Introduction

On a normal day while browsing a second-hand bookstore, I came across an intriguing book: The book’s title is “La Perdida Lemuria” (The Lost Lemuria), by W. Scott-Elliot. Inside, two ancient maps immediately captured my attention. Every detail of this 1911 book seemed to have a secret waiting to be unraveled. This unexpected encounter awakened in me an irresistible curiosity about the mysterious Lemuria, an alleged lost continent that defies the limits of history, mythology and spirituality. Could it be possible that these ancient maps could hold real clues to a world that was lost to time?

The journey to understand Lemuria is an intellectual and imaginative adventure. Behind the legends and maps, we find narratives that blend science, mysticism and the human desire to understand the inexplicable. In this content, I invite you to explore what I discovered about Lemuria and to reflect on what it can teach us about our own journey as a civilization.

So, with a mysterious book in hand and maps that evoke lost lands, we will embark on an investigation into what is reality, what is myth and certainly a lot of inspiration.

What is Lemuria?

Lemuria is one of the great enigmas of humanity. It was initially proposed in the 19th century as a scientific explanation for the distribution of certain animal species, such as lemurs. The idea was so strange that it soon transcended biology. Just so you understand, scientists suggested that a vast continent could have existed in the Indian Ocean, connecting areas such as India, Madagascar and Australia. Although the theory was gradually forgotten, the notion of a lost land remained alive in the collective imagination.

Credit: Ernst Haeckel: The History of Creation (1876), revised translation by E. Ray Lancaster / Public domain

The Theosophical Society was one of the main people responsible for transforming Lemuria from a scientific hypothesis into a spiritual myth. Helena Blavatsky, one of the founders of the movement, described the Lemurians as spiritually advanced beings who inhabited the planet long before known civilizations. Her narratives paved the way for other writers, such as W. Scott Eliott, to expand the legend.

In his book "La Perdida Lemuria", Elliot described a civilization full of mysteries and extraordinary powers, but which ended up being destroyed by cataclysms. Any similarity with Atlantis is not a mere coincidence. His work presents a detailed portrait of how these ancient inhabitants were, lived and related to the world. Here is a description of a Lemurian, according to Elliot.

We will take as a descriptive model the men of one of the last sub-races, probably the fifth. They were of gigantic stature (from 3.70m to 4.60m), with very dark yellowish skin, an elongated lower jaw, a flat face, small eyes so far apart that they saw the same thing from the front as from the side, while the third eye, open on the top of the head, where, as is natural, no hair grew, also enabled them to see in that direction. In place of a forehead they had a strip of flesh, and the head curved forward in a strange manner. The arms and legs, especially the latter, were proportionally longer than ours and could not be bent at right angles at the elbow or knee. The hands and feet were enormous, and the heels extended far back. They carried their faces covered with loose skin, something similar to that of a rhinoceros, but more scaly, which would undoubtedly belong to some animal that is now a fossil.
- The Lost Lemuria

Who was W. Scott-Elliot after all?

William Scott-Elliot (1849–1919) was a British author and theosophist known for his writings on lost continents, such as Atlantis and Lemuria. He was a member of the Theosophical Society, a spiritual organization founded by Helena Blavatsky that combined Eastern philosophy and Western esotericism. Scott-Elliot was not an academic researcher in the traditional sense, but based his work on "revelations" and what he believed to be historical records obtained through psychic means. His best-known books are The Story of Atlantis (1896) and The Lost Lemuria (1904), which were later published together. In them, Scott-Elliot describes in detail the civilizations that supposedly inhabited these continents. These descriptions were heavily influenced by Theosophical teachings and by information transmitted by figures in the Theosophical Society who claimed to have clairvoyant abilities. Although his ideas have been largely discredited by modern science, Scott-Elliot's works helped to popularize the myths of Atlantis and Lemuria, inspiring other writers and mystics throughout the 20th century.

The Maps and the Book

These two ancient and extremely rare maps that I found alongside the book "La Perdida Lemuria" brought a visual dimension to the stories that Eliott tells. One of them shows what appeared to be a vast sunken continent occupying part of the Ocean around the entire world. The other, very similar, seems to illustrate Lemuria in its entirety according to the author himself. Are these maps simply artistic representations, or do they hide something more within them?

