revealed laws and religion to them, and then mysteriously disappeared. The Peruvians, who did not know about the existence of the Aztecs, believed in the same legend, except with one amendment - their god was called Viracocha. Perhaps these people came from Atlantis? It is believed that their images are found on the walls of the cities of Chichen Itza and Tiguanaku.

Scientists include the ruins of ancient Indian cities, the remains of which are located in the Peruvian Andes and the impenetrable jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, as evidence of the existence of Atlantis.

In the fall of 1970, while inspecting the coastal waters of the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean from a seaplane, D. Rebikov, a French archaeologist and aquanaut, noticed strange ruins of some buildings on the ocean floor near the island of North Bimini. Divers who went underwater discovered giant walls more than a hundred meters long. They were made of giant blocks, each of which weighed about 25 tons. Who were they built by? Perhaps Atlanteans? True, it was soon discovered that these “walls” arose as a result of cracking of coastal rocks that sank under water due to gradual sinking to the bottom Bahamas.

They are also looking for Atlantis in the Mediterranean Sea. The most plausible is the opinion of the Russian scientist A.S. Norov, who considered the island of Crete and many small Greek islands to the north of it to be the remnants of a continent that had sunk into oblivion. The famous Soviet geographer L. S. Berg agreed with this opinion. Today, the vast majority of scientists adhere to this theory. This version is supported by recent research in this area and in the Atlantic Ocean.

When studying the area of the supposed death of Atlantis at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, scientists found that the average thickness of sedimentary rocks in this zone is about 4 meters. Moreover, at the current rate of accumulation of such rocks, amounting to 10-15 mm per thousand years, this will require at least 300 thousand years, and certainly not 12 thousand, as claimed by supporters of the Atlantean origin of the mysterious Atlantis.

Moreover, according to evidence oceanographic research Recently, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the result of a geological event, during which the continents of Africa and South America “teared apart” to form. Scientists separately noted the features of the drawing coastlines: the western line of the African continent and the eastern line of the South American continent.

Accordingly, there is simply no room for Atlantis to be located in the Atlantic Ocean. But what then to do with Plato’s message about the location of the disappeared country, supposedly located in front of the Pillars of Hercules, that is, the Strait of Gibraltar? Before Plato, the name “Pillars of Hercules” could have meant a completely different place. Which one? The debate between researchers has not subsided to this day.

Regarding the Mediterranean location of Atlantis, assumed by most scientists, they provide a number of quite significant evidence.

For example, it has been established that on the island of Thira (Santorini), located in the Aegean Sea, about 3.5 thousand years ago there was a volcanic explosion of destructive force, similar to the one that was noted in 1883 on the island of Krakatoa in South-East Asia, among the islands of Indonesia. Apparently, this was the greatest geological disaster in the entire history of our planet.

The force of the explosion of the Santorini volcano was equal to an explosion of about 200 thousand. atomic bombs, identical to those that were dropped on Hiroshima at one time.

Scientist Harun Taziev gives the approximate date of the explosion - 1470 BC and claims that as a result, about 80 billion cubic meters rose into the air. m of crushed rock, and the waves that arose in the process reached 260 m. Danish scientists reasonably believe that the explosion took place in 1645 BC. e., almost 150 years earlier.

Just at that time, the islands located in this part of the Aegean Sea were ruled by the Minoans, who achieved enormous success in science and craftsmanship. As a result of a powerful volcanic explosion, it was established that one of the developed cities on the island of Thira and the center of Minoan civilization, located on Crete - Knossos, perished.

Most of The territory of the state was absorbed by the Aegean Sea. It was probably this event, the echo of which reached Plato through the centuries, and was reflected in his story about the country of the Atlanteans. True, in Plato’s interpretation, the size of the sunken continent is much larger, and the time of the catastrophe has been shifted many thousands of years ago.

In other words, according to fans of this hypothesis, in Plato's descriptions we're talking about just about the state of the Minoans. After all, according to his data, Atlantis was a developed maritime power, and the same could be said about the country of the Minoans, which had an impressive navy. Plato said that on the island of the Atlanteans, fat herds of sacred bulls grazed, of which the Minoans had a lot, and they were also considered sacred. On the seabed near Thira, a ditch was discovered similar to the one with which, according to Plato, the fortress in the capital of Atlantis was protected. Now the island of Thira is a fragment left after the explosion of a giant volcano. The ruins of the Minoan city, excavated in 1967, lay under a thick layer of volcanic ash and, like Pompeii, are perfectly preserved. Archaeologists have found many colored frescoes and even wooden objects here.

In 1976, the famous French scientist and aquanaut Jacques Yves Cousteau at the bottom Aegean Sea Remains of the ancient Minoan civilization were discovered near the island of Crete. According to his calculations, it was destroyed during the devastating eruption of the Santorini volcano that occurred in 1450 BC. e. However, Cousteau always considered Atlantis a beautiful fairy tale by Plato.

The authority of Cousteau's opinion forced many scientists to “return” to the hypothesis of the Atlantean Atlantis. The impetus for this decision was the discovery west of Gibraltar of a group of seamounts with table-like peaks located only 100-200 meters below ocean level. Many scientists consider these mountains to be the remains of a vast archipelago that sank in ancient times.

The photographs taken by a researcher at the Institute of Oceanology of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1973 became a sensation. At that time, he took part in an expedition on the ship "Akademik Kurchatov". Looking at the eight underwater photographs he took, you can see the ruins of a fortress wall and other buildings on top of one of the seamounts.

As a result of those carried out in 1983-1984. research, scientists from the research vessels "Akademik Vernadsky" and "Vityaz" with the help underwater vehicles"Pisis" and "Argus" confirmed that Mount Ampere is dormant volcano, once sank to the ocean floor. Well, the notorious ruins are far from creations human hands, but ordinary natural formations.

This means that the fruitless search for Atlantis in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean only confirms the conclusions of scientists looking for traces of its presence in the Aegean Sea. True, some disagreements arose within their orderly ranks. The reason for this in 1987 was the Russian scientist I. Mashnikov. He logically rethought the works of Plato and put forward a new hypothesis.

First of all, he disputes the time of the destruction of Atlantis, as well as some other data of Plato. For example, the number of Atlantean ground and naval forces. Judging by Plato's words, the Atlanteans had a huge armada - 1200 ships, as well as an army, which, according to experts, amounted to more than a million soldiers. Accordingly, the army of the Greeks that defeated the Atlanteans should have been no less numerous. According to Mashnikov’s quite logical reasoning, during the Ice Age there was simply nowhere for such a huge army to come from, taking into account the fact that at that time the number of inhabitants of the entire planet was no more than 3-4 million people, and at the same time they were at a fairly low level of development.

Accordingly, we are most likely talking about another, much later time. Mashnikov says that ancient people wrote down nine thousand as ten thousand minus a thousand, and, accordingly, nine hundred as a thousand minus one hundred. In the Egyptian number system, a thousand was denoted by the sign "M", and in the ancient Greek system, "M" meant ten thousand. Apparently, Solon simply rewrote Egyptian signs from ancient Egyptian documents, and Plato understood them in ancient Greek. This is how 9000 appeared instead of 900."

If we take into account the fact that Solon “stayed” in Egypt (560 BC) 900 years after the death of Atlantis, the approximate date of the disaster is 1460 BC. e. plus a possible error of 100-150 years.

Scientists, looking for Atlantis in the Atlantic, according to Mashnikov, took a false trail, because they had no doubt that Plato’s Pillars of Hercules, behind which this land was located, was the Strait of Gibraltar. But, under the Pillars of Hercules, apparently, some other place was meant. At the same time, Plato has direct instructions that allow us to determine the location of Atlantis. Plato says that the pillars of Hercules were laid sea border between the country of the Atlanteans and the Athenian state. This means that these pillars could only be located in the Aegean Sea. In another place in his story, Plato directly points out that Athens opposed the state of the Atlanteans, which can be interpreted not only as a war, but also as a geographical one, that is, they were on the other side - on the peninsula of Asia Minor. At this time, the land of the Hittites was there. In addition, according to the author, only here cities were built on a circular plan, creating canals as if outlined by a compass.

