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La fine di Atlantide. Nuova luce su un'antica leggenda
In the fifteenth century BC, a volcanic eruption of exceptional violence occurred on the island of Santorini. Did this mark the destruction of Atlantis, the story of which Plato gave to the world? The Author with scientific help suggests the real truth. It is a double story - of a legend, Atlantis; and of Cataclysm.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 16, 2021
Book exchange at the local cafe near work, which I don't normally visit but the others were closed, and here was a serious look into the lost continent of Atlantis. I wasn't sure what serious meant, but I was prepared for chariots of the gods. It turned out to be far less conspiracist and perhaps more fun as a result.
This was written a while back (1967) so it was nice to find a copy. It reviews the archeology and physical volcanology of the Mediterranean as it was then understood to form a conclusion that the Plato story was true. But not literally so. I have come to have a lot of respect for oral tradition. This book posits that Plato got the story third hand but due to time, cultural differences and the fact the event itself was beyond the understanding of the cultures of the day, it was an embellished and distorted view which ended up in the Greek annals.
Luces reconstruction is convincing, demythologizing the tale and filling in from modern research a plausible explanation. Like a good theory should, it also explains other events, such as in this case the timing of the rise of Greek civilization. Luce is very thorough, to the point of repeating some key points 2-3 times, but it it short enough and dare I say, lucidly written, to be worth the time. Unfortunately, many of the illustrations were not aligned with the text which made them less valuable for reinforcing the various points.
I think this has convinced me of the truth of the Atlantis legend and it will take some convincing to dislodge this idea from my mind. There is plenty out there that is more fantastic than this view, but that's what science fiction is for! Shame about the coffee.
This was written a while back (1967) so it was nice to find a copy. It reviews the archeology and physical volcanology of the Mediterranean as it was then understood to form a conclusion that the Plato story was true. But not literally so. I have come to have a lot of respect for oral tradition. This book posits that Plato got the story third hand but due to time, cultural differences and the fact the event itself was beyond the understanding of the cultures of the day, it was an embellished and distorted view which ended up in the Greek annals.
Luces reconstruction is convincing, demythologizing the tale and filling in from modern research a plausible explanation. Like a good theory should, it also explains other events, such as in this case the timing of the rise of Greek civilization. Luce is very thorough, to the point of repeating some key points 2-3 times, but it it short enough and dare I say, lucidly written, to be worth the time. Unfortunately, many of the illustrations were not aligned with the text which made them less valuable for reinforcing the various points.
I think this has convinced me of the truth of the Atlantis legend and it will take some convincing to dislodge this idea from my mind. There is plenty out there that is more fantastic than this view, but that's what science fiction is for! Shame about the coffee.
December 24, 2020
A really interesting book about how the eruption of Thera in the 15th Century BCE was the basis of the Atlantis legend. Professor Luce brings together details from history, archaeology, geology, sociology, myth and contemporaneous accounts - as well as accounts of similar events throughout history - and creates a convincing package. Fascinating read let down only by my poor knowledge of the period for context.
May 13, 2020
Approfondita ricostruzione storica della Creta Minoica e del mito di Atlantide. Scritto in maniera chiara, molto scorrevole. Rende molto bene l’idea di bellezza e profondità di una delle culture più belle del Mediterraneo. Seppur datato rimane una lettura base per lo studio della civiltà minoica.
October 6, 2020
Autor zabiera nas w podróż po pięknej i unikalnej Krecie Minojskiej.
Od Knossos, przez Malię aż do Fajstos.
Z wisienką na torcie w postaci Thery.
Od Knossos, przez Malię aż do Fajstos.
Z wisienką na torcie w postaci Thery.
October 26, 2023
JV Luce, Classical Scholar is fascinated, as we all should be, by the Plato-inspired legend of Atlantis and its possible origins in the folk memory of Classical Greeks.
Two main pieces of evidence are explored here: firstly the geological evidence for the catastrophic explosion of Thera/Santorini circa 1470BC and the wiping out of the peaceful and elegant Minoan civilisation (thalassocrasy) that immediately ensued. The author discusses the visit of Solon (an ancestor of Plato) to Pharoaic Egypt and his handing down of the tale of a lost civilisation and island somewhere to the west of Egypt. Plato expanded this and - unaware of Minoan Crete or volcanic island destruction - set his sunken island outside the Mediterranean beyond the Pillars of Hercules.
