1 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,200 * 2 00:00:12,433 --> 00:00:17,673 NARRATOR: Lost civilizations. Mysterious sunken cities. 3 00:00:18,767 --> 00:00:21,967 And legendary Atlantis itself. 4 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,170 Vanished beneath the waves. 5 00:00:30,633 --> 00:00:34,933 PATRICK: There is a huge amount of unrecorded human history beneath the 6 00:00:34,967 --> 00:00:38,367 ocean's surface that we don't know very much about at all. 7 00:00:40,667 --> 00:00:45,167 NARRATOR: Imagine if we could empty the oceans, letting the water drain away 8 00:00:46,633 --> 00:00:49,773 to reveal the secrets of the sea floor. 9 00:00:50,933 --> 00:00:54,733 Now we can, using the latest underwater technology. 10 00:00:58,333 --> 00:01:03,733 Piercing the deep oceans and turning accurate data into 3D images. 11 00:01:07,633 --> 00:01:12,473 Is this a huge underwater temple carved by a mysterious lost civilization? 12 00:01:20,967 --> 00:01:23,767 NARRATOR: Why are these perfectly circular stones 13 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,600 lying at the bottom of a bay in the Aegean Sea? 14 00:01:27,633 --> 00:01:32,303 SIMON: There are shapes on the seabed that just don't make sense. 15 00:01:32,333 --> 00:01:37,033 NARRATOR: Are these just rocks, or the remains of an ancient city? 16 00:01:37,533 --> 00:01:40,533 JON (over radio): Parts of this are just beginning to be revealed for the first time. 17 00:01:40,833 --> 00:01:42,103 Wow. 18 00:01:43,833 --> 00:01:48,633 NARRATOR: And is the real site of Atlantis finally about to be revealed? 19 00:01:48,933 --> 00:01:50,673 -People want to believe in places like Atlantis. 20 00:01:50,700 --> 00:01:52,930 They want to believe in other worlds. 21 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,530 (waves crashing) 22 00:02:16,167 --> 00:02:20,867 NARRATOR: Stories of sunken cities have fascinated for millennia. 23 00:02:24,367 --> 00:02:27,727 The most tantalizing of all: Atlantis. 24 00:02:38,467 --> 00:02:44,467 First described by ancient philosopher, Plato, a dazzling civilization 25 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:50,470 destroyed by the gods as punishment for human pride. 26 00:03:00,633 --> 00:03:05,273 -People connect to that story, and it's because of this idea of an ancient civilization, 27 00:03:05,300 --> 00:03:09,600 a utopia, that we've evolved from. 28 00:03:09,633 --> 00:03:12,873 NARRATOR: 2,000 years later, the idea of Atlantis 29 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:16,700 continues to fascinate A-list archaeologists. 30 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,900 And the producers of B-list movies. 31 00:03:20,933 --> 00:03:24,003 MAN (over TV): Atlantis is the story of those who, like today, 32 00:03:24,033 --> 00:03:27,833 would use the marvels of science to conquer and enslave. 33 00:03:27,867 --> 00:03:30,597 Atlantis, a world that worships strange gods of science, 34 00:03:30,633 --> 00:03:33,833 of science, a science gone berserk. 35 00:03:33,867 --> 00:03:35,297 -Plato would have loved this okay? 36 00:03:35,333 --> 00:03:37,003 He would have had a great time. 37 00:03:37,033 --> 00:03:38,533 He would have said, 'at last, you know, people are listening to me. 38 00:03:38,567 --> 00:03:40,127 People are taking my story seriously.' 39 00:03:40,167 --> 00:03:43,527 And he would have enjoyed this immensely. 40 00:03:43,567 --> 00:03:47,427 NARRATOR: Using science, not science fiction, draining the oceans 41 00:03:47,467 --> 00:03:50,727 exposes new evidence about Atlantis. 42 00:03:50,767 --> 00:03:55,197 And other stories of great sunken cities, around the world. 43 00:03:56,900 --> 00:04:02,030 As the waters recede from around the remote Japanese island of Yonaguni, 44 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,170 a mysterious formation begins to appear. 45 00:04:14,367 --> 00:04:18,067 Could it be the creation of an advanced, ancient people? 46 00:04:22,533 --> 00:04:25,533 Yonaguni lies in the East China Sea. 47 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,400 The waters here are perilous. 48 00:04:35,433 --> 00:04:39,473 Schools of hammerhead sharks patrol, amid powerful currents. 49 00:04:42,933 --> 00:04:46,033 Typhoons frequently batter the island. 50 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:53,530 For divers, it's the ultimate challenge. 