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Atlantis may just be the greatest mystery in the world. Legend has it that there was an ancient city full of treasures sank to the bottom of the ocean. It has been mentioned in Ancient Greek literature and there are people out there who whole-heartedly believe that Atlantis will be discovered one day. The mystery of this fascinating city may have just been solved.

New Evidence Arises

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Researchers and explorers from all over the world have ventured to find the lost city of Atlantis. These efforts have uncovered some pretty fascinating evidence that the city may have actually existed.


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AdAncient Greek philosopher, Plato, made the first mention of Atlantis in 360 B.C. He writes the story of the beautiful city of Atlantis sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Advanced Technology

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Atlantis was thought to be a utopian and advanced civilization where there was innovative architecture and riches of many kinds. Atlantis was made up of multiple islands. “Now in this island of Atlantis there existed a confederation of kings, of great marvelous power, which held sway over all the island,” Plato wrote.

The Continents

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More than a century after Plato’s writings, people became speculative of Atlantis. Then came along Abraham Ortelius, who discovered that the continents were all connected at one point. “Unless it be a fable, the island of Gadir or Gades [Cadiz] will be the remaining part of Atlantis or America, which was not sunk (as Plate reports in the Timaeus.)” he said.

Ignatius Donnelly

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The myth of Atlantis eventually lost popularity over time. However, Ignatius Donnelly didn’t give up hope. In his book he wrote that he thought Plato was actually describing a natural disaster rather than an actual city.

The Pillars of Hercules

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While Donnelly’s theory may be believable, it was based on his thinking that the Atlantic Ocean was just a few hundred feet deep rather than thousands. He thought that a continent had flood near the Pillars of Hercules, which sits at the entry point of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Donnelly’s Theory

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Unfortunately, Donnelly’s theory was disproven with the advancement of technology and information. The idea of shifting waters is ridiculous now that we know more about tectonic plates.

Helen Blavatsky

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Donnelly’s work influenced Russian mystic, Helen Blavatsky. She believed that the people who made up Atlantis were sophisticated and had a rich culture. She also believed that there were supernatural powers on the island, which led to their downfall.

Blavatsky’s Influence

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Blavatsky wrote down her theories of Atlantis and called it The Secret Doctrine. Years later, this doctrine was used by the German Nazis in their ideology.

Modern Theorists

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More modern theorists shared their ideas of Atlantis. Charles Berlitz wrote multiple books about the lost city and also the paranormal activity.

The Bermuda Theory

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The Bermuda Triangle is known for shipwrecks and planes going down in the area. Berlitz believed that it was here that Atlantis once stood. Along the Bimini Coast, there were man-made walls and structures that helped him prove his point. Unfortunately, they were actually natural formations.

The Antarctica Theory

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American professor, Charles Hapgood, theorized that Atlantis may have been a temperate of Antarctica in his book Earth’s Shifting Crust.

Hapgood’s Theory

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Why did Hapgood think that Antarctica may have been Atlantis? He believes that 12,000 years ago the continent shifted and was once home to an advanced civilization before moving to the bottom of the earth.

The Black Sea Flood

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Another theory states that Atlantis may have been destroyed during the Black Sea Flood. This took place many years ago when the Bosporus Strait flooded into the sea.

History Books

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When looking back at history, there are some vague facts about the city of Atlantis. It’s believed to have been discovered by Ancient Greece and they describe people called the Minoans who lived 2500-1600 B.C. The Minoans were one of the first people to build eccentric buildings in Europe.


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Suddenly, the Minoans vanished as is overnight from the earth. There is a theory that 3500 years ago, seismic tremors hit the island of Santorini, where the Minoans may have lived, and destroyed everything. This sounds a little like Plato’s story.

Angelos Galanopoulos

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Greek archeologist, Angelos Galanopoulos, made this theory in the 1960’s. However, it was dismissed because the dates were off. The location was also off. Plato had described Atlantis near Gibraltar.

The Thera Theory

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Bettany Hughes has another theory that matches Plato’s story closely with a disaster that happened on the island of Thera. “Plato describes the Atlantean buildings as being red, black, and white – as indeed the masonry at Akrotiri strikingly was,” she writes.

South America

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Photograph interpreter, J.M. Allen, believes that Atlantis may have been part of South America. The exact location was Altiplano, near the Bolivian Andes.

Edgar Cayce

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Mystic Edgar Cayce believed that he had psychic powers and could connect with the people of Atlantis. He also claimed that Atlantis would rise in the 1960’s and there was information stored under the Egyptian Sphinx about the city.

Questioning Plato

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When the idea of a continental drift was widely accepted, many Atlantis theorists had to find a new way of thinking. Many questioned Plato’s writings and if he had made Atlantis up. Scholar Julia Annas said, “The idea is that we should use the story to examine our ideas of government and power. We have missed the point if instead of thinking about these issues we go off exploring the seabed.” In other words, it’s simply a story that we should reflect on, not chase after.

Popular Culture

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For thousands of years, the idea of Atlantis has been alive. In modern times, we have appropriated it into our popular culture by making movies about it. Disney’s animated Atlantis: The Lost Empire took its own spin on the myth.

Original Thought or Influenced?

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Plato may not have come up with Atlantis on his own. He may have been influenced by other ideas such as Gyges’ allegories. He may have also been inspired by real-life events during the 4th Century B.C.

The Mayans

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Theorists August Le Plongeon and Charles Etienne Brasseur claim that Atlantis may have been the Aztec or Mayan empires. When the Spanish came to South America, they thought they had found Atlantis.

Fantasy Theory

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Brasseur De Bourbourg thought that the Toltecs, the people that the Mayans came from, may have created Atlantis. However, his idea wasn’t widely accepted and seen as thin due to its fantastical nature.


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In 2015, Michael Hubner claimed that Atlantis may have been in Morocco. He came to this conclusion after looking at places within a 3,000 mile radius from Ancient Greece.

The Algorithm

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Hubner used a scientific algorithm to make the conclusion that Atlantis may have been set in Morocco. After studying Plato’s story and making a list of 51 things the area had to have, he settled on Morocco because it checked off each box.

A New Discovery

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Recently, an island in the Pacific has been discovered and thought to have been home to Atlantis. It is on the island of Pohnpei that researchers discovered ruins and other artifacts.

Advanced Architecture

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What convinced the researchers most that this island could have been Atlantis were the ruins of tidal canal system and walls that appeared to be similar to what Plato wrote about the city.

An Important Discovery

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Whether this island was home to Atlantis or not, it was still a very important discovery in the world of archaeology. Mark McCoy, the leader of the research team, said, “It now looks like Nan Madol represents a first in Pacific Island history. It was the seat of political power, the center of the most important religious rituals, and the place where the former chiefs of the island were laid to rest.”

Investigating the Island

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McCoy and his team members researched and investigated old tombs and graves on the island. “With the results described in our paper, [it] can now be compared to other islands in the Pacific and societies around the world,” McCoy said.

Saudeleur Dynasty

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Up until 1628, the island was home to the Saudeleur people and served as the dynasty’s capitol city. At the time these people lived on the island, their architecture was very advanced.

Could It Still Be Out There?

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Could Atlantis have already been discovered and we just don’t know it yet? Maybe Atlantis has already been found on these quests but nobody can confirm it for sure. While there is evidence that some places could have been Atlantis, we will never be certain if the lost city has ever been found.