Steven Armstrong, F.R.C. he concept of Atlantis is one of the variability of sea levels during historical and most powerful and pervasive ideas in pre–historical periods has more then the western psyche. If Atlantis had compensated for this difficulty, and has Tnot existed, we would need to create the Lost produced a myriad of Atlantean theories. Continent, so important is this mythos to us. In an endeavor such as the search for Indeed, in the science fiction universe of Star Atlantis, controversy is inevitable. Research Trek, this is exactly what the government of and methods generally fall into two camps. Earth and the United Federation of Planets Academic mainstream archaeology and its began doing in the mid–twenty–fourth allied sciences tend to be naturally conservative century CE, geo–engineering a new continent 1 in their methodology and claims, and these in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. researchers consider very few sites as serious More recently, on U.S. television’s longest candidates. Indeed, the main–stream view is running science fiction program, Stargate that Plato’s story was a myth, and so it is a SG–1, humanity discovers that Atlantis was minority of orthodox scholars who continue an ancient city capable of interstellar flight, to search for Atlantis today. created by our distant ancestors who then 2 On the other hand, alternate subsequently ascended to the psychic realm. archaeologists and historians are often more Stargate Atlantis In the spin–off program , daring in their theories, challenging standard which began in 2004, an international team paradigms and explanations. At the from Earth re–colonizes the lost city, now in beginning of the twenty–first century, the a distant galaxy, and inherits both the wider availability of technology and the successes and mistakes of “the Ancients,” our 3 spread of information on the Internet have Atlantean forebearers. enabled these researchers to more successfully Both of these very popular programs, as challenge their mainstream colleagues, with well as the myriad of novels and films data and publicity to back up their claims. portraying Atlantis or Atlantean themes, The line of demarcation between mainline demonstrate the immense place the Lost and alternate archaeology still remains, but Continent has in the hearts and minds of the there are increasing signs of crossover theories western world, and arguably in much of our and research. Perhaps these two approaches planet. It should not be surprising that the have always interacted, as the discovery of Search for Atlantis is alive and well at the Troy, the Minoan Civilization, and the Nag dawn of the twenty–first century, with no end Hammadi Library can attest. Dreams and yet in sight. visionary quests can fuel discoveries, and The Modern Quest for Atlantis these may occur when we least expect them. Takes on New Dimensions Rosicrucians have long taught that thought As the plate–tectonic theory of manifests reality, and we may be seeing continental formation and movement became evidence of this in today’s continuing quest more and more accepted during the late to find Atlantis. twentieth century, it became increasingly Modern theories about the location of difficult to maintain the concept of the literal Atlantis fall into several categories, based on sinking of an entire continental body. geography. First, there are several sites in the However, our increased knowledge of the Mediterranean that are considered prime Page 37 possibilities for Atlantis, some of which are mainland, Santorini is a modern vacation spot, of interest to those mainstream archaeologists named for St. Irene by the Romans or Venetians who consider the possibility of a factual in the thirteenth century CE. Its earliest background to Plato’s account. Second, inhabitants were from the Minoan culture in areas in the Atlantic off the coast of North 3000 BCE, followed by a later Dorian Africa and Europe have garnered settlement in the eleventh century BCE.5 considerable attention during the twentieth When the eruption took place circa and early twenty–first centuries. Third, 1630–circa 1500 BCE6, the entire center of many sites around the world have been the island was obliterated, and a tsunami identified, in one way or another, with resulted which struck the northern side of Plato’s Atlantean realm. Finally, at the Crete with devastating force. Together with beginning of the twenty–first century, a new the ash fall, this event took a severe toll on approach altogether has begun to emerge, in the Minoan civilization on Crete. Although a worldwide context. We can look at some this did not destroy the Minoans, it may of the most popular examples of each of have weakened their culture, and thereby these in turn to consider the possibilities for provided the opportunity for the Mycenaeans 4 the ongoing quest for Atlantis. from the Greek mainland to conquer Crete around 1420 BCE.7 Throughout the middle and late twentieth century, noted Greek archaeologist THE MEDITERRANEAN Spyridon Nikolaou Marinatos argued