 2400
years ago, the legend of the glorious island of Atlantis (named after
the giant Atlas) which is also known as ‘the eighth continent‘ came
into existence. Throughout that period people have been trying to
solve that riddle repeatedly. Thousands of books have been written on
the topic of Atlantis - and considering the fact that this piece of
land does not even exist, the waves of enthusiasm the phenomenon of
Atlantis has aroused over the centuries become manifest. Od myths keep
on stimulating the inquiring mind in restless people. And prompted by
Homer’s old myths, Schliemann finally discovered the way to Troy. He
found his signpost within the “Iliad“, an epic about the Trojan War.
The very case of Troy and the Old Testament as well perfectly show
that old myths are not fairy tales but written history.
12 000 years ago, according to the Greek philosopher and statesman
Plato in his dialogues “Timaeus“ and “Critias“, Atlantis was situated
to the west of the ‘Pillars of Heracles‘, nowadays known as the
Straits of Gibraltar. Atlantis was provided with a wealth of natural
resources and maintained a high level of prosperity – the state ruled
over half of Europe and it also controlled North Africa. Within one
day and one night, it sank by means of tremendous earthquakes and
tidal waves because people had become corrupt and infamous. But who do
we owe the legend and who introduced it to the world?
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Solon (639-559 BC), an Attic statesman and scholar, started the
historical myth of Atlantis. From 571 to 561 BC, he visited
Egypt and its neighbouring countries. In Saiis, former capital
of Lower Egypt and cultural centre of the ancient world, the
priest and temple recorder Sonchis told Solon about a story of
the sunken empire and continent of Atlantis that was recorded
there. In Athens, authorized persons were told by Solon this
secret knowledge from the temples of Egypt. |
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We owe the story of Atlantis to
the Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) who wrote it down in
his dialogues “Timaeus“ and “Critias“. This report revolves
around a conversation in honour of the Thracian moon goddess
Bendis which was held by Socrates (470-399 BC), Hermocrates,
Timaeus and Critias and which dealt with the subject of Atlantis
as introduced by Solon. Plato added this topic to his work
“Politeia“ which concerns the ideal state. |
The Atlantis report, known as the “Timaeus-Critias Dialogue“,
consists of two parts. The first part, the “Timaeus“, deals with the
early history of Greece and a military conflict with Atlantis. The
second part, the “Critias“, is concerned with a description of
Atlantis. Originally, Plato intended to add a third part but he never
did. This additional material might have helped to shed light on the
phenomenon of Atlantis, for the second part concludes shortöy before
the doom of Atlantis with the following words:
| “(...) Zeus, the god of
gods, who rules according to law, and is able to see into such
things, perceiving that an honourable race was in a woeful
plight, and wanting to inflict punishment on them, that they
might be chastened and improve, collected all the gods into
their most holy habitation, which, being placed in the centre of
the world, beholds all created things. And when he had called
them together, he spake as follows ... ” |
So far, the legend of Atlantis could be claimed a chimera of ingenious
thinkers and philosophers yearning for an ideal state and equating the
tragic end of Atlantis with the moral decay of any civilization.
However, this is too simple a thesis when it comes to puzzles in the
realm of world culture as famous as the one about Atlantis. The first
known person to criticize the myth of Atlantis was Aristotle, Plato‘s
most talented student.
But where did the Egyptians get these reports of Atlantis or an
Atlantean empire from? The origin of the Egyptian culture dates back
to 3500 BC, not 10 000 BC. Could it be that, 2 500 years ago, the
Egyptians still remembered their ancestors who had been the founders
of their advanced civilization? The Egyptian system of myths and gods
highlights the deity Thot (Egyptian: Djehuti) who is said to have
introduced language, script and accounting to mankind. Moreover, he
was in command of foreign people! Were the Egyptian gods nothing else
than the survivors of Atlantis? Was Thot kind of a colonial ruler?
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