Researchers at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have recently found remnants of a once-thriving and technologically advanced city submerged deep beneath the ocean off the west coast of India in the Arabian Sea.
This city, referred to as the city of Dwarka in Hindu religious texts, continues to be a mystery. This lost city features intricate architectural structures, roads, drainage systems, and artifacts that indicate it may have once been a hub of a sophisticated culture and trade.
This civilization could potentially predate well-known ancient cultures such as the Indus Valley Civilization, which has its origins in the present-day South Asian subcontinent, as well as Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt - one of the world's oldest civilizations.
This discovery raises new questions about the origins of human civilization and offers a glimpse into a society that may have been lost under the ocean due to rising sea levels and climate change, which reminds scholars and historians of the lost city of Atlantis.
This newly discovered underwater city with its intricate structures and design, is drawing immediate parallels to the legendary Atlantis. Could the lost city of Atlantis actually be found?
Our understanding of Atlantis comes from the work of the Greek Philosopher, Plato, who described it in his dialogues; Timaeus and Critias, written around 360 BCE.
According to Plato, Atlantis was a powerful and technologically advanced civilization that existed around 9,000 years before his time. In this narrative, Atlantis was a massive island that excelled in trade, warfare, cultural grandeur, growing wealth and influence.
Plato depicted Atlantis as a cautionary tale - a society that ultimately succumbed to its own greed, moral decay and ambition to conquer the world. He described how Atlantis was "swallowed by the sea in a single day and night of misfortune," which led many scholars to interpret it as a fable rather than a recorded historical event.
However, this recently uncovered city with its detailed road network, towering remnants of buildings resembling temples, homes with equipped sewage systems and cultural artifacts indicates advanced technology and craftmanship. It raises new questions. Could Atlantis be more than just a myth?
This discovery suggests that civilizations like Plato's Atlantis may have existed years prior to known history, only to be wiped out by natural disasters and or the rising sea levels that pose a threat to Delos, Greece and many other coastal and island towns.
In December 2000, a remarkable underwater discovery was made off the coast of Gujarat, India - also known as the Gulf of Khambhat (or Gulf of Cambay). Marine scientists from India's National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) were conducting routine pollution studies when sonar imaging unexpectedly revealed what appeared to be geometric patterns on the seafloor.
These formations included man-made structures resembling fortified walls, large rectangular sections, and grid-like layouts. All that resembled remnants of a structured human settlement.
In the following months, archaeologists and oceanographers deployed submersibles to examine the site and were surprised by the sheer scale and sophistication of the ruins under the ocean.
What's most striking about this discovery is the vast size of the city itself, more than five miles long and three miles wide and its level of preservation submerged 126 feet below sea level.
Through carbon dating technologies, researchers are observing that the samples taken from the archaeological site date around 7500 BCE, indicating that the structures could be around 9,500 years old.
If proven accurate through further studies, it would predate even Harappa of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in what is now Pakistan, and many other known ancient civilizations.
Civilization | Years (appox.) | Age (approx.) |
Mesopotamia | 3500–500 BCE | 5,500 years old |
Indus Valley | 3300–1300 BCE | 5300 years old |
Ancient Egypt | 3100–30 BCE | 4100 years old |
Archaeological findings such as pottery shards, hearths and other artifacts associated with human settlement also add weight to the possibility of the site being more than just a natural formation. These artifacts suggest a functioning civilization, validating Plato's description of Atlantis as a prosperous and influential center that could have vanished due to rising sea levels or other natural activity.
Given the location of the settlement by the coast, scientists speculate that the coastal settlement could have been a significant trading center connecting other ancient civilizations.
While evidence suggests the existence of this ancient civilization, extensive research is still ongoing to confirm these findings. The topic remains highly controversial, with considerable debate within the scientific community regarding the dating of the evidence.
If accepted, the theory that this civilization could be twice as old as the Harappan, Sumerian, and Egyptian civilizations would necessitate a significant revision of our understanding of history. Additionally, this theory challenges established political and religious belief systems, which may have contributed to its suppression over the years.
As this underwater city reshapes our understanding of ancient human civilizations, it also deepens the mystery of Atlantis. Though recognized as probable mythology, scientists have searched for Plato's Atlantis for centuries.
His depiction of Atlantis as a large, powerful civilization that disappeared in a single catastrophic event holds more validity now than previously assumed.
Beyond just the cultural impact, this discovery serves as a cautionary tale and brings to light the vulnerabilities of coastal societies. Today, meteorologists are witnessing how climate change is impacting natural disasters. Rising sea levels, tectonic shifts and climate change have affected human civilizations for millennia and will continue to do so in the coming years.
While "history repeats itself", history has also taught us valuable lessons that have played a major role in human evolution. This discovery is a sobering reminder that the more we find out about our ancestral origins, perhaps the more humble we will be in understanding our place on this planet and how we can co-exist with it.
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