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Gateway to Atlantis: The Search for the Source of a Lost Civilization

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The ever elusive Atlantis has never failed to arrest the imagination of many throughout the ages. In this latest and impressively researched work, Andrew Collins traverses the evidence available in order to unravel the 3 prime mysteries - whether Atlantis indeed once existed, its probable location in the modern world, and how it all came to an end.

Starting with Plato's Timaeus and Critias, Collins ploughs through a formidable mass of ancient and not-too-ancient literature to garner evidence about the lost land and its probable topography. He then applies the result with meticulous care (and with much erudite discussion in the process) to all the prime contenders for the location of Atlantis to determine which in fact is the most likely candidate for the legendary realm. He then seeks to corroborate the findings with legends from both sides of the Atlantic (in particular those from central America) as well as other more scientifically verifiable facts, such as information gleaned from ancient relics, the presence of tabacco in Egyptian mummies and some distinctive method for dyeing cotton. Having established the location of the lost Atlantis, the author completes his theory by examining the sort of catastrophe that brought about the end of the advanced civilisation there as well as the possible fate of those who managed to escape from it.

What makes this highly readable book doubly commendable is that the author has at all times followed the available evidence instead of making wild guesses and unsubstantiated propositions in order to advance his theories. Such a scholarly approach has made the discourse much more convincing than many other books written about lost civilisations. And if Collins's conclusions are not absolutely compelling, they nevertheless are very well argued and presented and warrant serious consideration by ancient historians. Besides, all those materials amassed by Collins for the book are already by themselves of great value to those interested in the subject. David Rohl's Introduction is also very illuminating and provides enlightening remarks about the methodology used by many alternative historians. A most enjoyable work on a fascinating subject. Highly recommended!

In this insightful reappraisal of the Atlantis myth Collins begins by telling us that it was not just Plato who wrote of Atlantis -- informing us that the Egyptians knew of more than one earlier rise and fall of civilization -- but that a contemporary historian, Theopompus, citing a different source, wrote of an immense continent with great cities that surrounded the outside world. Quite rightly, Collins dismisses small islands in the Mediterranean and the mid-Atlantic ridge as possible sights for the sunken continent, and he eventually concludes that the continent itself did not sink, although its coastal cities must have perished. Why? Because coastal cities of 11,500 years ago (the time given to the destruction of Atlantis by Plato) would have been built on land now 400 feet below the sea (at the end of the Pleistocene sea levels were 400-420 feet lower than at present. Where was Atlantis according to Collins? I want you to read the book. It is worth the Journey. And remember, much of the Caribbean is shallow shoal water that was once well above sea level.

There are two pathways to explore Atlantis. You can analyze what little empirical evidence exists or you can chase after the physic sources such as Edgar Cayce and Madame Blavatsky. This author stays entirely on the former path and has produced one of the most complete and intelligent books to examine this topic based on all the evidence that can be found. It is exceeded only by Hancock and Bauval's outstanding "Message of the Sphinx," which provides evidence for an ancient civilization by examining the writings and monuments of ancient Egypt. This book has no overlap with "Message" providing its own new insights from a different perspective.

He's done his homework, discussing Plato's writings and those of other ancient historians at length, including obscure sources for providing evidence of ancient catastrophe and contact between the Phoencians and possibly the Romans with the New World. He examines ancient Egyptian, Carthaginian, Phoencian, Greek, Mayan, Olmec, and Aztec sources. He discusses the linguistics of the word Atlantis and Antilia (ie, Antilles) and the exploration of the early Europeans such as Prince Henry the Navigator.

He concludes convincingly that an ancient civilization such as Atlantis was located in the Carribean, most likely Cuba (the Bahamas or Hispanola). The one criticism is that the narration is a bit dry, and some tangents are drawn out, making for tedious reading in places. This is a book for someone with a strong interest in finding a scientific basis for Atlantis.

An interesting perspective a fine bit of historical inference makes this an enjoyable book. The author presents a realistic possiblity without all of the fluff associated with some researchers. There is no space invaders, no highly advanced cultures with supercomputers, or any supernatural people are present, just good old fashioned ancient cultures that are driven by the search for wealth and trying to keep their business secret. The possibilites that the Carthinigians, the Romans, the Phoenecians, and others have visited the Americas before Columbus are certainly plausible given the archealogical evidence that is available. The idea that Atlantis will be found in the Carribean is certainly not new by any means but the additional research is refreshing and the way in which the available evidence is compiled is excellent.

