The History of Atlantis (Dover Occult)

The romantic legend of the rise and fall of Atlantis has enchanted imaginations since Plato first told of a glorious island in the Atlantic that sank beneath the waves. Speculation has abounded ever since: Was there really a great ancient civilization on a vast continent, now many thousands of fathoms under the sea? Or is Atlantis rooted in the Great Flood stories found in cultures around the world? Scientists formerly dismissed the possibility of Atlantis' existence but were obliged to reconsider, partly because of the author of this book. Lewis Spence (1874–1955) wrote five books about Atlantis, and this one is considered his best. A distinguished scholar, Spence sifted through a tremendous body of fact and guesswork in fields ranging from mythology and comparative religion to geography, geology, and archeology. He brings a fresh and imaginative vision to the old stories, separating fact from fancy in regard to Atlantis' history, geography, animal life, government, and religion. This work stands as the most authoritative study ever published on Atlantis, and Spence represents the perfect guide to this strange and enthralling mystery of the ancient world.