History

• The history of Atlantis can be traced back, in its entirety, to the writings of Plato. In both Timaeus and Critias, the ancient philosopher makes references to this ancient civilization. By Plato's accounts, Atlantis dates back to about 9600 BC at which time it was a great naval power. The island of Atlantis supposedly sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune" after failing to conquer Athens. According to Greek mythology, the destruction of Atlantis was Zeus's punishment to the civilization for corruption and greed.
  
  

Geography

• For those who believe in the existence of Atlantis, the exact location of this lost civilization is still a mystery. Most speculation places Atlantis around the Mediterranean Sea near the islands of Crete, Santorini, Cyprus or Malta. In the Black Sea, Sinop, Ancomah and Bosporus are all locations that have been suggested. In 2003, the Sea of Azov was considered as a possible location for Atlantis. Through the course of history, it seems that few locations have escaped at least a brief suggestion at being home to this sunken island. Indonesia, Sweden, Ireland, Antarctica, the North Sea and the Caribbean have all been brought up, as well as the Atlantic, the Aegean, the Canary Islands, the tip of Spain and the South China Sea.
  
  

Types

• There are several unique pieces of evidence that have been attributed to the existence of Atlantis. Robert Sarmast undertook an expedition in the Mediterranean and claimed to have found the remains of man-made structures on the sea floor between Cyprus and Syria. Marguis d'Argain, an Egyptologist, found a ring in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt which he believed had origins in Atlantis. The Bimini Road is an underwater formation of stones located near North Bimini Island. This is believed by many to be the remains of an Atlantean wall. In addition to these discoveries, many explorers have uncovered strange crystals which they believe to be artifacts from a highly advanced civilization once known as Atlantis.
  
  

Identification

• One of the most compelling finds in the search for Atlantis is the previously mentioned Bemini road. With few historical accounts to help identify any ruins as those of Atlantis, it is difficult to settle on a definite identification. The Bimini road is made up of what appear to be square cut limestone blocks. The road reaches for approximately half a mile. In a Sci-Fi special which aired in July of 2006, Dr. Greg Little discovered that the Bimini Road also has a second layer of similarly cut rocks. This suggests more of a wall or dock than it does an actual road. While the identity of the civilization that built this structure continues to be up for debate, evidence indicates that this is most likely a man-made structure.
  
  

Theories/Speculation

• Theories about the actual existence of Atlantis fall into roughly three categories. The first theory is simply that Atlantis is pure fiction--merely a myth developed to demonstrate Plato's political views. The second theory is that Atlantis is based on an actual event. The island of Thera was destroyed by a volcanic eruption around 1500 BC, and over half of the island actually sank into the sea. This island is believed to have been part of the Minoan civilization which gives it many striking similarities to the legend of Atlantis. Other events which may have inspired the tale of Atlantis include the Trojan War and the unsuccessful Athenian invasion of Sicily. The remaining theory of Atlantis is that it is in fact an historic account of a lost civilization which has yet to be found.