Was Atlantis a Minoan Civilization on Santorini Island?
Was Atlantis a Minoan Civilization on Santorini Island?
cross-posted from: https://derp.foo/post/376767
One of the most striking parts of the story of Atlantis is the fact that it was supposed to have disappeared into the sea. Plato wrote:
“There occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night… the island of Atlantis… disappeared into the depths of the sea.”
This description is easily explained by identifying Atlantis with the Minoan civilization on Santorini. In the 16th century BC (some outdated sources say 17th century BC), this volcanic island erupted. It was possibly the largest eruption in all of human history. It was so large that it literally blasted huge chunks of the island out into the sea.
But perhaps most significant was the fact that the eruption emptied the magma chamber beneath the island. This caused large sections of the island to literally collapse ‘into the depths of the sea’.
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Betteridges law of headlines applies.
It's not a controversial idea and fits a lot of the details - it's either this or it's Doggerland or he made shit up.
Santorini is the most realistic option. The hypothesis goes that records of the real event were probably lost during the Greek dark age, but it remained as a cultural memory in the form of Atlantis. Doggerland is extremely unlikely considering its antiquity and location.
For context, the Santorii eruption happened in the 16th century BCE, so Plato was writing about it over 1000 years after it happened.
I'll take "made shit up".
Edit - apologies, came here from the front page without really noticing what community I was in. Sorry for the brutal skeptism, it is a lovely idea.
Edit - apologies, came here from the front page without really noticing what community I was in. Sorry for the brutal skeptism, it is a lovely idea.
It's a broad church - British Foreteans tend to take their lead from the Fortean Times which runs the gamut from believer to skeptic with a whole bunch of amused intrigue and a raised eyebrows or three in between. It has tended away from the more... woo end of the spectrum but the important thing is to get the ideas out there and kick them around a bit.
The idea of Santorini as Atlantis is a decent theory that has spawned a few documentaries (although it's probably easier to get a documentary on Santorini's eruption commissioned if you throw the A Word in there, which could skew things) and it does explain quite a few features better than other ideas like Doggerland (and I may have read the Carribbean has been suggested) but it doesn't explain some key features, like it being beyond the Pillars of Hercules.
Ultimately, I am never sure what to do with it - it's plausible but without a time machine... 🤷