But Plato talked about Atlantis as a large island that sank to the bottom of the sea. It can be assumed that part of this state was indeed located on an island, although not as large as Plato claimed. Probably, it was this island, and not the whole country, that perished as a result of a volcanic eruption or earthquake, as a result of which only a chain of islands remained, which is now called the Sporades. It turns out that Atlantis is actually Hettia or its island part. In addition, Plato, when retelling Solon, argued that Atlantis was at war with Athens. And from sources it is known that in the XIV century. BC e. Egypt waged war with Hettia, and after some time Athens entered the war, according to the historian Herodotus, inflicted a heavy defeat on the Hittites and captured 13 of their cities. Subsequently, the Hittite empire collapsed.

According to I. Mashnikov, the war between Hettia and Athens is the key to solving another mystery. Obviously, “Atlanteans” is not a nationality, but a contemptuous name for an enslaved people. The sculpture of the enemy, who became a slave and propped up the cornice, was a symbol of the courage of the victors and the humility of the vanquished. The defeated Hittites were turned into slaves and became Atlanteans, their fallen state began to be called Atlantis." Perhaps these arguments are not far from the truth.

An unusual version of the origin of Atlantis was put forward in 1992 by the German scientist Zangger. Some researchers consider his book about the secrets of Atlantis simply brilliant. According to Zangger, Plato's narrative is a distorted memory of the once fallen Troy. This antique city, which was located near the Dardanelles Strait and was described by Homer in the 12th century. BC e. as having fallen under the onslaught of the Greeks, was considered a myth. But, in 1871, the ruins of Troy were found by the German scientist G. Schliemann. At the same time, Zangger provides quite a lot of significant evidence of this hypothesis, especially if we take into account the coincidences in the descriptions of Homer and Plato of the area in which Troy was located.

But what about the fact that Plato speaks not about the plain, but about the large island? Zangger believes that Solon is to blame for this. When reading the hieroglyphic inscriptions on the pillar when visiting the main temple in the residence Egyptian pharaohs, located in Saisi, he made a mistake. Allegedly, these hieroglyphs denoted a sandy strip or coast. A serious mistake was also made in the designation of the place where Atlantis was located on the other side of the Pillars of Hercules. It is possible that the Dardanelles bore this name.

According to the author of this version, another serious mistake crept into Plato’s story, which was the incorrect determination of the time of the disaster. After all, on the column of an Egyptian temple is written the story that nine thousand years ago the Greeks overthrew a powerful power - Atlantis. This hypothesis also has a weak side - discrepancies, which the author explains by the mistakes of the ancient sages. In addition, the rationale for determining the date of the war is rather unconvincing.

In general, each of the hypotheses has a certain rational grain, and which of them will ultimately turn out to be true, only time will tell. Or a new hypothesis - after all, the mystery of Atlantis has not yet been solved.

The only source of information about Atlantis is the writings of the ancient Greek scientist Plato, who lived in the 4th century BC. e., written in the form of conversation-dialogues. In two such dialogues - “Timaeus” and “Critius” - Plato cites the story of his contemporary, writer and political figure Critias about Atlantis - “a legend, although very strange, but completely reliable”, which Critias heard in childhood from his grandfather, who - from the “wisest of the seven wise” Athenian legislator Solon, and Solon from the Egyptian priests.

Egyptian priests, based on ancient records, said that once in the “Atlantic Sea” (as the ocean was then called) there lay a huge island - “larger than Libya (that is, Africa) and Asia taken together.” On this island “a great and formidable power of kings arose, whose power extended over the entire island and many other islands (...). In addition, they (...) controlled Libya to Egypt and Europe to Tyrrhenia” (as Italy was called at that time). The legend of Atlantis tells that in primordial times, when the gods divided the earth among themselves, this island came into the possession of Poseidon, the god of the seas. Poseidon settled there with ten of his sons, born from the earthly woman Clito. The eldest of them was called Atlas, after his name the island was called Atlantis, and the sea was called Atlantic.

