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Atlantis-like City Mapped Off Greek Coast

Lost city dates back to the days of Homer

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 17, 2009 6:06 AM CDT

(Newser) – Marine archaeologists have uncovered a sunken city that may have inspired the myth of Atlantis. Located off the coast of southern Greece, Pavlopetri dates back more than 5,000 years and is thought to have been engulfed by the sea around 1,000 BC, making it the only sunken Greek city known to predate the writing of Plato's tale of Atlantis. Though the location was discovered 40 years ago, digital technology has finally allowed scientists to survey its temples, streets, tombs, religious structures, and courtyards.

Experts believe the city was submerged after an earthquake or tsunami. The ruins are well-preserved because of shifting sands and the site's location in a sheltered bay. Nearby villagers are amazed at the extent of the lost city. "Older generations always knew something was there but we had no idea about the extent of it,"a local mayor told the Guardian.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Researchers search for pottery shards at Pavlopetri. (University of Nottingham)

A diver examines ruins at Pavlopetri. (Hellenic Ministry of Culture)

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Atlantis was a myth but it is a myth that keeps underwater exploration going. Less than 1% of the world's ocean floors have ever been surveyed. This is an extraordinary find but there is still a lot more down there that has to be found.
- Oceanographer Dimitris Sakellariou

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Atlantis-like City Mapped Off Greek Coast