Map of Lemuria at its Greatest Extent and in its Last Moments - W. Scott-Elliot

Elliot's book, in turn, is a treasure trove for seekers, curious people and lovers of mysticism. In it, we find a rich description of how the Lemurians would have lived, from their social structures to their spiritual advancements. The stories of the destruction of the continent due to enormous cataclysms echo similar narratives about Atlantis and other lost continents. But the book also presents a challenge: distinguishing where history ends and legend begins.

By connecting the details of the maps with the descriptions in the book, a narrative emerges that transports us to a world of possibilities. These objects may not be just collectibles, but doors to an alternative past or, perhaps, to a purely symbolic space where myth and meaning meet. Throughout my travels around the world, I have been able to see many similar stories in Peru, the Mediterranean and even in some parts of Asia, in Indonesia.

Helena Blavatsky and Spiritual Lemuria

Now I will enter a rather fantastic terrain that is Spiritual Lemuria and no longer geographical. According to Madame Helena Blavatsky, Lemuria is one of the lost continents that are part of the esoteric tradition developed in Theosophy. Blavatsky addresses the subject especially in her book "The Secret Doctrine", where she describes Lemuria as the home of what is called the third root race of humanity, prior to Atlantis.

The Lemurians, according to Blavatsky, were beings very different from current humanity. They were not completely physical like us. Initially, they were ethereal, almost translucent, but, throughout their evolution, they began to materialize. They had gigantic and imposing bodies, several meters tall, but they were not refined like modern human beings.

The Lemurians had a more intimate connection with the spiritual planes. Their spirituality was not based on organized religions, but on a perception and direct connection with universal forces. According to Blavatsky, the Lemurians lived in harmony with the energies of nature and had a sense of cosmic unity.

Blavatsky claims that Lemuria was eventually destroyed by a series of natural cataclysms, including earthquakes and massive volcanic eruptions. This happened because the Earth was in a process of transformation, and humanity needed to evolve into a more materialized and intellectual state, which occurred with the Atlantean race.

Connections and Controversies

The idea of a lost continent has always aroused fascination, but also controversy. Modern science explains the distribution of species through plate tectonics and rejects the idea of a continent like Lemuria. However, the concept has continued to thrive in the field of mysticism, in the oral traditions of peoples and in popular culture.

Legends of lost continents are not exclusive to Lemuria. Atlantis, Mu and Kumari Kandam, for example, are myths that echo the same human desire to find a missing link with the past. In the case of Lemuria, there is also a connection to narratives of spiritual ascension, suggesting that these ancient peoples reached a level of consciousness that we still seek to understand.

When investigating the myth of Lemuria, it is inevitable to think of other places that challenge our understanding of history, such as the sunken city of Dwarka in India. Dwarka, mentioned in ancient texts such as the Mahabharata, was long considered just a legend until underwater excavations revealed incredible structures off the coast of India. Like Lemuria, Dwarka raises questions about what is myth and what is history. The similarities between these narratives invite us to reconsider the possibility that legends of lost continents or cities may contain a kernel of truth, still waiting to be unraveled.

Dwarka, continental and non-submerged part.

Elliot’s work and the maps also raise questions about the boundary between knowledge and imagination. To what extent are these stories an attempt to explore the unknown, and to what extent do they become mere projections of our collective longings and fears? This is an essential reflection when approaching Lemuria as a myth.

Conclusion

As I leafed through the pages of “La Perdida Lemuria” and observed the enigmatic details of the maps, I was struck by the idea that the search for Lemuria is more than an archaeological or geographical exploration. It is an invitation to an inner journey and to reflect on the past, the mysteries and the future of humanity.

After all, Lemuria can be both a myth and a collective memory. It can even be a reminder of times when our ancestors sought to understand their place in the universe, or a symbol of what we long to be. And so, with each discovery, whether of a map or a book, we continue this eternal search for meaning and connection.

I hope that with this book we can look at Lemuria not only as a lost continent, but as an inspiration to find ourselves in the middle of the vast ocean of our own existence. After all, the truth is out there! See you next time!

The Lost Lemuria by W. Scott-Elliot - Fact or Fiction?