Adding force vectors: And the resultant is…
One may easily visualize the kinetic phenomenon of sudden continental uplift or tilt by assuming the entire African continent is approximated by a large iceberg at the moment when a gravitational tipping-point is reached; where then, with speed and violence, the massive body moves. This proposed movement of the northern aspects of the African Plate would require several combined geophysical forces capable of providing powerful actions spread across a rather large area. Not surprisingly, the plate boundary between the African and Eurasian Plates in the Mediterranean Region is extremely active and seems to provide more than adequate means; each plate jostling the other for advantage, with the slightest imbalance releasing significant stored energy. The forces along this boundary are comprised of various forms, including but not limited to: uplift and drag of convective hydraulics within the mantle; delamination; orogenic uplift of Atlas Ranges along the Atlas fault; subductive fracture at the Eurasian Plate; isostatic rebound of the Eurasian Plate; and real or apparent minor longitudinal gravitational imbalance between the east and west hemispheres of the African Plate itself. Setting the technical jargon aside, suffice it to say there are many significant forces making this a very unstable region. However, it remains unclear if these forces, even when in combination, would be sufficient to cause the macroscopic deformation of the Earth’s crust indicated by our model. Perhaps we do also need an ET impact force to satisfy the possibly imbalanced equation and to accelerate epeirogenesis.
Interestingly, regardless of the actual cause, this theory of sudden continental tilting and regional uplift could also help explain numerous other currently confounding geologic anomalies, thereby presumably strengthening its merit. Some of these anomalies, under international investigation by scientists and scholars for decades, include: Mid-Atlantic Ridge Non-Transform Fault, Transform Fault and Uplift anomalies; Younger Dryas-Holocene sudden stepwise warming climate change mentioned above; the Zagros Mountains Craton Fault Reactivation & Gravity anomalies; and the fascinating ancient western Great Bend of the Nile toward the Sahara. These anomalies will be discussed in detail later (Figure 7). In the meantime, while continuing to ponder the force dilemma, we need to also focus on some of Plato’s other tangible elements to test the viability of this hypothesis, so let’s see where the path leads.
Is there topographic confirmation of Atlantic Island in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia?
In the quest to identify a scientifically plausible and physically tangible site for Plato’s lost island, it is imperative that researchers uphold his descriptions without alteration and they thoroughly scrutinize his words in an effort to glean every minute detail. Though all previous claims of the island’s discovery have come replete with requisite adjustment factors necessary to mold Plato’s work to fit their hypotheses, ours is unique in that we take Plato at his word. Therefore, in the following few paragraphs, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is that our Saharan-Atlas site has the ability to act as testament to Plato’s descriptive accuracies.
By following Plato’s detailed descriptions and various Greek and Egyptian myths, much as prehistoric travel guides, we find that the lost Atlantic Island should be one and the same as the Atlas Mountain Range prior to the continental uplift discussed above. Indeed, in this argument, the capitol city of Atlantis should be located on the western edge of the Great Occidental Erg of the Sahara Desert directly adjacent the peak of a large hypsographic hill named Garet el Djeder in El Bayadh province of modern Algeria situated at approximately 31.84° North Latitude and 1.03° East Longitude, at an elevation of nearly 1,500 feet (~460 meters) above current sea level. This proposed location is entirely consistent with the geo-political descriptions offered by Plato involving the Atlanteans, Egyptians and Greeks; notably, ancient Athens would have been only about 1,500 miles (~2,100 km) across the sea from Atlantis-Bakhu.
The premises for this location can be tested by comparing all of the macroscopic geographic and dimensional descriptions from Plato for Atlantis to the environs of the Atlas Mountain Range when, according to our hypothesis, it was physically a little deeper in the Earth’s mantle prior to the sudden catastrophic tilting-uplift. Fortunately, scientific study of the natural history of the Atlas Ranges, from tectonics, orogenesis and paleontology, to floral, faunal and anthropological variation associated with climate change, has been studied extensively. We can use this reservoir of data to compare it to detailed characterizations by Plato describing the late ice-age environs of the mountainous Atlantic Island, the lush gardens of Poseidon across the steppes of the plain, and the seaport capitol Atlantis.
We will begin by reviewing the topography of NW Africa to determine the outline of the island’s coast from which we can make a map, of sorts. In the upper image of Figure 2a (1st image on left, click to enlarge), we have reconstructed the lost island in an adaptation from the digital topography of NW Africa shown in the lower image. The upper island image has been adjusted to generally compensate for a lower ocean level associated with the last ice age and, in concert with the digital topography, it can be used as a helpful visual aid in comprehending this seemingly complicated idea.