51 00:04:57,033 --> 00:05:00,433 Kihachiro Aratake is one of the pioneers of diving here. 52 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:06,800 KIHACHIRO: The water was crystal clear. 53 00:05:09,133 --> 00:05:14,303 I felt as though I was looking down from the seabed from the sky. 54 00:05:14,333 --> 00:05:17,603 NARRATOR: Searching for a new dive site, he makes a startling discovery. 55 00:05:28,533 --> 00:05:32,003 -I saw a steps-like formation, like terraced fields. 56 00:05:36,933 --> 00:05:40,273 I thought for a moment it was similar to the Machu Picchu ruins. 57 00:05:46,533 --> 00:05:49,203 So, I named the spot the submarine ruins. 58 00:05:52,433 --> 00:05:55,033 NARRATOR: It's an extraordinary spectacle. 59 00:05:59,667 --> 00:06:02,927 The size of five football fields. 60 00:06:08,900 --> 00:06:13,170 Smooth-sided walls rise up to the summit, the height of an eight-story building. 61 00:06:18,033 --> 00:06:21,903 Flights of stone steps climb up from the base. 62 00:06:23,867 --> 00:06:27,897 And on every side, the shapes and forms are strikingly regular. 63 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,300 -It can't be formed naturally, without human involvement. 64 00:06:37,100 --> 00:06:38,870 It couldn't be like that. 65 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,430 NARRATOR: So, what could it be? 66 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:49,900 It's impossible to investigate the structure fully by diving. 67 00:06:56,233 --> 00:07:01,173 The only way is to conduct a survey using the latest scanning technology. 68 00:07:06,867 --> 00:07:10,767 HIRONOBU: Although the shallow waters around Yonaguni Island are close to human habitation, 69 00:07:11,633 --> 00:07:14,633 we don't know much about them. 70 00:07:14,967 --> 00:07:16,567 It's an unknown frontier. 71 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:27,370 NARRATOR: Using sonar scans, Hironobu Kan records a 72 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,270 complete digital map of the sea floor. 73 00:07:32,833 --> 00:07:37,603 Using this data, it's possible, for the very first time, 74 00:07:37,633 --> 00:07:43,573 to drain away the waters and reveal what lies beneath in exact detail. 75 00:07:48,467 --> 00:07:52,267 The summit of the mysterious structure begins to appear. 76 00:08:00,733 --> 00:08:03,373 (waves crashing) 77 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:08,400 Water pours off its smooth terraced layers, exposing them once again to the sky. 78 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:19,200 And with the monument left high and dry, its true scale becomes clear. 79 00:08:20,933 --> 00:08:25,133 Vast, imposing and spectacular. 80 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,030 The incredible discovery attracts worldwide attention. 81 00:08:37,133 --> 00:08:42,003 Divers, journalists and TV crews flock to Yonaguni, all asking: 82 00:08:43,300 --> 00:08:45,870 what could this mysterious structure be? 83 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,670 And scientists come here too. 84 00:08:50,967 --> 00:08:54,967 Among them is Professor Masaaki Kimura, one of Japan's top marine geologists. 85 00:09:00,067 --> 00:09:03,727 KIMURA: When I dived underwater to explore it I felt right away that it must 86 00:09:03,767 --> 00:09:05,597 be a man-made structure. 87 00:09:10,133 --> 00:09:13,503 NARRATOR: He finds several features that he believes indicate human activity. 88 00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:26,700 -Here, you'll see something that looks like the front gate of a castle. 89 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:29,630 It's like a tunnel, and you go through it. 90 00:09:30,300 --> 00:09:35,030 NARRATOR: On the far side of the tunnel, a road loops around to a flight of steps. 91 00:09:35,733 --> 00:09:39,673 Watched over by two mysterious stone objects. 92 00:09:44,667 --> 00:09:49,967 -There are mound-like bulges here and here, and if you look at them, 93 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,730 you'll find turtles with their necks extended, on both sides. 94 00:09:55,500 --> 00:10:00,400 NARRATOR: According to ancient Japanese folklore, the dragon god, Ryujin, 95 00:10:00,433 --> 00:10:04,803 lives in an underwater palace, watched over by turtles. 96 00:10:05,633 --> 00:10:08,903 To Professor Kimura, this indicates that the monument 97 00:10:08,933 --> 00:10:12,103 is so important it needs guarding. 98 00:10:12,833 --> 00:10:14,703 And that's not all. 99 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:21,830 -If you go up this path you get to this place. 