The Theory of Atlantis in Africa: Myths, Mysteries and Lost Maps

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History is full of curious maps that, at different times, suggested unexplored or even legendary lands. The book “The Phantom Atlas” is a collection of these enigmatic cartographic representations, including fictional islands, vanished lands and contours that have baffled explorers for centuries.

Among these mysterious representations, I found an 1803 map made by Bory de St-Vincent, which suggests a possible location of Atlantis near the Sahara Desert. With that in mind, we will delve deeper into this rabbit hole today and talk about several possible locations, especially considering the African continent.

The Classical Theory: Atlantis in the North Atlantic

Atlantis, immortalized in the writings of Plato, continues to be one of humanity's most intriguing mysteries. Was it a lost continent submerged in the ocean? A forgotten civilization? Or just a philosophical myth with allegorical purposes? Several theories have been proposed over the centuries, each of which seeks to connect scattered clues in an attempt to reveal the truth behind the legend.

The most widespread idea about Atlantis is that it was located in the North Atlantic, between Europe, Africa and the Americas. In the 17th century, the Jesuit Athanasius Kircher created one of the most famous maps of Atlantis, positioning it in the middle of the North Atlantic. Kircher based his theory on Plato's descriptions, which stated that the island was "beyond the Pillars of Hercules", which we now identify as the Strait of Gibraltar.

Many esoteric organizations and mystery schools also claim that Atlantis existed in this location. One hypothesis is that this ancient, advanced civilization was destroyed by a cataclysm, as told by Solon, and spread across the continents of today's Americas, Egypt, the Middle East, and even Asia.

Other theorists, such as Ignatius Donnelly in the 19th century and W. Scott-Eliott in the 20th century, reinforced this theory. Donnelly argued that Atlantis was the cradle of civilization and that its sinking occurred due to a natural catastrophe. Scott-Eliott, in turn, incorporated theosophical elements, suggesting that Atlantis was home to a spiritually advanced civilization.

In one of his books, Scott-Eliott presents two maps of ancient Atlantis: one at its peak and the other near its decline, where he pinpoints the location of the main territory in the same place as these older authors. Could this have been a direct influence of the theosophical branch or purely research?

The Theory of Atlantis in Africa or The Eye of the Sahara

One of the most intriguing hypotheses of recent times associates Atlantis with the Eye of the Sahara, the Richat Structure in Mauritania. I personally first saw this theory on the Bright Insight channel years ago and, even though I was skeptical, I found it intriguing. Recently, when I bought the book The Phantom Atlas, I was even more surprised when I saw that this idea is not new: French geologist and explorer Bory de St-Vincent proposed, in his 1803 map, that a part of the legendary Atlantis could be in the northern region of Africa.

The Eye of the Sahara is a concentric ring structure, which is reminiscent of Plato's description of the city of Atlantis, surrounded by rings of land and water. Furthermore, the measurements cited by Plato are quite consistent with the natural structure. Although there is no definitive evidence that it was an ancient submerged civilization, the region shows signs of prehistoric occupation, raising questions about the possibility that legends about a great city originated there.

Herodotus' Map

But going back in time, let's also talk about Herodotus' Map, which was also considered "The Father of History". Dating from the 5th century BC, it does not directly mention the lost continent of Atlantis, but it is one of the first geographical representations to include the term "Atlanteans".

In his accounts of Libya (North Africa), Herodotus describes a people called "Atlanteans" who inhabited a region near Mount Atlas. According to him, the Atlanteans were a peculiar people, living in the desert and avoiding meat consumption, which has led to speculation about their origin and possible connection with later narratives about an advanced and lost civilization.

This mention is significant because it marks one of the first times that the name "Atlanteans" appears in a recorded geographical context. The name of the mythical civilization could, therefore, have roots in the descriptions of the North African peoples, reinforcing the hypothesis that Atlantis may have been based on ancient accounts of real civilizations in antiquity.

George Sarantitis' Plato Project

Another incredible theory I saw recently is the Plato Project presented from George Sarantitis. The researcher proposes that Atlantis was not an island located in the ocean, but rather a vast territory that encompassed all of West Africa. According to his hypothesis, the heart of the Atlantean civilization would be the geological formation known as the Eye of the Sahara (Guelb er Richat), located in present-day Mauritania.

