Atlantis

 Mr. Alexandros Demetriou, a famous Greek archaeologist, was interviewed about Atlantis for an English language newspaper, “The Athens Tribune”.

Reporter:

– Mr. Demetriou, just a few questions from our readers about Atlantis… Do we know where it used to be?

Mr. Demetriou:

– Well, there are many and varied theories. Plato stated that Atlantis lay in the Atlantic Ocean near the Rock of Gibraltar. Other researchers believe that the island’s location was somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, there are some people who think that Thera could be the island of Atlantis.

Reporter:

– That sounds interesting. I guess it’s because of the discovery of the city of Akrotiri, which was excavated by the well-known archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos, right?

Mr. Demetriou:

– Possibly. In about 1500 BC, Thera was destroyed by the world’s largest volcanic eruption.

Akrotiri was buried beneath 15 feet of ash, which preserved its streets, buildings and impressive wall paintings. It’s an exciting theory, but not a widely accepted one, I must say.

Reporter:

– What is so interesting about Atlantis?

Mr. Demetriou:

– Well, Plato’s description was of a land of wealth, beauty and advanced civilisation.

This made many explorers seek out its location. They read Plato’s dialogues like a treasure map, which would help them locate the lost city.

Reporter:

– It sounds like a magical place.

Mr. Demetriou:

– It may have been … There are of course archaeologists and researchers who have challenged these theories, saying the Atlantis story is just a myth. Yet, people still long to discover Atlantis, even with no archaeological proof of its existence…