This book is not your run of the mill Atlantis books. Certainly the shelves as piled high with all kinds of "channelled" information and filled with the embellishments of the imaginative. This instead is a well written book discussing the evidence and arguments for a pre-ice age civilization. Global in scope and easy to read, I found this book to be fun and enjoyable to read. It helps to move the entire "Atlantis" subject area out of the obtuse and into the light. I recommend this book.

Its nice to finally read something about Atlantis which doesn't rely on ancient astronauts or mystical crystals! Andrew Collins believes that Atlantis was located in the West Indies and related islands, basing his theory not on shadowy ideas about ruins under the ocean but on realistic measurements of travel times, directions, and other clues found in Plato and other ancients who mentioned a lost civilization to the west. While this book won't do much for the von Daniken crowd, it will certainly please those who can distinguish fact from mysticism!

In my humble opinion, this is the best book to ever be published on the topic of the origins of a lost Atlantian civilization. Of course, academics will automatically reject it, but I can remember when these same "experts" rejected the "far-out" theories of continental drift and Mesozoic species extinction by asteroid impact.

Briefly, the evidence for a high stone age Carribean civilization existing over 10,000 years ago with contact with North and South America, as well as, the Mediterranian region is put forth. He draws from not only written records and legends but also from a surprising amount of physical evidence (i.e. tobacco and cocaine traces in the tissue of Egyptian mummies, and amphora showing up in ancient ship wrecks in the "new" world.)

Moreover, he shows how the catastrophic destruction of this culture can be attributed to a collossal comet shower over North America and the Carribean over 8,000 years ago. This would not only have produced tidal waves in the region, but evidence shows a sudden world-wide climactic change and flooding at this time.

At least sporadic contact seems to have continued between the two hemispheres well into classical times via the secretive Phoenicians and Carthaginians.

This isn't empty, quasi-mysitical, speculation. An extremely good case is made in a comprehensive, step-by-step manner. Personally, I can't wait until the submerged shelf off of Cuba can be opened up to detailed study. This is going to rewrite the textbooks....

Very recently, the guy who found the Titanic and the Mercury capsule, apparently found pyramids and roads on the plateau between the western tip of Cuba and the Yucatan peninsula. Financing is being gathered for a full search of the area, but, it seems that Collins might actually have been right.

This is by far one of the best books on Atlantis I've ever read. Plus, it's the only theory that makes sense. I won't give away any details, but Andrew Collins has a VERRRRY interesting idea of where Atlantis is. In my opinion, his is the most location for the lost empire. Calling all ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE fans: you gotta read this one, you'll love it! Trust me!

Though I have a strong interest in the legend of Atlantis, I approached this book with considerable caution. I also have an interest in pseudo-science and over the years have becoming increasingly unhappy with various writers' attempts to pull a fast-one on the reader, in history and other fields. I am relieved to say, Mr. Collins won me over. I know little about it him, but he is clearly a highly gifted amateur who has no ax to grind. He asks questions (perhaps too many for some reader's tastes), he gathers the evidence, he makes hypotheses -- all of which are testable. I was impressed. This is a very sober book that never falters. It is not a fast read, however. It is one that asks you to think a lot.

When I completed the book I wondered what my response would be if someone came up and asked: "Well, do you believe Atlantis actually existed, or not?" I would have said, it is now a testable hypothesis. All we need the empiricle evidence.

That evidence, the discovery of an underwater city 2000 feet deep off the coast of Cuba is now at hand. It is evidence of something extraordinary and Collins must be given full credit as one of the predictors. Is it the one and true Atlantis? I am inclined to say this is probably as close as we are going to get. In the meantime, an incredible discovery awaits exploration. If there is one city, there are likely more. One can hardly wait to find out.

My congratulations to Mr. Collins. I salute him for he pulled off what I would have dismissed as impossible: a compelling argument that the great mythical empire of pre-history did in fact truly exist. Read the book. You won't be disappointed.