Transcribe
Translate
Fantasite, v. 1, issue 1, November 1940
Page 15
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
THE FANTASITE.....15 ANTEDELUVIAN WORLD This article deals with the lost continent Atlantis. As a source of material I used the book "Atlantis: The Antediluvian World" by Ignatius Donnelly. This book contains a surprising wealth of information on Atlantis, being some 500 pages in length. To anyone who reads the volume it is evident that Donnelly spent a great deal of time on research work. The idea of a sunken continent has been the basis for many stf stories and book and is a fascinating study. I shall try to give you an idea of what Donnelly attempted to prove in regard to Atlantis and also a reconstruction of it as advanced by the author who describes the book as an attempt to "demonstrate several distinct and novel proposition". These are: 1. That there once existed in the Atlantic Ocean, opposite the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, a large island, which was the remnant of an Atlantic continent, and known to the ancient world as Atlantis. 2. That the description of the island as given by Plato is not fable as believed but history. 3. That Atlantis was the region where man first rose from barbarism to civilization. 4. That in course of time it became a mighty nation which founded many colonies. 5. That Atlantis was destroyed by a terrible convulsion of nature and sank into the sea. etc. etc. Plato said that Atlantis was a great and mighty empire which was aggresive toward all of Europe and Asia, and that it subjugated Africa as far as Egypt, and Europe as far as Italy, and also parts of the Americas. Moreover he stated that this vast dominion was one mighty empire. Plate also stated that Atlantis abounded in cold and hot springs. There are many hot springs in the Azores which are believed to be the remaining remnants of the sunken land. And it is also known that hot springs are a common feature of regions subject to volcanic convulsions. According to Plato the Atlanteans knew quite a little of architecture, building walls, palaces, temples, etc. They also were reputed to have possessed knowledge of metallurgy, mining ores, working with copper, tin, silver, gold (the two last were regarded as sacred), and probably iron. The Atlanteans were adept at the art of sculpturing and knew something of engraving. The Atlantean religion was a simple one, being that of sun worship. A very probable theory is that the kings, heroes, and great men of Altantis were the gods of the ancient Greeks. Many of the peoples of that time, asserts Plato, were in awe of the Atlanteans and regarded them as gods and demons. This may be attributed to the fact that the Atlanteans were believed to be possessed of a knowledge of magnetic compasses and gunpowder. It appears that the Atlanteans also had a form of civil government and were in possession of an accurate knowledge of astronomy. Now I shall sum up the material presented and include a few additions. The Atlanteans dwelt upon a great island, near which were other smaller islands. The people represented two races, one being a dark race and the other a white race, both struggling for supremacy. The people were skilled agriculturists. They colonized a great portiou of the globe, carrying civilization to the ends of the earth. They had a religion which could only come of high civilization: They believed in one deity and the immortal soul of man, and that man would live a
Saving...
prev
next
THE FANTASITE.....15 ANTEDELUVIAN WORLD This article deals with the lost continent Atlantis. As a source of material I used the book "Atlantis: The Antediluvian World" by Ignatius Donnelly. This book contains a surprising wealth of information on Atlantis, being some 500 pages in length. To anyone who reads the volume it is evident that Donnelly spent a great deal of time on research work. The idea of a sunken continent has been the basis for many stf stories and book and is a fascinating study. I shall try to give you an idea of what Donnelly attempted to prove in regard to Atlantis and also a reconstruction of it as advanced by the author who describes the book as an attempt to "demonstrate several distinct and novel proposition". These are: 1. That there once existed in the Atlantic Ocean, opposite the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, a large island, which was the remnant of an Atlantic continent, and known to the ancient world as Atlantis. 2. That the description of the island as given by Plato is not fable as believed but history. 3. That Atlantis was the region where man first rose from barbarism to civilization. 4. That in course of time it became a mighty nation which founded many colonies. 5. That Atlantis was destroyed by a terrible convulsion of nature and sank into the sea. etc. etc. Plato said that Atlantis was a great and mighty empire which was aggresive toward all of Europe and Asia, and that it subjugated Africa as far as Egypt, and Europe as far as Italy, and also parts of the Americas. Moreover he stated that this vast dominion was one mighty empire. Plate also stated that Atlantis abounded in cold and hot springs. There are many hot springs in the Azores which are believed to be the remaining remnants of the sunken land. And it is also known that hot springs are a common feature of regions subject to volcanic convulsions. According to Plato the Atlanteans knew quite a little of architecture, building walls, palaces, temples, etc. They also were reputed to have possessed knowledge of metallurgy, mining ores, working with copper, tin, silver, gold (the two last were regarded as sacred), and probably iron. The Atlanteans were adept at the art of sculpturing and knew something of engraving. The Atlantean religion was a simple one, being that of sun worship. A very probable theory is that the kings, heroes, and great men of Altantis were the gods of the ancient Greeks. Many of the peoples of that time, asserts Plato, were in awe of the Atlanteans and regarded them as gods and demons. This may be attributed to the fact that the Atlanteans were believed to be possessed of a knowledge of magnetic compasses and gunpowder. It appears that the Atlanteans also had a form of civil government and were in possession of an accurate knowledge of astronomy. Now I shall sum up the material presented and include a few additions. The Atlanteans dwelt upon a great island, near which were other smaller islands. The people represented two races, one being a dark race and the other a white race, both struggling for supremacy. The people were skilled agriculturists. They colonized a great portiou of the globe, carrying civilization to the ends of the earth. They had a religion which could only come of high civilization: They believed in one deity and the immortal soul of man, and that man would live a
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
