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<small>''This article is about the mythical lost continent.  For the Space Shuttle, see [[Space Shuttle Atlantis]]. For the fictitious community of defectors in [[Atlas Shrugged]], see [[Galt's Gulch|here]].''</small>

<small>''This article is about the mythical lost continent.  For the Space Shuttle, see [[Space Shuttle Atlantis]]. For the fictitious community of defectors in [[Atlas Shrugged]], see [[Galt's Gulch|here]].''</small>

[[Image:Kirchers Atlantis.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Atlantis, as drawn by German scholar Athanasius Kircher in the 17th century]]

[[Image:Kirchers Atlantis.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Atlantis, as drawn by German scholar Athanasius Kircher in the 17th century]]

'''Atlantis''' (Greek: Ἀτλαντίδι) is the name given to a legendary island with an advanced civilization supposedly located somewhere in the [[Atlantic Ocean]], though other locations have also been proposed. A tale of utopia and calamity, Atlantis has long been fodder for the occult, the paranormal, and [[crank]] science; recent archaeological and geological searches of the [[Aegean Sea]] point to [[Crete]], whose Minoan Civilization was largely destroyed by a massive [[vulcano|volcanic]] eruption during the second millennium, B.C.

'''Atlantis''' (Greek: Ἀτλαντίδι) is a legendary island first described by the Greek philosopher Plato in the dialogues Timaeus and Critias during the fourth century BCE. Although Atlantis has become a popular topic in books, films, and alternative history theories, no archaeological, geological, or historical evidence has confirmed that it existed as a real civilisation.

 

Modern archaeological research relies on material evidence such as artefacts, settlement remains, radiocarbon dating, and peer-reviewed investigation. Despite numerous expeditions and claims linking Atlantis to locations such as Santorini, the Azores, and the Caribbean, no site has produced evidence sufficient to verify Plato's account. Most scholars therefore interpret Atlantis as a philosophical allegory used by Plato to discuss politics, morality, and the rise and fall of societies rather than as a factual historical record.

 

While Atlantis remains culturally significant and continues to inspire popular culture, it is not recognised by mainstream archaeology as a verified archaeological site. Claims that Atlantis was an advanced lost civilisation should be regarded as speculative unless supported by verifiable archaeological evidence. A tale of utopia and calamity, Atlantis has long been fodder for the occult, the paranormal, and [[crank]] science; recent archaeological and geological searches of the [[Aegean Sea]] point to [[Crete]], whose Minoan Civilization was largely destroyed by a massive [[vulcano|volcanic]] eruption during the second millennium, B.C.  

==Plato's account==

==Plato's account==