From Atlas came a powerful and noble family of kings of Atlantis. This clan “collected such enormous wealth as had never before been seen in the possession of kings, and it would not be easy to form such a family in the future.”

On the island, earthly fruits grew in abundance, various animals were found - “both tame and wild”, minerals were mined in its depths, including “one rock, which is now known only by name, (...) - the orichalcum breed, extracted from the earth in many places on the island and after gold, which had the greatest value among the people of that time.”

The inhabitants of Atlantis built on their island beautiful cities with fortress walls, temples and palaces, harbors and shipyards were built.

The main city of Atlantis was surrounded by several rows of earthen ramparts and canals - “rings of the sea.” The city walls were covered “like mastic” with copper, tin and orichalcum, “giving off a fiery shine,” and the houses were built of red, white and black stone.

A temple to Poseidon and Clito was erected in the center of the city. The walls of the temple were lined with silver, the roof was covered with gold, and inside “one could see an ivory ceiling, colored with gold, silver and orichalcum. They also erected golden idols inside the temple - a god who, standing in a chariot, ruled six winged horses, and himself, due to his enormous size, touched the ceiling with his crown.”

The Atlanteans conducted brisk trade, the harbors of Atlantis “teemed with ships and merchants from everywhere, who in their mass deafened the area day and night with shouting, knocking and mixed noise.”

Atlantis had a strong army and navy, consisting of one thousand two hundred warships.

The code of laws that Poseidon himself gave to the Atlanteans was inscribed on a high orichalcum pillar installed in the middle of the island. Atlantis was ruled by ten kings - each with their own part of the island. Once every five or six years they gathered in front of this pillar and “consulted about common affairs, or examined whether anyone had committed any offense, and held court.”

The Atlanteans were distinguished by their nobility and exalted way of thinking, “looking at everything except virtue with disdain, they valued little the fact that they had a lot of gold and other acquisitions, they were indifferent to wealth as a burden, and did not fall to the ground in the intoxication of luxury, losing power over oneself."

But time passed - and the Atlanteans changed, they were filled with “the wrong spirit of self-interest and power.” They began to use their knowledge and achievements of their culture for evil. In the end, Zeus became angry with them and “in one day and a disastrous night (...) the island of Atlantis disappeared, plunging into the sea.” According to Plato, this happened in the 10th millennium BC. e. Modern scientists express the opinion that the death of the island was caused by a catastrophe, the cause of which was one of the man-made achievements of the ancient Atlanteans.

Disputes about whether Atlantis really existed or whether Plato invented it began in ancient times. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, a friend and student of Plato, argued that Atlantis was completely fictional (according to legend, it was on this occasion that Aristotle uttered the famous saying: “Plato is my friend, but the truth is dearer”). However, many believed that Atlantis really existed and traces of it could be found.

Over the course of subsequent centuries, interest in Atlantis faded and then awakened again, but never completely disappeared.

It is estimated that to date, about 3,600 scientific works have been written about Atlantis (not to mention numerous works of fiction). Atlantology has become an independent branch of science. Atlantean scientists have made many guesses regarding the location of Atlantis and the reasons for its destruction, and have put forward a hypothesis about the influence of the Atlantean civilization on the development of world civilization.

History of Atlantis: myths, speculations, mysteries and real facts

For more than one generation, researchers have been debating the existence of Atlantis, a powerful ancient state that disappeared from the face of the Earth once and for all. Interest in this topic arose after the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato saw the light of day. It was Plato who first wrote about Atlantis, described the ancient civilization, the strength and power of the Atlanteans. Whether this was a deliberate and skillfully created myth, or whether we are dealing with a description of real facts of the ancient history of human civilization remains a mystery. Neither before nor after it was possible to obtain and find evidence of the existence of the Atlantean state. The mysteries of Atlantis remain unsolved to this day, forcing historians to put forward new hypotheses and researchers to look for the location of the disappeared island-state on the map of the planet.

