The existence of Atlantis has not yet been proven. However, we have the odd testimony described in texts by Plato and in the well-known dialogues of Timaeus and Critias. But, is there concrete evidence about the existence or not of this lost continent?
At the moment we do not yet have conclusive evidence. We are told that Atlantis had a vast territory with a great naval force. That it very possibly rose in front of the Pillars of Hercules (the Strait of Gibraltar) and that it was inhabited by an almost “ideal” society.
They had great natural resources, a varied fauna where, for example, elephants were not lacking. There is also talk of a mountain surrounded by water, of a very distinguished acropolis with a royal palace and of a temple in honor of Poseidon, that god who protected them for a long time.
Until one day, the Atlanteans became too proud and lost the favor of their deity. Timaeus tells us, among other things, that they came to dominate the existing territories from Libya to Egypt, until at the end a violent earthquake made that prosperous country disappear in the absolute silence of the waters.
But do we have feasible evidence to show us the veracity of all this? Today we offer you the latest data available.
The original metal of Atlantis: the Orichalcum
The news appeared in various international media, such as the “Daily Mail”. In these media we are told of a hopeful discovery, made by a group of archaeologists from an Italian university, the “Suor Orsola Benincasa”
And what is this finding about? It was off the coast of Sicily, in a city called Gela. Beneath its calm and blue waters, there was an old sunken ship. Submerged about 300 meters deep.
What was inside it ignited the most subtle anticipation among the experts. In the old ship’s bellies were 39 ingots of something very special.
A material that is known as Orichalcum, Oricalco or Orihalcon. It is a type of legendary metal that appears in detail described in Plato’s work, as the most typical thing that was extracted from the mines of Atlantis. The second most valuable after gold. It is a Greek word that can be translated as “mountain copper.”
After various analyzes it has been discovered that the Orichalcum is actually a mixture of copper, zinc, nickel, lead and iron and, in turn, these ingots coincide with the details that Plato himself provided about how they used to be smelted.
But if these ingots are interesting, the ship where they were found is even more interesting. It is a very old ship; According to scientists, it must be just over 2,600 years old, which places it on a route that would go from some point farther in the Mediterranean to Asia Minor , at which point a storm ended up sinking it.
It should also be noted that, until recently, many considered the Orichalcum as something very similar to amber and without any relationship to Atlantis.
Others do relate it to the lost continent, but now, authors such as the British researcher James Allen, tell us that it would be more accurate to place Atlantis in the Andean Altiplano, since orichalcum is very similar to the natural alloy of gold and copper that there are in the mines in Urukilia, near Pampa Aullagas, in Bolivia. In fact, there are beautiful crafts with this material.
But what was recently discovered off the coast of Sicily gives us a new type of metal made up of 75-80% copper, 15-20% zinc and small traces of nickel, lead and iron.
Does it then belong to the mines that Plato said existed in Atlantis? We don’t know yet, but as the investigations progress we will inform you, because the subject undoubtedly deserves it.
What is your opinion? Do you think Atlantis really existed?
