Where Was Atlantis Located?
Plato introduced Atlantis in his dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias" as a powerful and technologically advanced island that fell out of favor with the gods and was swallowed by the ocean. But the question remains: Where was Atlantis located? Over the centuries, this mystery has sparked countless theories, each proposing a different location for the lost city.
The Theories on Atlantis's Location
The Azores - The Most Likely Location
The most traditional interpretation of Plato's description places Atlantis in the Atlantic Ocean, just beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the ancient term for the Strait of Gibraltar. This suggests Atlantis was somewhere between Europe and the Americas, submerged beneath what is now the Atlantic Ocean. The Azores are an island chain located in the North Atlantic that are located approximately 1,525 km, or 947 miles, from mainland Portugal. Evidence of Atlantis in the Azores is plentiful.
Along with the Azores’ location, there are also red, white, and black rocks found all over the islands, which is what Atlantis was said to have had in Critias. In the aforementioned work of literature, it states this:
“To his twin brother, who was born after him, and obtained as his lot the extremity of the island towards the Pillars of Heracles, facing the country which is now called the region of Gades in that part of the world, he gave the name which in the Hellenic language is Eumelus, in the language of the country which is named after him, Gadeirus”
Gades is now called “Cádiz”, and sits on the Southwestern corner of Spain, outside the Pillars of Heracles. This means that the closest side of Atlantis was nearest to this point. The Azores are the closest set of landmasses above water to Gades, so it is a reasonable statement to say that this is where at least part of Atlantis was located.
While there are not many structures in the Azores that one could say is definitively Atlantean, there is an image from a Portuguese news-station that shows a sonar image taken by fishermen off the coast of Sao Miguel, the largest island in the Azores, of a pyramid that is on the seafloor. According to the report made by Portuguese “authorities”, the image was generated via a malfunction of their sonar equipment and they essentially closed down all investigation. This should lead us to question these “authorities” and their conclusion.
Possible image of a Pyramid in the Azores
This is sonar Image of a pyramid off the coast of Sao Miguel in the Azores taken by fishermen.
In the Mediterranean - A Misreading of Timaeus
Another popular theory suggests that Atlantis was located in the Mediterranean Sea, with some speculating that the island of Santorini, part of the Cyclades islands in Greece, was once Atlantis. The massive volcanic eruption in the 16th century BCE has been used to explain the sudden destruction of Atlantis, though this theory does not place Atlantis outside the Mediterranean, which is what Plato described.
“…the island was larger than Libya and Asia put together, and was the way to other islands, and from these you might pass to the whole of the opposite continent which surrounded the true ocean; for this sea which is within the Straits of Heracles is only a harbour, having a narrow entrance, but that other is a real sea, and the surrounding land may be most truly called a boundless continent.” - Plato, “Timaeus”.
The Sahara Desert - The “Popular” Theory
The Richat Structure, also known as the Eye of the Sahara in Mauritania, has gained attention as a possible location of Atlantis. Proponents of this theory argue that the concentric circles of this geological formation match Plato's description of Atlantis's capital city. They suggest that the Sahara was once fertile and home to an advanced civilization that could have been Atlantis. According to Plato’s description in Timaeus, however, it is highly unlikely that Atlantis was located in Africa in any way. Atlantis was said to have been larger than Libya and Asia combined, which are of course Greek names for North Africa (to the West of the Nile) and the Persian empire (up to India) respectively. That means that Atlantis was much larger than North Africa as known by the Egyptians and the Greeks, so it doesn’t fit the bill if we try to place Atlantis in North Africa.
“…This power came forth out of the Atlantic Ocean, for in those days the Atlantic was navigable; and there was an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Heracles; the island was larger than Libya and Asia put together, and was the way to other islands, and from these you might pass to the whole of the opposite continent which surrounded the true ocean; for this sea which is within the Straits of Heracles is only a harbour, having a narrow entrance, but that other is a real sea, and the surrounding land may be most truly called a boundless continent.” - Plato, “Timaeus”.
According to the words of the source text, Timaeus, Atlantis could not possibly be in North Africa because it was larger than much of it.
Antarctica - Possible location of an Atlantean colony?
Some theories propose that Antarctica was once Atlantis, positing that the continent was not always covered in ice and could have supported an advanced civilization. This hypothesis is bolstered by Earth's crust displacement theories, suggesting that Antarctica might have been located further north in the past. Whether or not some people believe Atlantis was located in Antarctica, it is highly likely that it was home to some form of civilization before 9,600 BCE, which is the date given for the destruction of Atlantis.
The Caribbean - A fabled Area
The Caribbean has also been suggested as a potential location for Atlantis, with underwater formations near Cuba and the Bahamas often cited as evidence. One of these formations is now colloquially known as the “Bimini Road”, which is a series of Limestone slabs that extend for half of a mile on the Northeast-Southwest axis on the seafloor. Another underwater site in the Caribbean is off the Guanahacabibes peninsula of Cuba, about 2000 ft. down on the seafloor. This site is reminiscent of many so called “Maya” sites that are located in the Yucatan peninsula and elsewhere in Mesoamerica. The most compelling evidence, however, is a series of ruins located in the Bahamas that have not been widely publicized, and that are not part of the fabled “Bimini Road”. They were discovered by a Dr. Greg Little and are off the coast of Andros Island.
Ruins as found by Dr. Greg Little
These images were taken off of a video on Youtube that is no longer up. Why it is no longer up is up for debate but it is possible that some nasty players got wind of it and wanted it silenced.
The Search Continues
Despite the numerous theories and explorations, some definitive evidence has been found to confirm the location of Atlantis. The quest to find Atlantis continues to inspire archaeological digs, underwater explorations, and scholarly debates, keeping the legend alive in the modern imagination.
In eventuality, if the world does not change within a reasonable timeframe to accept the reality of Atlantis and the various other spiritual, metaphysical, and paranormal aspects of this topic, then I will personally lead expeditions to gather more definitive evidence of Atlantis. Thankfully, due to the evidence found around the world, and especially in the places I have highlighted, we have a very good idea of where to look for more evidence.