The Atlantean civilization is a source of controversy

Today, a huge number of works have been written about the disappeared mighty civilization of the ancient world, ranging from poetic essays and literary descriptions to serious scientific treatises. In each individual case, one has to deal with a huge set of assumptions and hypotheses that the ancient world looked different from what the world map looks like today. Another new hypothesis gives rise to a new myth, which instantly acquires new details, assumptions and details. Another thing is the complete lack of facts that can answer the question: whether Atlantis existed in reality or not. This meager research material remains the preserve of science fiction writers and atlantologists. Skeptics believe that the history of Atlantis is an artificially created phenomenon in modern historical science.

The problem of Atlantis must be considered in two aspects: from the point of view of the historical epic, and using a scientific approach. In the first case, you have to deal with evidence and materials, the existence of which is never disputed by anyone. The palm in this area belongs to the works of Plato. The ancient Greek philosopher mentioned the powerful state of antiquity in the dialogues “Critias” and “Timaeus”, which were compiled on the basis of the diaries of another prominent ancient Greek scientist philosopher Solon, who was Plato’s great-grandfather. With the light hand of Plato, the name of the ancient state appeared, and its inhabitants began to be called Atlanteans.

In his notes and books, the ancient philosopher relied on the legend according to which the ancient Greeks fought with the state of the Atlanteans. The confrontation was ended by a grandiose cataclysm that led to the destruction of Atlantis. According to the ancients, it was this catastrophe that led to the island city of Atlantis disappearing from the face of the planet forever. What planetary scale catastrophe led to such consequences is still unknown and unproven. Another question is that in the scientific community there is currently a point of view that 12 thousand years BC. The world really suffered a major catastrophe that changed the geography of the planet.

Plato's dialogue “Timaeus” quite accurately indicates the location of the country of the Atlanteans, and is full of descriptions of the details of the culture and life of the Atlanteans. Thanks to the efforts of the ancient Greek philosopher, the disappeared civilization is being persistently searched for in the Atlantic Ocean. Just one phrase, “opposite the Pillars of Hercules,” recorded by Plato, indicates the location of the legendary country. There is no more accurate data on the location of the mysterious ancient state, so many researchers on this topic believe that Atlantis could have been located in any other part of the ancient world.

The inconsistency of many of the facts set forth in Plato’s works raised a number of questions for subsequent generations. The main secrets of Atlantis are as follows:

Is there a high probability of the existence of an island of such a large size, traces of which are almost completely absent today;
what catastrophe that occurred in ancient times could have led to the instant death of a large state;
could a civilization exist in such ancient times with such a high level of development, which is attributed to the Atlanteans by ancient and modern researchers;
why today there are no real traces from the past indicating the existence of Atlantis;
Are we descendants of the highly developed Atlantean culture?

How did the contemporaries of the ancient Greeks see Atlantis?

By studying Plato's works, we can briefly summarize the information that has reached us. We are dealing with the history of the existence and mystical disappearance of a large archipelago or large island, which was located in the west of the then ancient world. The central city of the superpower was Atlantis, which owes its name to the first king of the state, Atlas. The island location explains the government structure of the empire. Probably Atlantis, like many cities of ancient Greece, was a union of island rulers united under imperial leadership. Perhaps there was a different government system in Atlantis, but in Plato’s dialogues the names of the kings are given, after whom the other islands of the empire were named. Therefore, ancient civilization took the form of a union or confederation.

Another question lies in Plato’s detailed description of the life structure of the mysterious power. All the main buildings and structures of the state are located on the central island. The Acropolis, royal palace and temples are protected by several rows of earthen ramparts and a system of water channels. The interior of the island is connected to the sea by a huge shipping canal, so we can safely say that the power of Atlantis was focused on achieving sea power. Moreover, according to Plato’s version, the Atlanteans worship Poseidon (ancient Greek god, ruler of the seas and oceans - brother of Zeus). In Plato, the temples of the Atlanteans, their architecture and the arrangement of their homes shine with luxury and wealth. Reaching the shores of Atlantis, surrounded on all sides by water, and the path to the island lay only by sea, was not an easy task for sailors of that time.

In his narratives, Plato is very keen on describing the improvement of the Atlantean capital. The most interesting thing in this aspect is that the descriptions of the ancient Greek philosopher strongly resemble the descriptions of other ancient Greek cities found in other ancient sources. The described infrastructure, weapons, ships, religion and lifestyle of the inhabitants of Atlantis look like the height of human perfection and a model of well-being.

This should be the end. Only Plato was able to describe the life and structure of the legendary state so clearly and in detail. There were no other sources that would point to similar facts, no, and perhaps there will not be. Neither the Sumerians nor the ancient Egyptians said anything about a large state in the Western Hemisphere. The ancient ruins of the Indian civilizations of North and South America are silent about interaction with the mysterious and powerful state. Could there have been such a powerful civilization in the central Atlantic many years ago, about which there is still no real evidence?

Secrets of Atlantis: myths and legends versus real facts

Some researchers continue to feed the world illusions that Atlantis really existed. Following the lead of Plato, who pointed out the exact location of the island, researchers in search of Atlantis are checking the territories in the area of the Azores Islands, in the Bahamas. This is facilitated by the consonance of the names of the Atlantic Ocean and the legendary island.

According to one version, Atlantis was located in the Azores region. Studies of the Ampere seamount, located on the way from Europe to America, and the neighboring areas of the Atlantic mid-ridge have not yielded any results. The geological and morphological structure of the seabed does not give reason to believe that a large geological formation existed in this area of the earth's crust in ancient times. Even a gigantic cataclysm that wiped out such a large island or archipelago from the face of the earth would leave behind indisputable evidence. If the island sank as a result of a successive chain of earthquakes and floods, then its remains could still be found today.

Modern scientists do not have information about the major geological and tectonic catastrophe that befell the earth in ancient times. The biblical data about the global flood that befell the Earth and humanity takes us to a completely different era. All information, events and facts that speak in favor of the existence of Atlantis in this part of the globe do not stand up to criticism if we rely on the theory proposed by Plato.

Supporters of another hypothesis, the Mediterranean one, have more compelling evidence in their favor. However, here too there are a number of points that cause controversy. What were the real boundaries of such a powerful union, and where such a large island or small continent could be located. The western border of the world known to people of that time runs along the Pillars of Hercules - now the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic. Why, with such an eventful and crowded environment, did the ancient world not have cartographic data on the location of a large state that influenced the political and economic structure of the world? On maps drawn up by the ancient Greeks, Phoenicians and Egyptians that have survived to this day, known areas are limited to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

In this context, the version about the existence in ancient times of a powerful state competing with the ancient Greek city-polises fits perfectly. The facts of the strongest cataclysm of that time were also noted in ancient sources. Today, volcanologists and oceanologists reasonably consider this version of the death of Atlantis to be quite real. Scientists have found evidence that the Minoan civilization really had enormous military power and had a high level of development, allowing it to confront the Greek states.

Sparta and Athens are located 300-400 kilometers north of the islands of Thira and Crete, which are ideal for the location of the Atlantean state. The explosion of a volcano, which destroyed a mighty power in one night, destroyed the balance in the world that had existed until that moment. The consequences of such a large-scale disaster affected all of Southern Europe, North Africa and the coast of the Middle East.

Versions in favor of another location of the legendary power today have no basis. Researchers are increasingly connecting the existence of Atlantis with Plato's philosophical view of the existing world. This is echoed by other sources in which the land of the Atlanteans is associated with other mythical territories and states that existed in the imagination of the ancient Greeks.

Hyperborea and Atlantis - ancient mythical states

To the question of where to look for Atlantis today, the answer may sound prosaic. You have to look everywhere. It is possible to rely on ancient sources only in cases where the question is raised about the cultural heritage that has come down to our times. In the sense in which we perceive Atlantis today, as an imaginary country and highly developed civilization, the ancient Greeks at one time imagined Hyperborea. This mythical country, located in the far north, a thousand kilometers from the shores of Ancient Greece, was considered by the Greeks to be the habitat of the Hyperboreans, the descendants of the gods. Is this the Atlantis that Plato wanted to tell the world about when writing his treatises?