Conveniently, in both Figures 2a and 2b (2nd image on left, click to enlarge), the digital topography has lower elevations (sea level to ~1,500 feet, or about 460 meters) 
of the Atlas region depicted in blue which provides an excellent opportunity to easily demonstrate the proposed general outline of Plato’s isle. As we’ve explained, prior to the catastrophe that caused the continental uplift and the ultimate abandonment of Atlantis, NW Africa would have been tipped slightly northwest and positioned deeper in the Earth’s mantle. So, in applying our hypothesis, the lowest elevations in this region (i.e. blue and light blue areas shown in the digital topography) would have been even lower and thus covered by waters merging with the modern day Mediterranean. Therefore, on the topography, we need to simply consider that blue-hues and black represent the ancient sea and ocean levels and the transition to green-hues is indicative of the coastline of the former Atlantic Island. Then you can see the enormous island becomes visible revealing an outline that is easily subjected to a multitude of exacting measurements.
For a quick review of the data, Table 1 (image on left, click to enlarge) is a compilation of specific translated passages from Plato’s Critias and Timaeus dialogues which contain descriptions of large-scale geographic and size requirements. Some interspersed passages of the dialogues containing information about common points have been combined for simplicity. The descriptive phrases from Plato are then compared to the known parameters of the Atlas Mountain Ranges, the Saharan-Atlas Steppe, and the western reaches of the Sahara, to evaluate the strength of our hypothesis. We have also included in the table a comparison of several other hypotheses to act as a benchmark and to highlight the depth of our proposal.
Now, for a detailed review of the data, focus attention on Figure 2b where we have added arrows and captions to emphasize 10 major macroscopic features Plato has attributed to his island that seem to consistently mirror the physical geography and gross dimensions of Northwest Africa. For example, Plato said the powerful Atlantean kings came from an island home on the Atlantic Ocean in front of, or beyond, the Pillars of Heracles which are widely recognized as the Strait of Gibralter in modern times (Table 1, #1). Notably, our proposed site for Atlantic Island is adjacent the Atlantic Ocean and encompasses the entire area up to and beyond the Pillars of Heracles, just as Plato said.
Moreover, according to Plato, from around the great island “…was the way to other islands, and from these you might pass to the whole of the opposite continent….,” (Table 1, #2). We can see in Figure 2b that sailing SW from the harbor of Atlantis through the proposed Saharan-Atlantic Sea and out the Draa River Valley, ancient sailors would have come upon the Canary Islands, from which west flowing equatorial currents could carry them to the Caribbean Islands and the Americas. Or, alternatively, these same sailors could choose to sail north from the Canary Islands toward the Celtic Isles and Mainland Europe. Both sailing routes satisfy Plato’s description.
Plato said, “… for this sea which is within the Straits of Heracles is only a harbour, having a narrow entrance, but the other is a real sea…,” (Table 1, #3). We have proposed that when NW Africa was positioned deeper in the mantle, a large shallow sea existed covering the western Sahara which was continuous with the modern Mediterranean Sea; and as Plato indicates, even in this sea’s entirety, the Atlantic Sea (Ocean) was significantly larger only accessible by a relatively narrow passage.
In addition, as Plato required, our Saharan-Atlas site has the northern extremity of the proposed island looking north across the Pillars of Heracles toward the country that was formerly called Gades (today’s Iberian Peninsula). Also observe that the towering Atlas Mountains on the lengthy north shore are precipitous and descend rapidly down to the sea in the north, just as Plato said, and on the southern half of the island there is a generally level plain protected by the mountain ranges on the northern half of the island (Table 1, #4).
An integral and inseparable element of the legend involves the generally rectangular and oblong fertile garden plain which Plato has indicated is situated centrally along the southern shore of the island (Table 1, #5). On the topographic image of NW Africa, we have identified that the Saharan-Atlas Steppe region is entirely consistent with Plato’s description of this plain. Moreover, Plato has told us that at the center of the southern shore of the plain about 5.75 miles (~9.25 km) from the coast, there must be a small mountain that is not very high on any side (Table 1, #7). Located in the exact center of our proposed island’s plain, approximately 5.75 miles from the former coast, geographers have identified a large hypsographic hill, named Garet el Djeder, which fully satisfies these specific Platonic requirements for the island of Atlantis. Surely, in ancient times, this big hypsographic hill could have been viewed as a mountain that wasn’t very high on any side.
One of Plato’s rarely referenced, yet most exacting, macroscopic specifications involves what may be considered to be a measure of taxable property available to support the large military and navy ascribed to the Atlanteans. Apparently, after discounting for non-arable and generally unusable terrain, such as the mountain ranges, high plateaus and watercourses, this measure is presented in terms of total square area in lots capable of some kind of production. Plato tells us, “…and the size of the lots was a square of ten stadia each way, and the total number of all the [habitable and productive] lots was sixty thousand,” (Table 1, #6). Since 10 stadia equals 1.15 miles (~1.85 km), then the area of all the countryside capable of any form of farming or engineering production (excluding unusable rough lands) would be 1.15 x 1.15 x 60,000 = 79,350 square miles (~205,515 square km). This is a rather large number that is difficult to match, but as indicated in Table 1, unlike others, our model uniquely matches with approximately 80,000 square miles of countryside excluding the mountain ranges and wasteland.