that The search for the location of Atlantis is the Thera eruption, its weakening of Minoan not a favored theme within mainstream culture, and the later defeat of the Minoans at archaeology, since many academic scholars the hands of the Mycenaeans formed the basis consider Plato’s story of Atlantis to be of Plato’s Atlantis Myth.8 allegorical or didactic, rather than historical. The eruption at Thera has also been Nevertheless, in these circles, the possibility is suggested as the basis of the disasters held out that the myth of Atlantis and the described in the Admonitions of Ipuwer from Flood stories may have some basis in a major the Middle Kingdom of Egypt. The cataclysm that took place in the Eastern Admonitions in turn may have influenced the Mediterranean in the distant past. description of the ten plagues of Egypt in the The Thera–Santorini Theory Biblical Exodus account.9 The most popular of these theories The Minoan culture of Crete does have centers on a massive volcanic eruption on many similarities to the traditional Thera in the Santorini group of islands during description of Atlantis, and—although this the Bronze Age, circa 1630–circa 1500 BCE. assumption is currently debated—has usually Lying about 125 miles southeast of the Greek been seen as a primarily peaceful, rather than Rosicrucian Digest No. 2 Fresco discovered at Santorini showing vibrant port life, leading some to 2006 speculate that this is evidence for the Santorini theory of Atlantis Page 38 bellicose, civilization.10 The possibility of OFF THE COAST OF EUROPE AND Minoan human sacrifice has recently been NORTH AFRICA 11 12 raised; however, this claim is disputed. If Outside the Mediterranean, but still near the evidence proves to substantiate human Europe and North Africa, there are multiple sacrifice, this would be an uncanny link to locations suggested today for Atlantis. Among the similar reason put forward for the fall the most popular are the following. of Atlantis in the classic esoteric work, Andalusia in southern Spain, and its lost A Dweller on Two Planets.13 The Thera city of Tartessos have been candidates for theory remains the favorite of those Atlantis since first proposed in 1673. mainstream archaeologists today who take Tartessos was an important trade city until it an interest in the search for Atlantis. suddenly vanished from history in the sixth Other Mediterranean Theories century BCE. Advocates of this theory Although the Thera–Santorini–Minoan suggest that the Tartessians were the Sea thesis is the most popular of the Peoples who attacked many Mediterranean Mediterranean theories about Atlantis, it is cultures during the Bronze Age, giving rise not the only one. Cyprus, Cádiz (Spain), to the story of Atlantis.20 Spartel, a sunken island in the Strait of The islands of Britain and Ireland, and 14 15 Gibraltar, and the island of Sardinia, have the North Sea and Celtic Shelf between all been mentioned, and they are not alone. France and Britain, have also been cited as the 16 Locations in Turkey, including Troy, and location of the Atlantean civilization in several the Middle East are sometimes put forward as scenarios in combination or separately. These 17 well, each with its own proponents and theories take into account several factors. The detractors. Jericho and surrounding territory well–known megalithic culture of the area has also recently been proposed as the origins during the Neolithic Era is a primary 18 of the legend. attraction for researchers. Sea level studies also Malta has also been a very popular indicate that portions of the North Sea and possibility for the Atlantean culture. The the Celtic Bank have been above sea level in connection of Malta and Atlantis is not a new the past. Mont Saint–Michel in Normandy is theory. This was first espoused by the a dramatic example of the effects of rising and reknowned Maltese architect Girogio lowering sea levels. Grongnet de Vassé in 1854. More recently, Further, in the Arthurian legends, the several alternate archaeology researchers on mystical forest of Brocéliande (today known Malta have added to the evidence, arguing for as Paimpont Forest in Brittany) was said to the presence of humans on the island as early connect France and Britain, and is near the as the Paleolithic Era (15,000–18,000 years famous standing stones of Carnac. One ago), rather than the usually accepted 6000 wonders if this could be a memory in the BCE for the first human occupation, and that collective unconsciousness of a time when this culture of builders was destroyed by a flood there was an actual land connection. All in 2200 BCE. Considerable disputes have of these make these locations plausible arisen between mainstream Maltese Atlantean sites.21 archaeology and these theories, and no clear The Canary Islands, an archepelago of end to the controversies is currently in sight.19 Spanish islands located off the coast of Regardless of the outcome of these disputes, Morocco and Western Sahara, contain several Malta’s ancient culture and geographic situation mysteries.