100 00:10:21,867 --> 00:10:24,197 This portion is triangular. 101 00:10:24,233 --> 00:10:27,673 That's why it's called the triangle pool. 102 00:10:27,700 --> 00:10:32,200 Since this is fairly big and shallow as well, you can relax in it. 103 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:38,830 Also, the sea surface is very close to it and it's warm due to the sunlight. 104 00:10:38,867 --> 00:10:42,727 You feel chilly after you come out of the deeper area down there, 105 00:10:42,767 --> 00:10:44,897 and you can warm up here. 106 00:10:47,167 --> 00:10:52,327 NARRATOR: But the monument's most striking feature is its wide, flat terraces, 107 00:10:52,367 --> 00:10:55,527 Large enough to support thousands of people. 108 00:10:56,067 --> 00:11:01,527 Professor Kimura believes the gateway, stairs, turtles and terraces 109 00:11:01,567 --> 00:11:04,267 all point towards one purpose. 110 00:11:14,167 --> 00:11:17,867 -Judging from its shape, I think they used it as a castle. 111 00:11:20,633 --> 00:11:24,773 NARRATOR: But to prove his theory, Professor Kimura needs more: 112 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,370 the artifacts of those who once lived here. 113 00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:32,700 He scours the structure looking for clues, and 114 00:11:32,733 --> 00:11:36,603 discovers what look like primitive tools. 115 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,970 Then, hidden behind one of the great walls, the most remarkable find of all. 116 00:11:46,833 --> 00:11:50,973 -Look at this, a symbol is inscribed here and here's a hole. 117 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,670 Probably, they hung this article like this. 118 00:11:53,700 --> 00:11:55,830 And here's something looking like a letter. 119 00:11:55,867 --> 00:11:59,597 Maybe it could be a kind of a talisman to protect people from evil. 120 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,900 NARRATOR: For Professor Kimura, the case is closed. 121 00:12:02,933 --> 00:12:08,103 The artifacts and the monument's regular shapes prove that humans lived here, 122 00:12:08,133 --> 00:12:10,773 8,000 years ago. 123 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:16,570 After that, rising sea levels claim the territory of this lost race of master builders. 124 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,670 But is that the real story of Yonaguni? 125 00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:31,500 NARRATOR: Professor Kimura believes that this extraordinary structure 126 00:12:31,533 --> 00:12:36,103 off the coast of Japan is a gigantic castle, built long before the pyramids of Egypt 127 00:12:38,067 --> 00:12:41,097 by a mysterious lost civilization. 128 00:12:41,533 --> 00:12:43,733 But is it? 129 00:12:48,433 --> 00:12:54,373 With the water drained away, it's possible to scrutinize the monument in forensic detail. 130 00:12:58,533 --> 00:13:03,433 The edges appear regular and straight, as if made from blocks carved by human hand. 131 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:09,930 But closer examination reveals something else. 132 00:13:10,533 --> 00:13:15,003 The surfaces are smooth and unbroken. 133 00:13:15,033 --> 00:13:18,833 The monument is not assembled from handmade blocks, 134 00:13:18,867 --> 00:13:23,727 but is in fact one solid mass of rock. 135 00:13:28,733 --> 00:13:33,403 HIRONOBU: The pyramid area and the headland behind it are connected with each other. 136 00:13:33,433 --> 00:13:38,173 The surface of the terrain has a lot of grooves, so you may think they are separate, 137 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:42,870 but since they consist of the identical stone, they are originally connected. 138 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:49,400 NARRATOR: The basic form of the monument is clearly natural. 139 00:13:50,867 --> 00:13:55,667 But what about the gateway, steps, turtles and pool? 140 00:13:58,067 --> 00:14:02,127 Could it be that an ancient people carved into this huge rock, 141 00:14:02,167 --> 00:14:06,297 transforming it into a great castle or temple? 142 00:14:08,967 --> 00:14:12,827 Studying the headland on shore provides the answer. 