Above, (left) the 12,000ft contour reveals the shape of the level and rectangular plain and (right) location of the plain in the centre of the continent, midway along the longest side and next to the sea.
Atlantis Bolivia - page 2, the evidence
There are certain key features which a site ought to comply with if it is considered to be Atlantis. We have already mentioned that it should have been located on a continent opposite the Strait of Gibraltar, but then in the centre of this continent and next to the sea, there should be located a level, rectangualar-shaped plain. The translation by Sir Desmond Lee even mentions that the plain was located "midway along the longest side of the island."
In the beginning, it was necessary to confirm that a smooth and level rectangular plain of the right proportions existed in south America at all. This was done by buying a USAF navigation chart of a scale of 1/1,000,000 and tracing the contours at regular intervals in order to build a three dimensional model which revealed the rectangular shape of the plain.
Above, (left) the 12,000ft contour reveals the shape of the level and rectangular plain and
(right) location of the
plain in the centre of the continent, midway along the
longest side and next to the sea.
Above, building up the model by stages.
Plato described the plain as "originally a quadrangle, rectilinear for the most part, and elongated".
"It was encircled by mountains, had a level surface and was as a whole rectangular in shape."
"It was originally a long, narrow rectangle."
No other site in the world, whether above water or under water,
has a level rectangular plain in the manner outlined and illustrated above.
Another
of the key features described by Plato, was a large canal which ran
around the perimeter of the level plain and a system of
smaller canals
parallel to each other which criss-crossed the plain at regular
intervals.
These were joined by intersecting canals at right angles and used for transportation by boats of the season's products.
.
Above left, traditional drawing of the plain and canal system with
Atlantis at its centre.
Note the wide, perimeter canal and the smaller criss-cross canals.
Above right, Drawing of the Altiplano with theoretical canals and
showing the
location of Pampa Aullagas where the city should be.
Looking for evidence of a canals system on the Altiplano has been a key feature in the search for evidence. Satellite images showed a very large channel similar to the giant canal which Plato described just to the west of Lake Poopo and when this was visited on site, it still had water in the base due to the fact that the channel was supplied by water from wells drawing water from underground sources.
Looking into a section of the giant canal 1 stade wide
which Plato said ran right around the plain. The canal is fed by an underground
spring and has a ribbon of water even in the height of the dry season.
Recent high resolution satellite imagery shows the area just south of Oruro to be completely covered in a system of parallel canals simiar to Plato's description.
Canals are certainly a feature of the area which still suffers today from alternating drought and flooding.
The image below shows remains of another section of giant canal 200ft wide just north of Oruro.
The satellite technology measures the canals 200ft wide.
Above, oblique views of remains of giant canal 200ft wide at Paria, north of Oruro.
The satellite technology measures another canal 200ft wide, discharging into the sea, lago UruUru (Lake Poopo).
Above, oblique view of remains of giant canal 200ft wide discharging into lago UruUru, south of Oruro.
Above, oblique view of remains of giant canal 200ft wide discharging into lake UruUru, south of Oruro.
Plato: "It seems incredible that the canal should be so large as the account states, but we must report what we heard..."
Hot and cold springs were a feature of Atlantis
Above left, hot springs typical of the Altiplano. At Paria, to the north of the
lake they provide hot water for a swimming pool and at Pazna to the east of lake Poopo, they provide
hot water for a spa with individual baths.
Above right, cold water springs entertain tourists at Pampa Aullagas.
Plato: "The springs they made use of, one kind being of cold, another of warm water, were of abundant volume.... and, moreover, they set reservoirs round about, some under the open sky, and others under cover to supply hot baths in the winter"
Earthquakes were a major factor in the destruction of Atlantis
Above, left, hill with ringed walls destroyed by earthquakes
right,
hills with terraces destroyed by earthquakes east of lake Poopo.
THE most distinguishing feature of Atlantis and one which even the
Milos international Atlantis conference doubted might exist, was that
the main island of Atlantis which Plato described first of all as the
home of Poseidon and later as the site where the city of the
descendants of Atlas reigned, was comprised of a central island
surrounded by alternating rings of land and water.
The island comprised a central island 5 stades in diameter
surrounded by three rings of water and two rings of land, "enclosing
each other like cartwheels."
the island city of Atlantis
It took five expeditions on the Bolivian Altiplano following
The Atlantis Trail
to find a location
which matched Plato's mountain which was low on all sides and in the centre of
the plain next to the sea. This site is presently called
Pampa Aullagas
at the
southern end of Lake Poopo.