Determination of the overall macroscopic dimensions of the entire island has apparently been a matter of controversy due to the perceived ambiguity of a pertinent statement by Plato. Some have interpreted Plato’s statement, “[Atlantic] island was larger than Libya and Asia put together…” to mean the implied measurement is of square area which would equal, based on current national borders, at least, if not greater than, 1,100,000 square miles (~2,848,986 square km). Others have reasoned Plato was referring to a measurement more consistent with the nautical distance used by sailors, that is, the lineal sailing distance from the western reaches of Libya to the coast of ancient Asia (region of modern Israel). Since we have just remarked upon the strong measurements Plato has already provided from which one can calculate the overall productive land of his island (i.e. 79,350 square miles, or ~205,515 square km), we can use this to help reason between the two view points. If the measure was of square area, then less than 10% of the bountiful island would have been productive (i.e. ~80,000 sq. miles divided by ~1,100,000 total sq. miles = 10%). This percentage is inconsistent with typical land masses since usually a greater percentage of productive land would be anticipated. Moreover, the length of the island would have had to be nearly 5,000 miles, or ~8,050 km, long (i.e. ~1,100,000 total sq. miles, or ~2,848,986 square km, divided by the island width of 230 miles, or ~370 km, equals the length) which is greater than some of the largest continents, and equally unlikely. Therefore, since the square area view seems to be grossly out of proportion, our interpretation of Plato’s stated size is in agreement with the view of total direct sailing distance from Libya to the Fertile Crescent near modern Israel. This lineal distance is approximately 1,300 miles (~2,093 km) and is consistent with the length of our proposed island which from tip to tip is also about 1,300 miles (Table 1, #8).
From the geographic descriptions and gross dimensions provided in the Platonic dialogues, we are told that Atlantic Island is 230 miles (~370 km) across in the center and a high mountain range spreads basically east and west on the northern half of it. Further, it is stipulated by Plato that on the southern half of the island there is to be a garden paradise of the god Poseidon which boasts the large rectangular and oblong fertile plain mentioned earlier, stretching 345 miles (~555 km) in length (Table 1, #9). And, when we read Plato’s words further, we are told that it has an irrigation ditch 1,150 miles (~1851 km) long that completely surrounds the garden plains (Table 1, #10). While the scale of human endeavor required to produce a ditch of this size may be viewed as incredulous by some observers, we only need consider the Great Wall of China which was a much greater endeavor and stretched 4,000 miles (~6,437 km). That aside, we can use the ditch dimension to generally determine that the width of the garden plain may be about 115 miles (~185 km) when you account for the serpentine curvature of the ditch (i.e. approximately [2 x 115 miles (~185 km) of island width plus 2 x 345 miles (~555 km) of plain length plus a 230 mile (~370 km) adjustment for extra curvature added to account for non-linearity equals 1,150 miles (~1851 km) around the plain]). Again, we have superimposed and plotted the information above on Figure 2b as a representation of the manifold consistencies between Plato’s detailed measurable descriptions of Atlantic Island and the geographic and topographic realities of NW Africa. We recognize that some research teams have interpreted Plato to be indicating his 230 mile (~370 km) dimension is actually the width of plain instead of the total width of the island; but, as we’ve just shown with a little logic, ours appears to be a more accurate interpretation and conclusion when you account for the non-linear element of the ditch and the necessity of a large mountain range stretching generally east-west separating the island.
Incidentally, we want to suggest there is an interesting tangible fact that may be embraced in support of our proposition that a shallow sea was present at the end of the Pleistocene’s Younger Dryas which covered a large part of the northern aspects of the modern Sahara desert. Since our hypothesis maintains that the catastrophic seismic occurrence identified by Plato was an extraordinarily rare event precipitated by a chance combination of powerful natural forces which may include a down-thrust accelerating component from an unidentified cosmic intruder, it follows logically that for a great expanse of time preceding the event (probably millions of years) life was relatively stable and only punctuated by normal scale disasters, seismicity and periods of aridification. With this in mind, our ancillary point is related to human occupation of this region where Paleolithic sites in Northwest Africa, which indicate continuous occupation, do not appear to fall in the lowest elevations; i.e., they are not located under the proposed former shallow sea. In fact, the ancient Oldowan site at Ain Hanech, Algeria, which is dated to 1.7 million years ago would have overlooked a beautiful protected bay along the former southern shoreline of the Atlantic Island about 200 miles (~322 km) up the coast, NE from Atlantis, and the more recent Acheulian site at Tachenghit, similarly distant to the SW also occupied a site near the shallow sea (see Fig. 2b).
Now, with the apparent match of this geographic location to Plato’s 10 major geographic and topographic specifications for Atlantic Island, it warrants a closer look at his plethora of special features to determine if any other correlations are evident to help bolster the hypothesis that Atlantis-Bakhu exists at this site and its environs were apparently uplifted instead of sinking.