People have been
fascinated by Plato's descriptions of Atlantis in the Timeas and the
Critias since they were written. The descriptions are tantalizing
because Plato in the Critias gives a very explicit placement for the
sunken island, including measurements and geological features. Since
there are apparently no sunken islands in the Atlantic outside the
Pillars of Hercules matching Plato's description, many people have
concluded that Plato invented the tale to make a philosophical point.
The fact that no
island can be found has not deterred some Atlantologists. Locations
from Crete to Morocco have been suggested. Each site has it pluses
and minuses. The author does an excellent job of tracking down the
proponents of each site and getting an explanation of why it should
be considered Plato's Atlantis.
In the process of
traveling from Malta to Spain, the US, and many points in between, he
discovers fascinating archaeological investigations. It's clear that
in ancient times the area around the Mediterranean was subjected to
repeated cataclysms from the explosion of Thera to tsunamis ravaging
the coast of Spain. Using ground penetrating radar, archaeologists
have been able to locate some of the ancient cities and map them
using advanced technology.
I loved this book. I
have always been fascinated by archaeology and by the Atlantis story.
This book gives a comprehensive view of what some of the most
well-known people in the Atlantology field think today. My only
disappointment was the ending. I can sympathize with the author. It's
hard to decide which theory to believe, however, I felt that he
tossed out too much evidence to come to his preferred choice.
However, that has nothing to do with the quality of his research.
I highly recommend
this book if you're fascinated by Atlantis and love archaeology.
I reviewed this book
for Dutton.
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