The legend of Atlantis - a sunken island on which a highly developed civilization once existed, where a strong, enlightened and happy people lived - the Atlanteans - has been exciting humanity for more than two thousand years. The only source of information about Atlantis is the writings of the ancient Greek scientist Plato, who lived in the 4th century BC AD, written in the form of conversation-dialogues. In two such dialogues - “Timaeus” and “Critius” - Plato cites the story of his contemporary, writer and political figure Critias about Atlantis - “a legend, although very strange, but completely reliable”, which Critias heard in childhood from his grandfather, who - from the “wisest of the seven wise men” of the Athenian legislator Solon, and Solon from the Egyptian priests. The Egyptian priests, based on ancient records, said that once in the “Atlantic Sea” (as the ocean was then called) there lay a huge island - “larger than Libya (then there are Africa) and Asia taken together." On this island “a great and formidable power of kings arose, whose power extended over the entire island and many other islands (...). In addition, they (...) ruled Libya as far as Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia" (so at that time called Italy) The legend of Atlantis tells that in the primordial times, when the gods divided the earth among themselves, this island came into the possession of Poseidon, the god of the seas. Poseidon settled his ten sons there, born from the earthly woman Clito.

The eldest of them was called Atlant, after his name the island was called Atlantis, and the sea was called Atlantic. From Atlant came a powerful and noble family of kings of Atlantis. This clan “collected such enormous wealth as had never before been seen in the possession of the kings, and even later it would not be easy to form such a family.” The fruits of the earth grew in abundance on the island, and various animals were found - “both tame and wild,” its raw minerals were mined, including “one rock that is now known only by name, (...) - the orichalcum rock, which was extracted from the ground in many places on the island and, after gold, had the greatest value among the people of that time.” The inhabitants of Atlantis erected on their island there were beautiful cities with fortified walls, temples and palaces, built harbors and shipyards. The main city of Atlantis was surrounded by several rows of earthen ramparts - “rings of the sea”. The city walls were covered, “kakmasti-koi,” with copper, tin and orichalcum, “which gave off a fiery shine,” and the houses were built of red, white and black stone. A temple to Poseidon and Clito was erected in the center of the city. The walls of the temple were lined with silver, the roof was covered with gold, and inside “one could see an ivory ceiling, colored with gold, silver and orichalcum. They also erected golden idols inside the temple - a god who, standing in a chariot, ruled six winged horses, and himself, according to enormity of size, the crown of the ceiling touched." The Atlanteans conducted brisk trade, the harbors of Atlantis "teemed with ships and merchants from everywhere, who in their mass deafened the area day and night with shouting, knocking and mixed noise." Atlantis had a strong army and fleet consisting of a thousand two hundred warships. The code of laws that Poseidon himself gave to the Atlanteans was inscribed on a high orichalcum pillar installed in the middle of the island. Atlantis was ruled by ten kings, each with his own part of the island.

Once every five or six years they gathered in front of this pillar and “consulted about common affairs, or examined whether anyone had committed any offense, and held court.” The Atlanteans were distinguished by their nobility and exalted way of thinking, “looking at everything except virtue with disdain, they valued little the fact that they had a lot of gold and other acquisitions, they were indifferent to wealth as a burden, and did not fall to the ground in the intoxication of luxury, losing power over oneself.” But time passed - and the Atlanteans changed, filled with “the wrong spirit of self-interest and power.” They began to use their knowledge and achievements of their culture for evil. In the end, Zeus became angry with them and “in one day and a disastrous night (...) the island of Atlantis disappeared, plunging into the sea.” According to Plato, this happened in the 10th millennium BC. Modern scientists express the opinion that the death of the island was caused by a catastrophe, the cause of which was one of the man-made achievements of the ancient Atlanteans. Disputes about whether Atlantis really existed or whether Plato invented it began in ancient times. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, a friend and student of Plato, argued that Atlantis was completely fictional (according to legend, it was on this occasion that Aristotle said the famous saying: “Plato is my friend, but the truth is dearer”) Nevertheless, many believed that Atlantis really existed and can find its traces. Interest in Atlantis faded and then arose again over the following centuries, but never disappeared completely. It is estimated that to date about 3,600 scientific works have been written about Atlantis (not to mention numerous works of fiction).