Imagining Atlantis

Nonfiction, History, Greece, Civilization, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Folklore & Mythology
Cover of the book Imagining Atlantis by Richard Ellis, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard Ellis ISBN: 9780307426321
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Publication: January 11, 2012
Imprint: Vintage Language: English
Author: Richard Ellis
ISBN: 9780307426321
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication: January 11, 2012
Imprint: Vintage
Language: English

Ever since Plato created the legend of the lost island of Atlantis, it has maintained a uniquely strong grip on the human imagination. For two and a half millennia, the story of the city and its catastrophic downfall has inspired people--from Francis Bacon to Jules Verne to Jacques Cousteau--to speculate on the island's origins, nature, and location, and sometimes even to search for its physical remains. It has endured as a part of the mythology of many different cultures, yet there is no indisputable evidence, let alone proof, that Atlantis ever existed. What, then, accounts for its seemingly inexhaustible appeal?

Richard Ellis plunges into this rich topic, investigating the roots of the legend and following its various manifestations into the present. He begins with the story's origins. Did it arise from a common prehistorical myth? Was it a historical remnant of a lost city of pre-Columbians or ancient Egyptians? Was Atlantis an extraterrestrial colony? Ellis sifts through the "scientific" evidence marshaled to "prove" these theories, and describes the mystical and spiritual significance that has accrued to them over the centuries. He goes on to explore the possibility that the fable of Atlantis was inspired by a conflation of the high culture of Minoan Crete with the destruction wrought on the Aegean world by the cataclysmic eruption, around 1500 b.c., of the volcanic island of Thera (or Santorini).

A fascinating historical and archaeological detective story, Imagining Atlantis is a valuable addition to the literature on this essential aspect of our mythohistory.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Ever since Plato created the legend of the lost island of Atlantis, it has maintained a uniquely strong grip on the human imagination. For two and a half millennia, the story of the city and its catastrophic downfall has inspired people--from Francis Bacon to Jules Verne to Jacques Cousteau--to speculate on the island's origins, nature, and location, and sometimes even to search for its physical remains. It has endured as a part of the mythology of many different cultures, yet there is no indisputable evidence, let alone proof, that Atlantis ever existed. What, then, accounts for its seemingly inexhaustible appeal?

Richard Ellis plunges into this rich topic, investigating the roots of the legend and following its various manifestations into the present. He begins with the story's origins. Did it arise from a common prehistorical myth? Was it a historical remnant of a lost city of pre-Columbians or ancient Egyptians? Was Atlantis an extraterrestrial colony? Ellis sifts through the "scientific" evidence marshaled to "prove" these theories, and describes the mystical and spiritual significance that has accrued to them over the centuries. He goes on to explore the possibility that the fable of Atlantis was inspired by a conflation of the high culture of Minoan Crete with the destruction wrought on the Aegean world by the cataclysmic eruption, around 1500 b.c., of the volcanic island of Thera (or Santorini).

A fascinating historical and archaeological detective story, Imagining Atlantis is a valuable addition to the literature on this essential aspect of our mythohistory.

More books from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Cover of the book To Skin a Cat by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book The Attack by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Vintage Didion by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Blind Rage by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Last Days of the Civil War by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book The Weaker Vessel by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book A Question of Honor by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book The Hollywood Studios by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book America Reborn by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book The Colors of All the Cattle by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Munich by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book A Beginner's Guide to Japan by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Mildred Pierce by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book The Warlord's Son by Richard Ellis
Cover of the book Iron Curtain by Richard Ellis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy