"Atlantis" Season 1 Episode 10

The episode "Atlantis" first aired on May 22, 1977 . It was directed by H.G. Stark and written and produced by Fred Warshofsky.

Nimoy begins this episode by mentioning some famous carvings of figures made out of materials not native to the area where they exist. He also makes reference to some of the carvings from the earlier episode on Ancient Aviators. He speculates, could these mysterious figures and carvings have originated from the lost city of Atlantis? One that had an advanced technology? "Never before have explorers been so close to finding Atlantis". Really?

The Greek philosopher Plato wrote about Atlantis. According to him, the city sank after volcanoes erupted in 421 B.C. Is Atlantis just a myth, or was it a real city with advanced technology and men "descended from Gods"? Plato wrote that Atlantis had conquered Europe and parts of Africa. Speculation suggesting that the island of Santorini was the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis began with the excavation of Akrotiri in the 1960s, and gained increased currency as reconstructions of the island's pre-eruption shape and landscape frescos located under the ash both strongly resembled Plato's description. Plato called the island, Thera. Nimoy describes these discoveries.

(satellite view of Sanorini)

Nimoy explains how Plato's descriptions bear a striking resemblance to the island, and the evidence is compelling. Then he pulls the rug out from under us! Plato himself seems to suggest Atlantis may be elsewhere. What?? Apparently he wrote that we must search beyond the "pillars of Hercules" which are better known today as the Rock of Gibraltar. Since Santorini is in the other direction, he does seem to be saying its somewhere else, out in the Atlantic Ocean. Nimoy now explains how the Atlantic was not all ocean in the past. Our first expert is introduced. Dr. Maxine Asher is in the old Spanish city of Cadiz doing research on Atlantis.Just a few miles offshore, a diver she is working with found a vase that is indeed very old.

The Spanish Government revoked their permission to dive any further. So while this was an interesting lead, they were stymied. Now this episode has not yet gotten weird. A little unconventional maybe, but very much rooted in history and research. Then we get weird. Nimoy talks about the famous psychic Edgar Cayce.

Cayce had visions that Atlantis was on the ocean floor in the Carribean. Known as the "sleeping prophet" he made many predictions that seem to have come true. According to Nimoy he accurately predicited Wrold War Two, the death of john Kennedy, and his own death. He also predicted that geological activity would result in the rise of Atlanits once again. So far that one hasn;t come true. Or has it? I pilot in the 60's discovered these huge blocks under the ocean in the spot Cayce said Atlantis would be. Does this mean he was right?

Author Peter Tompkins and others conducted some diving expeditions using Cayce's writings to guide them. They made some interesting discoveries. They found the  remains of several ships, one had gone down in 1830. Beneath that was a ship that had sailed 3000 years earlier. This is theorized to be a Phoenician vessel according to Nimoy. Nearby four marble columns were discovered. Perhaps relics from Atlantis? Speculation from Nimoy as he imagines what Atlanits might have looked like. What about the people of Atlantis? Plato says they were warned of disaster and fled. Here, Nimoy revisits his opening. Perhaps they traveled to various parts of the world and the strange statues they brought with them?

"These monoliths may tell us where the refugees, the engineers, the astronomers, and the architects fled carrying the technology and culture of Atlantis". Were the Ancient Egyptians connected to the people of Atlantis? The Mayans? Nimoy tells us of Peruvian artwork that depicted people of different ethnicities form around the world. Were they descendants of Atlantis? Feels like a lot of speculation, and not much substance.

This was an ok episode. There were some interesting ideas, but a lot of it was just imagination of what may be true. No real theories were explored. It just felt a lot like nothing to me. I was actually more interested in the prophecies of Edgar Cayce than Atlantis itself!


You can watch this episode "Atlantis" below.