Atlantis and The Great Flood: More than Mythology?
Persistent Myths
The renowned Greek philosopher Plato, famed for his intellect and forward thinking by many even today, told us the ancient myth of Atlantis; the city inhabited by an advanced civilisation, destroyed overnight in a single cataclysm and doomed to eternal submergence beneath the sea as punishment for ‘ceasing to carry their prosperity in moderation.’ [1]
The story of Noah’s Ark is another familiar Abrahamic fable, in which God decides to flood the Earth in response to humankind’s excessive sin. This narrative repeats itself in Hawaiian mythology with the ark-builder Nu’u, in Hinduism with Manu and Vishnu (incarnated as a fish), Norse mythology with Bergelmir and in South America with the Peruvian Inca legend of Unu Patchakuti. The Inuit and Hopi of North America also tell similar tales as do the Tai-Kadai people of Southeast Asia. China has a Great Flood myth as do ancient Mesopotamian cultures (the epic of Gilgamesh) and the Igorot of the Philippines. Why then, did cultures spread all around the world share the same stories of a great deluge brought about by human ignorance, a struggle for survival and a rebirth of civilization as a result?
The Ice Age
New geological studies suggest that Plato’s tale might not be entirely fantastical. The date he provides of 9600BC (11600 years ago) astonishingly coincides with a catastrophic rise event known as Meltwater Pulse 1B. [2] This event occurred as a result of the collapse of continental ice sheets at the end of the last Ice Age, resulting in a rapid rise in sea levels globally. This monumental incident is suspected to have submerged a landmass the size of modern-day China and Europe combined, apparently overnight.
At the time of the late Younger Dryas period; 11,700 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, human beings would have been no less cognitively or physically evolved than they are today. Biologists assure us that the people of this era were anatomically and physiologically very much indistinguishable from modern man. I am not suggesting that these were people capable of developing cybernetics or advanced space flight as some conspiracies suggest, merely highlighting that this incident occurred in a period of relatively recent biological human history and therefore survives in the memory of archaic folklore. It becomes even easier to understand the significance of these cultural myths when you consider that the people around to experience this hell on Earth were no less anatomically developed than we are today.
Although many of these myths give supposed reasons for this cataclysm (humanity losing favour with their gods or ceasing to live in an appropriate manner) they all share a common theme of a great flood changing human civilization forever and wiping out a previous era of people who brought this annihilation upon themselves. Though these myths may not be completely factually accurate, that is not to say they are irrelevant in our current global circumstances, with the increased threats of flooding due to glacial melt-water and continual threat of natural disasters on Earth. Many scientists believe the likely cause for the rapid rise in global temperature coincided with the impact of a large fragmenting asteroid known as the ‘Clovis comet.’ [3] This impact is credited with causing a large spike in global temperature in addition to large earthquakes and melt-water release from the ice caps, bringing about destruction across North and South America, Europe and Asia, in addition to the extinction of many species of Pleistocene megafauna. Is it any wonder then, that comet and asteroid impacts still live on today as symbols for global apocalypse? Twice a year the Earth passes through the Taurid Meteor Stream, yet only $50 million is spent on combating this potentially catastrophic threat. [4] Not unlike our ancestors, we too may bring about our own demise, though perhaps in a slower, more foolish manner as we focus our attention on convenience and entertainment. We are only partially conscious of the increased strain this puts on our environment and the fragility with which we exist in the universe.
The Modern Day
It is not too difficult to understand why the flood myth has such significance and why it scarred the collective unconscious of humankind for generations. Ever since, we have lived in fear of the apocalypse, believing that our generation will be the ones to see the end of the world.
Our society often arrogantly views itself as the pinnacle of evolution and innovation, with an unprecedented attachment and admiration of our material, technological creations. Fortunately, a resurgence in ecological awareness and climate change activism gives renewed hope for future generations and we have more information at our disposal than ever before to reduce the damage that might otherwise be caused if we continue along the same path.
As we are confronted with increased media hysteria over the 6th Great Mass Extinction and global warming, we must consider that we are not the first to go through this and as human beings we are not solely to blame for the changes in our Earth’s temperature. This does not excuse the continued, careless destruction of the environment, with the nihilistic justification that we will be dead and therefore unbothered by casting our children to unavoidable doom. Nor does it excuse the increasing materialistic indulgence that characterises modern western culture, where narcissism and depression have become the norm, simultaneously severing our connection with nature, history, spirituality and ultimately our place in the cosmos.
It is important to recognise that life on this planet is fragile and will not continue infinitely, but that is no reason to live in ignorance of our environmental impact. I wholeheartedly support environmental conscientiousness and believe we should make every effort to minimize the industrialised destruction of our Earth.
Conclusion
The evidence I have laid out is not intended to oppose arguments of manmade climate change, but rather to emphasize the infinitely precious nature of life on Earth and highlight that the insightful wisdom of our past should not be relegated to the category of primitive fantasy. There are always lessons to be learned from history and we have proof of destructive, massive disasters affecting humankind, giving rise to harrowing tales that have survived thousands of years. If we ignore the warning of our ancestors we do so at our peril, unless we wish to inhabit the Atlantis of future generations.
by Andrew McLarney
References
[1] Plato, Timaeus, trans.by Zeyl, Donald. J, 2nd edn. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co, 2000)
[2] Abdul, N., Mortlock, R., Wright, J. and Fairbanks, R. ‘Younger Dryas sea level and meltwater pulse 1B recorded in Barbados reef crest coral Acropora palmata’. [Accessed 21 Nov. 2019].
[3] Stanley, Steven, M, Evidence for an extraterrestrial impact 12,900 years ago that contributed to the megafaunal extinctions and the Younger Dryas cooling. (Honolulu: University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2007)
[4] PowerfulJRE, Joe Rogan Experience #872- Graham Hancock & Randall Carson Youtube [Accessed 21 Nov. 2019].
About The Green Line
The Green Line is part of a third year collaborative project exploring our personal connection with the ongoing climate crisis. Over the next month we will be publishing a variety of pieces from the student community.
Find out more about The Green Line here.
Read entries: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight here.