Atlantis Discovery: The Lost City Atlantis Found in Spain

iTechWhiz (April 15, 2011)- The World has witnessed the destructive power of tsunami in Indonesia and Japan recently. An American Researchers Team may have finally discovered The Lost City of Atlantis, the legendary metropolis believed swamped by a tsunami thousands of years ago in mud flats near southern Spain.

Wonder or Fantasy of the Ancient World, The lost city of Atlantis was found buried 60 miles inland under marshland on the South Atlantic coast of Spain, the new documentary has claimed.

National Geographic Special features Atlantis Discovery

These findings are the subject of a National Geographic Channel special, "Finding Atlantis," that aired at 8PM ET Today (March 15).

The team of archeologists and geologists, led by Richard Freund, used a combination of radar, digital mapping, and underwater technology to survey an area just north of Cadiz, Spain.

Based upon satellite images, the accounts of Greek philosopher Plato, and the strange discovery of memorial cities — thought to be built in Atlantis’s image — in central Spain have convinced the research team that Atlantis, the ancient, multi-ringed city is buried in the marshlands of Dona Ana Park.

Scientists claim to have pinpointed the exact location of the metropolis under mud flats in southern Spain. The team of archaeologists and geologists are convinced that Atlantis, swamped by a tsunami is submerged just north of Cadiz.

Richard Freund, from University of Hartford, who is leading the research team, told Reuters.

This is the power of tsunamis, It is just so hard to understand that it can wipe out 60 miles inland, and that’s pretty much what we’re talking about. We found something that no one else has ever seen before, which gives it a layer of credibility, especially for archeology, that makes a lot more sense

Team used a satellite photo to solve the age-old mystery of a suspected submerged city. Buried in the vast marshlands of the Dona Ana Park they found a strange series of ‘memorial cities,’ built in Atlantis’ image by the refugees who fled the destructive tsunami. The team of archeologists and geologists in 2009 and 2010 used a combination of deep-ground radar, digital mapping, and underwater technology to survey the site.

Freund’s discovery in central Spain of a strange series of “memorial cities,” built in Atlantis’ image by its refugees after the city’s likely destruction by a tsunami, gave researchers added proof and confidence, he said. Atlantis residents who did not perish in the tsunami fled inland and built new cities there, he added.

Greek philosopher Plato wrote about Atlantis some 2,400 years ago, describing it as “an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Hercules,” as the Straits of Gibraltar were known in antiquity. Using Plato’s detailed account of Atlantis as a map, searches have focused on the Mediterranean and Atlantic as the best possible sites for the city.

Experts plan further excavations at the site where they believe Atlantis is located and at the mysterious “cities” in central Spain 150 miles away to more closely study geological formations and to date artifacts.

Significance of The Ancient Mystery of Atlantis The Lost City

Atlantis has an important role in literature, movies and media. The idea that there was a "Lost" civilization under the sea and the possibility that we lost all kinds of enlightenment and advanced technology as a result.

Debate about whether Atlantis truly existed has lasted for thousands of years. Plato’s “dialogues” from around 360 B.C. are the only known historical sources of information about the iconic city. Plato said the island he called Atlantis “in a single day and night, disappeared into the depths of the sea.”

Role of Google Earth and Google Ocean in Atlantis Discovery

Telegraph newspaper from the UK, had published a Google Ocean (which allows web users to virtually explore the ocean as an extension of Google Earth) based research, which hinted the possible location of Atlantis The Lost City.

The research indicated a near-perfect rectangle on the ocean’s bed can clearly be seen approximately 998 km off the North-West coast of Africa, near the Canary Islands (coordinates: 31 15’15.53N 24 15’30.53W).

View Complete Map

Google Ocean technology work on the bases of sonar data collected from boats. Bathymetric (sea floor terrain) data is frequently collected from boats using sonar to measurements and analyze the ocean bed.

Google Ocean allows users to swim around underwater volcanoes, watch videos about exotic marine life, read about nearby shipwrecks, contribute photos and watch unseen footage of historic ocean expeditions. Google Earth has already been responsible for many important discoveries.