Atlantis
The legendary lost civilization described by Plato, said to have sunk into the ocean in a single day and night.
INVESTIGATION OVERVIEW
Atlantis is a legendary lost civilization first described by Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias. Plato claimed Atlantis was a powerful and advanced civilization that existed 9,000 years before his time, located beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Strait of Gibraltar). Despite centuries of searching, no archaeological evidence of Atlantis has been found.
KEY CLAIMS
Atlantis was a real advanced civilization
It was destroyed by a cataclysm around 9,600 BCE
Survivors spread advanced knowledge worldwide
Atlantis was located in the Atlantic Ocean
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Plato's detailed description in Timaeus and Critias
Similar flood myths in many cultures
Underwater structures in various locations
Advanced ancient civilizations did exist
COUNTER ARGUMENTS
Plato likely invented Atlantis as an allegory
No archaeological evidence has been found
The timeline doesn't match known history
Geological evidence doesn't support a sunken continent
TIMELINE
Plato writes about Atlantis
Donnelly's 'Atlantis' published
KEY FIGURES
Plato
Greek philosopher who described Atlantis
SOURCES
RELATED ENTITIES
PEOPLE
Plato
EVENTS
Plato writes about Atlantis
360 BCE
Donnelly's 'Atlantis' published
1882