Location of Pampa Aullagas to the south of Lake Poopo, Oruro, Bolivia... 5 miles from "the sea".
above, two popular concepts of Atlantis showing concentric rings of land
Above left, traditional drawing of the city with rings of land and
sea.
The central island was said to be 5 stades in diameter, surrounded by a ring of water 1 stade wide,
then a ring of land of 2 stades and a ring of water, 2 stades, then a ring of land 3 stades in turn enclosed
within a ring of water 3 stades wide.
Above right, Illustration of Pampa Aullagas showing remains of rings of
land and sandy canals when filled with water..
Atlantis as an island
In the wet season, Pampa Aullagas becomes an
island
and before the sinking of the surrounding plain, the water from
the lake could have entered the volcano,
filling the natural depressions
making circular canal-like harbours.
Oblique satellite image showing the volcanic island at Pampa Aullagas in the dry season.
The surrounding plain has sunk in elevation and the nearby inland sea has receded leaving the island
as a volcano on dry land.
The volcanic cone, 5 stades in diameter lies in the centre of the level rectangular plain,
50 stades (5 miles) from the sea
and is enclosed by three concentric sandy channels which formerly held water, separated by rings of land.
Plato "near the plain, over against its center, at a distance of about 50 stades, (from the sea)
there stood a mountain that was low on all sides."
The innermost channel, 1, is now at a higher level up the volcano
so it is not clear whether this was originally part of Plato's scheme
or whether this part of the island has risen in elevation, or there may
have been another ring of water surrounding the volcano on the level
plain. However, Plato did say the circular rings were "carved out of
the island" and that they "bored through the rock" to reach the outer circle of water, so logically there should have been a ring of land or rock
on the outside to contain the outermost water circle, shown here as the
embankment just behind the village of Pampa Aullagas, between the
village and water ring 3.
The site appears to have suffered considerable damage from earthquakes. Some parts have sunk, others risen
in elevation whilst others appear to be twisted round and even moved sideways, as if struck by a huge force
from the west and north. In the above photo, the outer ring of rock has been joined up and the eastern arm of the volcano moved closer
into the centre to align the canals and show how it may have looked using stades of 165ft. The rings fall in the correct proportions
of 1 stade of water, 2 stades of land, 2 stades of water, 3 stades of land and 3 stades of water. The centre island 5 stades in
diameter is shown to scale at the top of the steeply sided volcanic cone which is about 5 stades in diameter on the summit and 10 stades in diameter at its base.
"There were two rings of land, and three of water, which he turned as with a lathe, each having its circumference equidistant every way from the centre"
It is not known whether the outer ring of rock may have continued on the southern side but it seems probable
that it did and was subsequently destroyed by the earthquakes which sank the island, shown here in this reconstruction.
air photo showing sandy canals when filled with water.
As to the perfectly circular canals we had imagined based on popular drawngs, I looked up Platos words again and he said in the beginning..... "Near the plain at a distance of 50 stades (from the sea) there stood a mountain that was low on all sides. And Poseidon, to make the hill impregnable broke it off all round about; and he made circular belts of sea and land enclosing one another alternately, some greater, some smaller, two being of land and three of sea, which he carved as it were out of the midst of the island." Critias 108E-121C (the Jowett translation reads "Poseidon .... breaking the ground enclosed the hill all round, making alternate zones of sea and land larger and smaller, encircling one another") And that was what we found, except that the sea had dropped and the "zones of sea" were now sandy bottomed depressions.
views of former "belts of sea"
sandy deposits in canal-like depressions show former inner and
middle belts of sea on western side.
middle canal on south east side
Inner canal on the northern side.
Location of the mines of the metals mentioned by Plato, all adjacent to Lake Poopo and the Atlantis site at Pampa Aullagas
Above, an object of orichalcum (tumbaga) looking like gold on the left and looking like copper on the right.
Above, (left) a gold mask from the precious metals museum, La Paz.
Above (right) a mask and collar of Orichalcum
Before leaving the actual site itself, another important factor which may be easily demonstrated on this site is that Plato mentioned that the buildings were made of red, black and white stones, intermixed to give a pleasing appearance. All three colours of stone are to be found at Pampa Aullagas, some looking as if they are fragments from stones used in former buildings though no ancient buildings themselves remain.
J.M.Allen with one of the stone blocks
covered in fossilised lake
sediments
at Pampa Aullagas
So here is a site that has all the factors that Plato mentioned, firstly it is in the centre of the level rectangular plain at a distance of 50 stades from the sea. It has the required red, black and white stone. It has underground hot and cold springs. It is a route centre at the southern end of the lake. And most important of all, it has been sunk by earthquakes and floods just as Plato described.
continue to page 3 for Bolivian legend of Atlantis and discovery of "America"