Sarantitis argues that this natural circular structure corresponds to Plato's description of the main city of Atlantis, which had a system of concentric rings of land and water. Furthermore, he suggests that the ancient "island continent" (nesos) described by Plato may have been a reference to West Africa in a period before the desertification of the Sahara, when the region was much more fertile and conducive to the development of an advanced civilization.

The researcher also claims that there are still traces of this ancient civilization along the entire west coast of Africa, predating Egyptian and Greek societies. According to him, archaeological confirmation of such traces could revolutionize the understanding of human prehistory, indicating that a highly developed culture existed in the region thousands of years ago, but was wiped out by extreme climate change. Thus, we could come to the idea that Atlantis was a prosperous African empire, whose disappearance was not caused by a literal sinking, but rather by a gradual process of desertification that transformed the Sahara into the arid desert we know today.

The mysterious map of Dr. Paul Borchardt

Another interesting theory about the location of Atlantis comes from Dr. Paul Borchardt, a German archaeologist and cartographer who would later become involved in espionage activities during World War II. Borchardt based his theory on a careful reading of Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, in which Atlantis is presented as a powerful kingdom that succumbed to imperialist arrogance and was destroyed by natural disasters. Contrary to classical interpretations, Borchardt believed that Atlantis was not in the Atlantic Ocean, but rather on the northern coast of Africa, in the territory of present-day Tunisia.

According to his hypothesis, the Atlantean kingdom was composed of two distinct regions. The first would be the royal city, located on an island within the Schott el Hanceima, a depression that lies below sea level and that, in ancient times, would have been connected to the Mediterranean. The second, the main portion of the island of Atlantis, would be located on the North African coast, in an area that, according to Borchardt, would have been separated from the continent in the past.

For him, Plato's descriptions were not mere allegories, but concrete references to a real civilization that would have thrived in North Africa before being swallowed up by geological changes and floods. This theory reinforces the possibility that Atlantis may have been a highly developed North African empire, whose destruction was the result of natural transformations, and not of sinking into the ocean.

The Theory of Atlantis in Indonesia

I have already mentioned in a content that the Brazilian scientist Prof. Arysio Nunes dos Santos proposed an alternative and quite controversial theory: Atlantis could be located in Southeast Asia, in a region that today is home to Indonesia. According to the professor, the events described by Plato could have occurred during the end of the last Ice Age, when large parts of Southeast Asia were submerged due to the melting of the polar ice caps.

This theory, despite suggesting a very different location from the others, suggests that Atlantis was not a specific island, but a prosperous region that was gradually flooded by rising sea levels. This is a different view from the traditional one, based on extensive research and scientific evidence, and opens up new possibilities for the discussion of disappeared and emerging civilizations throughout Asia and India.

If you haven't seen it, it's worth it. I'll leave the link here for you to delve deeper.

The Mediterranean Atlantis Theory

Some scholars believe that Atlantis may have been a civilization located in the Mediterranean Sea. This hypothesis suggests that Atlantis could have been linked to the island of Santorini, in Greece, or to the Minoan civilization in Crete. Santorini was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, destroying much of the island and possibly giving rise to the myth of a great empire that suddenly disappeared.

I remember this theory well from one of my favorite games as a child: Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. It was there, in Crete, that the great mythical city was hidden at the bottom of the sea. But, despite inspiring me a lot at the time and to this day, it is just a captivating story from a computer game.

The Minoan civilization had an advanced system of architecture and social organization, which could have inspired Plato's descriptions. However, the Mediterranean location conflicts with the indication that Atlantis was "beyond the Pillars of Hercules" which is speculated to be located in the Strait of Gibraltar. A series of counter-evidences and even lack of evidence in such an easily accessible and well-known location also put to the test the theory that Atlantis was right next to Plato himself.

So? What is true and what is myth?

Once again, my goal here is not to convince or say what is right or wrong. My goal is to explore, learn and test theories, facts and real observations through travels, books and reports. It is up to you to study and build your own hypothesis based on what you believe and common sense.

I have been studying Atlantis for years and have been to various parts of the Mediterranean, Asia and even the Americas in search of fragments of this legend. This is the power of exploration: driving evolution through curiosity and science, without denying or affirming, but simply experimenting.

So, what is your theory? Remember that the truth is out there. Cheers! Until next time.