Did Atlantis have a greater influence on our thought and knowledge today as
we assume? This question is subject to speculations. But one thing is for
sure: many myths, legends, cults, languages and buildings on our planet bear
too much resemblance to each other to be a result of mere chance. Were the
people of former cultures in contact with each other? Or did a few thousand
people flee from a particular place on this earth and thereby introduced
their knowledge to the circle of history?
In
Central America, Europe and North Africa, the sun cult of antiquity was a
widespread believe. But why did the people of this geographic triangle
have the same cult? Will we find the answer in the centre of this triangle
– in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean where Atlantis was once located?
Like a magic bond, the enormous pyramids
of the world, oldest testimony of mankind, are lined up following the 30th
degree of latitude. According to Plato, Atlantis was also situated there.
Is this the origin of the pyramids?
It was before ca. 3500 BC that the Maya,
Chaldeans and Egyptians launched their calendar systems. Mere chance? Or
did these two cultures thereby intend to introduce a new era that was
supposed to commence in a new world after the doom of Atlantis? If so,
remember that Atlantis did
not sink 12 000 but 5 500 years ago.
In order to have Atlantis be the cradle of mankind some daring and
fantastic theories need to be adduced:
Despite these daredevil assumptions we will never really know whether
Atlantis was just an ideal state in Plato’s imagination, for Plato was both
a philosopher and a politician. Nonetheless, I would like to offer a short
synopsis of history in order to enable the reader to picture for himself
what happened at that time, dating back to 3000 BC.
50 000 BC Earlier Palaeolithic Age
The Würm Ice Age has its heyday, the climatic
conditions are misanthropic. Early groups of Homo sapiens (Cro Magnon,
Grimaldi, Chancelade, Oberkassel, Predmost, Lautsch, Brünn). Cave painting
is at its height. Homo sapiens proceeds north starting in the Near East.
Around 30 000 BC, settlement of America via the Behring Sea. Around 12 000
BC, cave painting in Brasilia.
Religion:
Magic rituals in the field of hunting,
magic, believe in a fertility goddess (Magna Mater). First funerals with
burial objects. Magicians are important (according to cave illustrations).
Development of art (sculptures of bones and ivory, some of them engraved)
out of magic hunt rituals.
Economy:
Tools like hand-axes, blades, points and
gimlets are made of stone and bones. People at that time are hunters and
collectors, they live in hordes and occupy huts, caves and tents.
10 000 BC Mesolithic Age
First stages of culture in Mesopotamia (Natufian
and Jericho culture), Egypt and South Europe. Around 8000 BC also in Central
Europe. Settlement in Europe mostly concerns coastal areas but also streams,
rivers and lakes. Living conditions are improved due to a climatic change
after the Ice Age. Spread of oak, birch and willow in the woods. Beginning
of settledness of people in America. Domestication of dogs in America and
Europe.
Religion:
Transition from the religion of the
Palaeolithic Age to the religion of the Mesolithic Age.
Economy:
People at that time are predominantly
hunters, fishermen and collectors. Due to food shortage they form only
small groups and often change their whereabouts. Beginning of flint
knapping (microliths – small points and blades), invention of flint-made
axe and sickle. Trade and commerce flourish due to fixed reserves, first
appearance of boats and skid sledges. Domestication of dogs and some
species of plants. At the end of the Mesolithic Age beginning of farming
and pottery. First brick buildings in Jericho.
5000 BC Neolithic Age
The megalith culture covers the western part
of Europe and is strongly influenced by the North African culture.
Characteristic of the megalith culture are domed tombs, stone alleys and
stone circles as for example in Stonehenge. Later, the Bell Breaker culture
spreads from Spain to both Western and Central Europe. First stages of
cultures that can be regarded as High Cultures appear in Asia Minor. The
Funnel Beaker culture emerges in North Europe, its origin is unknown. It is
assumed that the culture originates from the east. General cultures in the
European and Asian area with farming and pottery as common practice. Farming
finally became established in both Central and South America.
Religion:
Ancestor worship, fertility cult and
worshipping of thunder gods. Later, priesthood emerges and gains ground.
Kings are worshipped as gods, emergence of general gods embodying the sun,
moon, sea or earth.
Economy:
Farming and stock breeding become an
important part of everyday life. Invention of artificial irrigation.
Division of labour facilitates social life. Both commodities and trading
channels become expanded.
3000 BC (beginning of today’s historiography)
Inundations or some global catastrophes affect the Near East. Even the
Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh include information on that topic.
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