ANCIENT ESSAY

analyse-the-myth-surrounding-the-geographical-location-of-atlantis5

this assignment was harder than what i expected it to be!!

Oral Presentation

 

Update – first possible location

There have been dozens, if not hundreds of possible locations of Atlantis. Some are reasonable while others are just the ideas of those with a creative mind. Many of the possible sites provide us with some other the characteristics of Atlantis but none have been confirmed. With all the scientists and technology we have in the world, I will use where the information they have gathered to draw out the possible locations of Atlantis by comparing their analysis and results by the description of Plato. The locations I would be looking at include islands around the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus and Malta. It is now a case of myth verses fact.

 

To start things off, I have decided to look into Cyprus as the man who claimed to have found it appears to be absolutely convinced that he has found it. In November 14, 2004, an American architect by the name of Robert Sarmast lead a team of explorers 80km off the south east coast of Cyprus. Going back to Plato’s description, it fits in well with the description as Cyprus is situated in the east of the Mediterranean Sea. Using the sonar technology, the teams of explorers have managed to uncover man made structures on a submerged hill as well as a 3km wall, a wall hilled summit and deep trenches. One of the most astonishing facts about Atlantis was that it sunk slowly. It was as end of a series of disasters which included earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. According to Sarmast, he used this clue to draw out the possible locations and despite everyone searching in the Atlantic Ocean and the islands off it, he states that there are only a few places in the world where a series of disasters could occur and that the Atlantic Ocean just doesn’t meet the criteria. Atlantis also has had a number of characteristics which have been confirmed to only apply to Cyprus. These are elephants and copper. Atlantis was described by Plato as a place which had both elephants and copper.

 

The sonar images that were taken by the team of explorers show the 3km wall where the city’s temples would be located. In addition to these discoveries, Sarmast has also said that 2 streams have been uncovered which flows through the mountain top. According to his evidence, Sarmast has analysed all the possible subjects discovered which were described by Plato. He states that there are 60 specific points which matches Plato’s description and that it can not be coincidence. 

List of websites for first part to question

http://atlantis.haktanir.org/

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/atlantis1.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/ancient/atlantis.html

http://www.allsands.com/history/places/lostcityofatl_arn_gn.htm

http://www.crystalinks.com/atlantislocations.html

http://atlantis.w-smit.com/where.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4011545.stm

http://atlantis.w-smit.com/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0819_040819_atlantis.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/04/070402-egypt-volcano.html

http://www.aquiziam.com/atlantis_city_lost.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html

http://www.atlan.org/articles/true_history/

http://www.geocities.com/ancients_uk/atlantis/plato.htm

http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=28714

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/atlantis_01.shtml

Conclusion to the first part of my assignment

To sum up Plato’s description as well as from those who have written about it as to where the lost city of Atlantis may be found, I have narrowed it down the hot spots as to where we should look if we were to discover the truth about Atlantis. We should look for places where the water is warmer than usual, outside the Pillars of Hercules, volcano activities and lastly anything which is unable to resist earthquakes of a magnitude of 8 or more.

Progress

The mystery of the lost city of Atlantis still puzzles the people of the world of billions. Over the years, many people have claimed to identify and prove the location of Atlantis but to no avail. The man who started this was Plato. He stated that Atlantis was an advanced civilisation some 11600 years ago. According to Plato, Atlantis was surrounded by active volcanoes which sunk during an eruption and disappeared forever.

 

Plato was the one who brought the world the story of Atlantis which began somewhere around 348BC with the story of Atlantis coming from two of his works from two short pieces, Tinaeus and Critias. He stated that his writings were an account of the Utopian society. According to Plato, Atlantis was a large island which was bigger than Libya and Asia combined in the Atlantic Ocean but its power extended beyond the “Pillars of Hercules” into the Mediterranean and into Egypt and possibly Italy.

 

The best place to begin the quest to find the geographical location of Atlantis is to Plato’s description [1]Thereupon one of the (Egyptian) priests, who was of a very great age, said: O Solon, Solon, you Hellenes are never anything but children, and there is not an old man among you. Solon in return asked him what he meant. I mean to say, he replied, that in mind you are all young; there is no old opinion handed down among you by ancient tradition, nor any science which is hoary with age. And I will tell you why. There have been, and will be again, many destructions of mankind arising out of many causes; the greatest have been brought about by the agencies of fire and water, and other lesser ones by innumerable other causes.”

 

Understanding Plato’s description is difficult as it suggests that Atlantis maybe located in the Mediterranean Sea as well as the Atlantic Ocean due to the amount of volcanoes and vast amount of water. Another fact that supports this is the lost city of Santorni was discovered in these locations.

 

[2]Plato, however, was not the only person to write about the lost city of Atlantis. The Aztecs and Mayans have mentioned Atlantis in the “Chilam Balam”, “Dresden Codex” and the “Popul Vuh”. Also, in Europe, Holland, the frysian book which is one of the oldest books ever found described Atlantis. All of the writings all had one thing in common; it described the amount of fire and water that were seen with the eye. The accounts of the 4 descriptions are quite accurate with another and match the accounts of Plato’s description of the location of Atlantis.

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[1] http://www.aquiziam.com/atlantis_city_lost.html

 

[2] http://atlantis.haktanir.org/ch3.html

Progress

The mystery of the lost city of Atlantis still puzzles the minds of millions. There are just 2 possible questions which can be asked when talking about Atlantis. Was it real or just a myth? Before we explore the possibility of the geographical location, we must consider the only primary source which had given us an insight of this Utopian world. This of course is the writing of Plato.

The only way to assess the validity of the lost city of Atlantis is through the writing of Plato. The writings from him can be compared to historical records and scientific evidence.

Assignment

• Topic: Atlantis
• Possible questions: compare and contrast the myths and facts surrounding the geographic location of the island of Atlantis
• Assess the interpretation of Plato’s writing on the myth of Atlantis
• Assess whether ancient egyptian cities leveled by the massive volcanic eruption inspired the legend of Atlantis

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