Atlantis: Similarities between Plato’s beliefs, and today’s facts

Thera and Atlantis both experienced severe earthquakes and a volcanic eruption(s) so huge that only 5 islets, some no more than rocks, remain of Thera, and of Atlantis remained “small islets, only the bones of a wasted body”. See above map. Both were wealthy, highly developed cultures, concerned with art, beauty, entertainment and personal comforts and adornments.

Plato spoke of bulls hunted with ropes within a temple in Atlantis. Archaeological evidence has shown the Minoans built bull rings, hunting the animals with nooses, (the only example of this kind of “bullfight” in world history) and practiced “bull jumping”, either a sport or religious ritual. These practices gave rise to the legend (?) of the Minotaur, half man, half bull, secured within the labyrinth.

Atlantis was said to be situated near a gateway of rock; namely, the Pillars of Hercules. Though the Straight of Gibraltar had this name, there was a different location called The Pillars of Hercules, located in the Cyclades.

Atlantis was a powerful thalassocracy, and ruled areas “larger than Asia and Libya”, with “the docks full of tiremes (a kind of ship) and naval stores…the largest of harbors were full of vessels and merchants coming from all parts.” The Minoan area of sea control and economic influence included all of North Africa, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Their fleet was unsurpassed in its size. Remember the ships? Since all the countries in these areas were not even aware of each other’s existence, certainly strange and exaggerated tales could have begun to circulate about the size, scope and wonders of the Minoan civilization.

Plato described Atlantis as alternating rings of sea and land, with a palace in the center “bull’s eye”. Interestingly, the remnants of post eruption Thera are circular around a deep, wide lagoon, with another small island located in the center of the lagoon. Perhaps Egyptians or other ancient travelers visited Thera long after the volcanic destruction occurred, misinterpreted the geographical remains of the island, and began the legend of the rings of Atlantis. Looking 70 miles south to crescent shaped Crete, the ancient traveler could have easily assumed the ring system of Atlantis reached as far.

Plato speaks of the stone quarried from under Atlantis; “one kind of stone was white, another black, and a third red”. The first sight of Thera that modern day tourists see is the sheer cliffs remaining when the rest of the island dropped into the sea, and these cliffs are a breathtaking mix of white, black and red stone. A unique sight in the Aegean world.

Archaeologists have found an extensive and sophisticated system of sewers, drainage, drinking and bath water pipes in Crete and Thera. Private homes had flush toilets and bathtubs. It appears Minoans heated their houses and had hot and cold running water from hydrothermal vents. Plato describes the “bringing up (of) two springs of water from beneath the earth… fountains, one of cold and another of hot water…there were the king’s baths and also the baths of private persons.”

Some may argue the fact of Plato saying that this civilization was destroyed “9000″ years ago, and the actual date from Plato’s time being closer to “900″ years ago. The reason is this:
The symbols for “900″ and “9000″ were simply written incorrectly after being copied time and time again.