Richat Structure (Atlantis fringe theory)
The Richat Structure in Mauritania has been proposed in scientifically unproved fringe theories as a site of the mythical city of Atlantis.[1] It lies near Ouadane, which was a Portuguese trading post and learning center established in 1487.[2] The structure's dimensions are claimed to be similar to those described by Plato.[3] This structure is generally considered to be a deeply eroded domal structure that overlies a still-buried alkaline igneous intrusion.[4]
After the discovery of Acheulean sites within the outer part of the Richat structure by Theodore Monod in 1974,[5] the regional mapping of prehistoric artifacts within the area of the Richat structure was conducted over time. This mapping found prehistoric artifacts, Paleolithic and Neolithic stone tools, to be generally absent in its innermost depressions. In addition, neither recognizable midden deposits nor manmade structures were found and reported from the Richat structure. This is interpreted as indicating that area of the Richat structure was used only for short-term hunting and stone tool manufacturing during prehistoric times.[6][7]
The Richat-Structure-as-Atlantis fringe theory gained notability in September 2018 when the YouTube Channel Bright Insight published a video proposing it;[8] the fringe theory is significant at least because of the reach it has obtained: within its first few days over half a million views[9][10] and as of April 2019 the video had over 3.7 million views and the story had been picked up in major tabloid news publications such as Business Insider Australia,[11] Sputnik News, and the tabloids The Daily Express,[12] The Daily Mirror[13] and The Daily Star.[10] Bright Insight claimed that a number of features of the structure match the description of Atlantis in Plato's reporting of Solon's account of Atlantis. These include the structure's concentric circles, the diameter of the city matching that of the structure, a waterway outlet on the south side of the city, the salt water beneath the ground everywhere except in the center of the structure, and the mountains sheltering the city on the north.[8] The city's inland location was explained by lower sea levels at the time of the Younger Dryas impact, the lakes and rivers present in the Sahara at the time, and its present elevation by a gradual rise of the land by approximately an inch per year.[8]
The fringe theory was also covered in non-tabloid press including Germany's Der Spiegel and Vietnam's Tiền Phong[14][15]
References[edit]
- ↑ Mark Adams (26 April 2016). Meet Me in Atlantis: Across Three Continents in Search of the Legendary Sunken City. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-101-98393-5. Search this book on
Rob Shelsky (23 February 2016). Invader Moon. Simon and Schuster. p. 75. ISBN 978-1-61868-666-4. Search this book on
- ↑ Tapon, Francis (30 July 2018). "Going Into The Eye Of The Sahara - The Richat Structure". Forbes. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ↑ Satherley, Dan (9 July 2018). "Is this Atlantis, hiding in plain sight in the Sahara?". Newshub. New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ↑ Bartels, Meghan (12 July 2016). "Scientists still have questions about the mysterious Eye of the Sahara". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
Matton, Guillaume; Jébrak, Michel (September 2014). "The "eye of Africa" (Richat dome, Mauritania): An isolated Cretaceous alkaline–hydrothermal complex". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 97: 109–124. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2014.04.006. Retrieved 8 September 2018. - ↑ Monod, T., 1975. Trois gisements a` galets ame´nage´s dans l’Adrar mauritanien (Sahara occidental). Provence Historique, 99, pp.87-97.
- ↑ Sao, O., Giresse, P., de Lumley, H., Faure, O., Perrenoud, C., Saos, T., Rachid, M.O. and Touré, O.C., 2008. Les environnements sédimentaires des gisements pré-acheuléens et acheuléens des wadis Akerdil et Bamouéré (Guelb er-Richât, Adrar, Mauritanie), une première approche. L'Anthropologie, 112(1), pp.1-14.
- ↑ Giresse, P., Sao, O. and de Lumley, H., 2012. Étude paléoenvironnementale des sédiments quaternaires du Guelb er Richât (Adrar de Mauritanie) en regard des sites voisins ou associés du Paléolithique inférieur. Discussion et perspectives. L'Anthropologie, 116(1), pp.12-38.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "The Lost City of Atlantis - Hidden in Plain Sight - Advanced Ancient Human Civilization". September 4, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Mythical City of Atlantis Allegedly Discovered in Sahara Desert". sputniknews.com.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Hoare, Callum (September 7, 2018). "Lost city of Atlantis FOUND? Structure discovered in the Sahara MATCHES Plato's numbers". Dailystar.co.uk.
- ↑ Bartels, Meghan (July 13, 2016). "Scientists still have questions about the mysterious 'Eye of the Sahara'". Business Insider Australia.
- ↑ Martin, Sean (September 6, 2018). "Atlantis FOUND: Conspiracy theorists believe lost city is in THE SAHARA". Express.co.uk.
- ↑ O'Neill, Kara (September 8, 2018). "Lost city of Atlantis is 'discovered' - hidden in plain sight all along". mirror.
- ↑ "Satellitenbild der Woche: Das Auge der Sahara ("Satellite photo of the week: The Eye of the Sahara")" (in German). Der Spiegel. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2019.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ "Kỳ lạ 'con mắt thần linh' giữa sa mạc Sahara (Vietnamese, "Strange 'divine eye' in the Sahara"". Tiền Phong (newspaper). 6 March 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
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