143 00:14:14,433 --> 00:14:18,533 The shapes here are strikingly similar to those found on the monument, 144 00:14:18,567 --> 00:14:23,127 and that's because they were formed in exactly the same way. 145 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:28,030 Both are made of sandstone which, when subjected to stress, 146 00:14:28,067 --> 00:14:32,167 such as during an earthquake, can fracture along vertical faults, 147 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,200 forming angular shapes and what look like steps. 148 00:14:37,667 --> 00:14:41,327 PATRICK: Put something like that underwater, have the water wash over the top of it 149 00:14:41,367 --> 00:14:46,897 and clear away all the debris, and you've got very, very fine step-like structures. 150 00:14:46,933 --> 00:14:50,973 But they're no more human made than any other structure down there. 151 00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:55,600 NARRATOR: The lack of tool marks is further confirmation. 152 00:14:55,633 --> 00:15:00,773 The forces which shaped this remarkable place are geological. 153 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,170 But what of the artifacts? 154 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:09,100 Perhaps the monument, if not built by ancient people, was inhabited by them. 155 00:15:09,133 --> 00:15:11,703 Walking these steps. 156 00:15:11,733 --> 00:15:14,833 Crowding these natural terraces. 157 00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:21,670 But so far, no other objects have been found, suggesting that the talisman and tools 158 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:28,700 were dropped from a boat passing overhead, landing on the monument simply by chance. 159 00:15:30,733 --> 00:15:33,833 -The clear thing for Yonaguni for me is there's no pottery, 160 00:15:33,867 --> 00:15:35,897 there's no evidence of actual human occupation. 161 00:15:35,933 --> 00:15:38,273 There's not a single wall from the site. 162 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:42,000 There's nothing on it, that indicates human activity. 163 00:15:43,767 --> 00:15:47,697 NARRATOR: The Yonaguni Monument is an extraordinary natural formation, 164 00:15:47,733 --> 00:15:50,773 created by epic geological forces. 165 00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:55,670 But its shapes appear so regular that many still believe 166 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:59,430 it holds a secret, ancient purpose. 167 00:16:00,333 --> 00:16:04,733 JIM: You can take that leap if you have an imagination and say yes, 168 00:16:04,767 --> 00:16:09,627 this could be an ancient city beneath the sea but in the case of Yonaguni 169 00:16:09,667 --> 00:16:12,427 I'm in those ranks that feel that it's not. 170 00:16:12,467 --> 00:16:14,267 It's geology. 171 00:16:14,300 --> 00:16:17,030 -We want to believe that science doesn't have all the answers. 172 00:16:17,067 --> 00:16:22,697 We want to believe innately that there is something out there that we can connect with 173 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:26,770 spiritually and that hasn't really been polluted by 174 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,670 being the subject of scientific discovery. 175 00:16:31,433 --> 00:16:35,233 NARRATOR: And still amongst the believers is Professor Kimura. 176 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:42,900 He remains convinced that the monument was inhabited by his ancestors and continues to 177 00:16:42,933 --> 00:16:46,503 search for evidence to prove the doubters wrong. 178 00:16:52,933 --> 00:16:55,973 Beneath the oceans of the world lie many more 179 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,470 tantalizing traces of possible lost civilizations. 180 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:06,430 As the water continues to drain away, in the Eastern Mediterranean, 181 00:17:06,467 --> 00:17:10,967 astonishing structures emerge in a quiet island harbor. 182 00:17:14,667 --> 00:17:19,197 Is this jumble of shaped stones the architectural debris of a once great city? 183 00:17:27,567 --> 00:17:32,967 Alikanas Bay, a tourist hotspot on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. 184 00:17:36,433 --> 00:17:41,073 Diver, Pavlos Voutos, sets out to take some underwater photos. 185 00:17:58,133 --> 00:18:02,203 NARRATOR: Pavlos swims farther out into the bay in search of clearer water. 186 00:18:06,967 --> 00:18:11,227 Then, out of the gloom, he sees something that will change his life. 187 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:42,000 NARRATOR: The debris stretches out for hundreds of yards in all directions. 