Unearthing Atlantis: An Archaeological Odyssey

Was Atlantis, the fabled continent described by Plato, actually the Mediterranean isle of Thera, which was destroyed by a volcano and tidal wave in 1628 B.C.? Paleontologist Pellegrino makes an intriguing case for this thesis. The Minoan isle, heart of a naval empire which controlled much of the Greek mainland, sustained a city with multi-storied, exquisitely decorated buildings and a technology later copied by Greece. An archeological dig begun in 1967 has turned up parallels to Plato's account of Atlantis, including the Theran custom of bull-worship and the identical colors of rocks in walls. Pellegrino speculates that a drifting cloud from volcanic Thera struck fear into the Egyptian pharaoh, facilitating the Jews' exodus. In a highly personal narrative, he ranges far afield in support ot his theory, sifting evidence from Mount Saint Helens to the Greenland ice cap. Photos. (June)