The arguments around the known facts are carefully and persuasively set out and the inevitable gaps are filled in with logical speculation. There’s a lot still to uncover, some of it frustratingly buried beneath 60 metres of volcanic tephra.
We’ll never know precisely the events so long ago but the painstaking piecing together of overwhelming geological and cultural evidence as carefully as the reconstruction of a shattered Minoan ring rhyton gets us as close as possible to the reasons for the destruction of an advanced yet ultimately doomed civilisation. The Egyptians, having no naval history or yearning to explore the “Great Green” must have been terribly puzzled as to why the Minoans stopped calling. Was it something we said?
I suggest also reading Simon Winchester’s account of Krakatoa - Luce devotes a chapter to this catastrophe as well - and I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Thera/Santorini, in particular the wonderful archeological museum in the town as well as the nearby ruins of Minoan Akrotiri and then hopping over to Knossos in Crete in the wake of Theseus and Arthur Evans.
Two main pieces of evidence are explored here: firstly the geological evidence for the catastrophic explosion of Thera/Santorini circa 1470BC and the wiping out of the peaceful and elegant Minoan civilisation (thalassocrasy) that immediately ensued. The author discusses the visit of Solon (an ancestor of Plato) to Pharoaic Egypt and his handing down of the tale of a lost civilisation and island somewhere to the west of Egypt. Plato expanded this and - unaware of Minoan Crete or volcanic island destruction - set his sunken island outside the Mediterranean beyond the Pillars of Hercules.
The arguments around the known facts are carefully and persuasively set out and the inevitable gaps are filled in with logical speculation. There’s a lot still to uncover, some of it frustratingly buried beneath 60 metres of volcanic tephra.
We’ll never know precisely the events so long ago but the painstaking piecing together of overwhelming geological and cultural evidence as carefully as the reconstruction of a shattered Minoan ring rhyton gets us as close as possible to the reasons for the destruction of an advanced yet ultimately doomed civilisation. The Egyptians, having no naval history or yearning to explore the “Great Green” must have been terribly puzzled as to why the Minoans stopped calling. Was it something we said?
I suggest also reading Simon Winchester’s account of Krakatoa - Luce devotes a chapter to this catastrophe as well - and I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Thera/Santorini, in particular the wonderful archeological museum in the town as well as the nearby ruins of Minoan Akrotiri and then hopping over to Knossos in Crete in the wake of Theseus and Arthur Evans.
September 10, 2016
Excelente estudio sobre la Atlántida que recoge la teoría del Profesor Marinatos acerca de que el famoso continente perdido no se habría hundido en el medio del Atlántico como sugiere la tradición, sino que en realidad se trata de Creta, y el pueblo descripto por Platón en su Critias puede identificarse fácilmente como el pueblo minoico. El cataclismo que llevó a su desaparición fue la erupción de un gran volcán en la isla de Tera, de proporciones mayores a la de Krakatoa.
Una teoría que desconocía, y que cierra bastante bien, todo apoyado por las entonces recientes excavaciones que se estaban realizando en Tera y Creta, las cuales el autor comparte en forma de evidencia fotográfica con sustento geológico.
Realmente recomendable para los interesados en la temática
Una teoría que desconocía, y que cierra bastante bien, todo apoyado por las entonces recientes excavaciones que se estaban realizando en Tera y Creta, las cuales el autor comparte en forma de evidencia fotográfica con sustento geológico.
Realmente recomendable para los interesados en la temática
July 1, 2012
The quotations from the ancient Greek source material is interesting, but this book is mostly interested in linking the Minoean (bad spelling I know bleh) civilization to the legend of Atlantis. I quickly got bored with it because I am still uncertain what I am looking for. Most agree they were more advanced, but more advanced how? I am actually more interested in rumors of what we as humanity lost than how they ended. From my limited research.. they seemed to have falled to greed that has plagued the fall of all empires. Who knows? I want to know I suppose. Perhaps I should read up on geomancy and feng shi next. Lol. =)
April 29, 2022
An incredibly interesting theory on the legend of Atlantis that Luce provides a lot of evidence toward, of course it is almost impossible to know whether or not the legend is that of make believe. But if the legend is situated in history, Luce’s theory certainly provides some credence to the myth.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews