Atlantis is the most famous fictional island in the world, invented by the Greek philosopher Plato 2,300 years ago.
But Spanish researchers say they have found the source of his inspiration: a series of sunken islands off the northwest coast of Africa.
The ancient islands are believed to have been close to the present-day Canary Islands, but sank millions of years ago.
They named the now submerged lands ‘Los Atlantes’, in reference to the myth of Atlantis that still persists today.
Luis Somoza, a marine geologist at the Geological Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), explained Living science:’This could be the origin of the legend of Atlantis.’
The underwater islands, located east of Lanzarote, could have served as inspiration for the myth of Atlantis, experts say
According to a statement, the islands were located east of Lanzarote (shaded in red), which is one of the seven main Canary Islands that lie off the coast of Africa.
Somoza and his colleagues do not specify exactly how Plato, who lived about 2,300 years ago, would have known about the islands’ existence.
The team estimates that Los Atlantes existed as islands during the Eocene period, between 56 and 34 million years ago.
They were located east of Lanzarote, which is one of the seven main Canary Islands that lie off the coast of Africa.
“They were islands in the past and they sank, they are still sinking, as the legend of Atlantis tells,” said Somoza.
“Some of us have been able to see that they still maintain their beaches.”
As part of an exploration project that began on June 27 and ended last week, the team deployed an unmanned submarine.
As part of an exploration project that began on June 27 and ended last week, the team deployed an unmanned submarine
The unmanned submarine investigated the state of the seabed between 330 and 8,200 feet (100 and 2,500 meters) deep.
The unmanned submarine investigated the condition of the seabed between 330 and 8,200 feet (100 and 2,500 meters) deep.
High-resolution cameras, robotic arms to take samples from the seabed and sensors for gases such as CO2 and methane in the water were used.
Today, Los Atlantes is covered in “vast life,” from coral and sponge gardens to areas covered in “bacterial mats,” multilayered sheets of microorganisms, the researchers say.
The islands are situated on a huge “seamount,” an underwater mountain with steep slopes rising from the seafloor and containing three dormant volcanoes.
The seamount is approximately 50 kilometers in diameter, while its base is approximately 2.3 kilometers below the ocean surface.
The islands may have sunk when the volcanoes stopped erupting and the lava solidified and became denser.
It is generally believed that the story about the world of Atlantis was first told 2,300 years ago by the Greek philosopher Plato (pictured).
It is generally believed that the story about the world of Atlantis was first told 2,300 years ago by the Greek philosopher Plato, who invented it, but some fans of the story persist with the idea that it really existed (artist’s impression).
Land sinking to the seabed is not unusual; in fact, Britain is also surrounded by former islands and coastal areas that are now submerged, many of them sunk by extreme weather events.
One of these is Ravenser Odd, a short-lived medieval town on an island in the Humber Estuary, described as “Yorkshire’s Atlantis”.
While there is little doubt that many of them existed according to contemporary records, the same cannot be said of Atlantis.
It is generally believed that the story about the world of Atlantis was first told 2,300 years ago by the Greek philosopher Plato, who invented it, but some fans of the story persist with the idea that it really existed.
One theory about where the lost civilization disappeared to is that it was swallowed by the Bermuda Triangle.
The stretch of Atlantic Ocean, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, became an urban legend after more than 50 ships and 20 planes disappeared in the area.
Another theory was that it was destroyed by a natural disaster such as a massive flood, earthquake, or volcanic eruption.
Another research team recently revealed that they had found the German equivalent of Atlantis: the city of Rungholt, which was sunk by a storm in 1362.