Lost Cities of Atlantis, Ancient Europe & the Mediterranean

Before I start this review, I have to reiterate what others have already said; Childress is not an archaeologist in any sense of the word. He's an explorer, and his works are essentially travel narratives that weave together conjecture, pseudo-science, history and paranormal phenomena. They make for entertaining, and sometimes even though-provoking narratives. But they are not legitimate archaeology in any sense of the word, and I should know since it's my Major (mind you, I'm fairly open minded and I like his books; I'm simply stating that the material in these books isn't going to help you pass any Archaeology courses you might take). That said, his quest for lost civilizations, Atlantis in particular, make for a good read if nothing else. This book is only part of the series, but it makes for a good starting point since he covers many well-known sites here. Starting in the Mediterranean, he conjectures the idea of a globe-spanning Atlantean empire, going on to mention lost continents in Babylonian lore, the Sea People, Hittite artifacts in the Americas, secret societies in Rhodes, the Phaistos disk, Thera, the Etruscans, Carthage, ancient Maltese megaliths, Mycenean ruins, the lost city of Tartessos, the origins of the Basque and Berber peoples, the now dead Guanches of the Canary islands, Phoenician exploration of the New World and much more. He continues roaming onward, relating stories, myth and outright speculation as he travels through continental Europe. We are treated to the obligatory mention of the Knights Templar, the Merovignians and the Holy Grail, the Priory of Zion, the Frisian Atland and the Orea Linda manuscript, Stonehenge, Arthurian legend, the Druids, winged cats, ley lines, lost continents off the coast of Lyonesse, Celtic faerie lore, vitrified forts in Scotland, Loch Ness, the Picts and stranger things still. Divided up into chapters based around countries or regions, each section includes several pages of photos, maps, illustrations and runes. Most don't really give a great deal of information, but theres so much that it at least gets you thinking, perhaps doing more research by yourself. Heck, as I've said before, you could read the chapters by themselves without needing to worry about continuity or such. Overall, DHC's works are well worth the read. Again, I have to emphasize that he is not a trained archaeologist as far as I know, nor does he conudct research in a scientific way. But hey, it's still interesting. It is speculation after all, but at the very least it makes for a thought-provoking read. Check this and his other books out, especially if you plan on travelling to any of the regions he mentions. The books practically read like and occult or paranormal travel guide at times.

One of Childress' popular "Lost Cities" series, Lost Cities of Atlantis Ancient Europe & the Mediterranean covers the region in and around the Mediterranean Sea, with a special emphasis on cities and mysteries submerged beneath the waters of this vast inland sea. Calling himself a "maverick archaeologist", Childress is more of a researcher, historian, travel writer, and general raconteur rather than a a true academic archaeologist, making general observations based upon library research, study of local myths, legends, and personal anecdotes, as well as actual experiences visiting these sites. Childress is part of a growing trend in historical and archaeological studies towards the rise of independent researchers. These independents are men and women who have developed a distrust for "mainstream" academic archaeology, due to the fact that there is increasing evidence that the academic community is dismissing, ignoring, or even suppressing archaeological evidence that does not fit in with their preset theories. As a result, these independents have dismissed academe as largely irrelevant, and have gone out on their own to examine the evidence for themselves, usually at their own time and expense. It was this kind of passionate search for the truth about history and our origins that motivated similar men of the 19th century to develop the science of archaeology, a passion that motivated people of the 20th century like Childress, unsatisfied by the condescending, pat answers of academics, to take matters into their own hands. Now, in the 21st century, a growing chorus of discontentment with the academic archaeological establishment continues to erode their viselike grip on the truth of our origins, and the independents stand poised to wrest the sword of truth from the hands of those who seem only to be concerned about personal power, privilege, and social status. Lost Cities of Atlantis, Ancient Europe & the Mediterranean is a fascinating read, and a good addition to the Lost Cities series. It should make a great traveling companion for anyone traveling in the Mediterranean region, as well as a great read for the armchair archaeologist, or just someone who enjoys ancient history and mysteries.Doug Elwell, PublisherMysterious World http://www.mysteriousworld.com

David Hatcher Childress has written a series of these books, and in this one, he tends to conflate and expand the Atlantis myth past the bounds of any possible credibility. Now, this is fine for me...I love insane speculation...but for those looking for reasoned, conservative exploration of the Atlantis myth, you might want to look elsewhere than a book that postulates that Atlantis was or is everywhere from Ireland to Turkey. The Hittities, the Harrapans, the Egyptians, the megalithic builders of Malta and the pre-Celtic inhabitants of Europe...it's as if David figures if he claims Atlantis was everywhere and did everything, eventually he'll get it right by sheer thoroughness.This being said, I loved the book. I was a little sad that he didn't do more with events like the possible Hittite/Mycenaean connection to the Iliad and how that might have played out in the post Santorini Bronze Age Aegean, but that's a mere quibble. Just for postulating that the ancient Celts used a gold disc to fire a laser beam into a barrow, Childress earns my loyal readership. An excellent collection of fancies that may hold more truth than they appear to.

This book actually covers more than the mediterranean area. It talks about prehistoric ruins throughout Europe and parts of the mid east. Many sites are familiar, but many more are ones the reader may not have heard of; the author has apparently visited them all. He writes with an easy readable style and includes the history, the legends and other pertinent information. Anyone going to Europe who wants to visit ancient sites should have this book, since it will tell you about ruins you may not know about. The author discusses the various theories about Atlantis with impartiality and ultimately gives his own views. But this book is much more than a treatise on Atlantis and the reader will find much food for thought. Childress also includes in the back of the book an extensive bibliography for further reading. All in all, a highly readable and well researched book.

From Turkey to islands in the Atlantic Childress takes the reader on asearch of sunken cities and the ancient techologies and cataclysmsthat marked and struck Atlantis. However, recent evidence demonstratesthat the "island-continent" could not have been containedwithin the Mediterranean or even in the nearby Atlantic.