188 00:18:43,767 --> 00:18:49,067 The area is so large that Pavlos is convinced he's found the remains of an entire town. 189 00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:35,330 NARRATOR: The discovery sends a bolt of electricity through the world of archaeology. 190 00:19:37,833 --> 00:19:42,473 Professor Michael Stamatakis, immediately travels to Zakynthos to investigate. 191 00:20:01,333 --> 00:20:05,203 NARRATOR: Stamatakis recalls seeing similar shapes on land, 192 00:20:05,233 --> 00:20:09,503 at the site of an ancient settlement built over 2,000 years ago. 193 00:20:28,633 --> 00:20:32,973 NARRATOR: If the same shapes lie on the sea bed, they could indicate an ancient settlement 194 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,400 just offshore concealed under the bay and forgotten about for centuries. 195 00:20:49,467 --> 00:20:52,427 Comparing the images is not enough. 196 00:20:58,033 --> 00:21:01,703 The only way to reveal a complete picture of the structures 197 00:21:01,733 --> 00:21:06,373 is a detailed underwater survey. 198 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,300 Simon Brown is an expert in 3D modelling. 199 00:21:10,333 --> 00:21:13,403 But the task facing him is immense. 200 00:21:14,133 --> 00:21:16,573 SIMON: Right now we're not quite sure how big the area is. 201 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,200 I've estimated it's about 16 acres, which will be 202 00:21:21,233 --> 00:21:25,433 more than double the largest subject I've ever covered to date. 203 00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:33,530 It's a weird place. 204 00:21:34,233 --> 00:21:38,333 There is definitely features here that I have never seen anywhere else before. 205 00:21:40,933 --> 00:21:42,203 They look out of place. 206 00:21:48,233 --> 00:21:53,333 But then I started to see more regular shapes that looked that cut stone. 207 00:21:53,367 --> 00:21:57,227 So my mind then starts to think, is it... 208 00:21:57,267 --> 00:21:59,167 is it manmade? 209 00:22:01,267 --> 00:22:04,967 NARRATOR: Can draining the waters of the Mediterranean provide the answer? 210 00:22:12,933 --> 00:22:15,333 NARRATOR: Simon Brown is mapping mysterious 211 00:22:15,367 --> 00:22:18,397 underwater structures discovered in a Greek bay. 212 00:22:19,467 --> 00:22:22,997 Could they be the remains of an ancient town? 213 00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:30,500 He takes nearly 4,000 high resolution photographs of the sea floor tracking each with 214 00:22:31,933 --> 00:22:35,033 pinpoint accuracy through GPS. 215 00:22:38,833 --> 00:22:43,303 Using these images, it's now possible to do something which has never been done before: 216 00:22:45,267 --> 00:22:50,227 drain the waters of Alikanas Bay and reveal, for the first time ever, 217 00:22:50,267 --> 00:22:53,127 a 3D plan of the entire sea floor. 218 00:22:57,933 --> 00:23:02,003 As the Mediterranean begins to recede, a world is exposed 219 00:23:02,033 --> 00:23:05,273 that's been invisible for thousands of years. 220 00:23:07,433 --> 00:23:11,673 First, the rocky shoreline is left high and dry. 221 00:23:13,033 --> 00:23:18,203 Then, from the dark depths, regular shapes begin to appear, 222 00:23:18,233 --> 00:23:20,033 hidden amongst the rocks. 223 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:28,900 Could they be the bases of stone columns which together once formed a grand colonnade? 224 00:23:33,167 --> 00:23:37,967 The use of colonnades is a turning point in ancient Greek architecture. 225 00:23:39,867 --> 00:23:44,967 Builders can now switch from wood to stone, a far stronger material, 226 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,870 to create ever larger temples to the gods. 227 00:23:49,667 --> 00:23:53,527 A colonnade in Alikanas Bay would prove that an important, 228 00:23:53,567 --> 00:23:56,197 ancient settlement once stood here. 229 00:23:56,667 --> 00:23:59,697 But some experts remain skeptical. 230 00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:02,800 PATRICK: There are structures all over the world that mimic 231 00:24:02,833 --> 00:24:04,573 something that humans may have created. 232 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,170 Doesn't mean that humans created them. 233 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,830 NARRATOR: With the water drained away, it's now possible to search the 234 00:24:11,867 --> 00:24:15,597 sea bed for evidence of human occupation. 235 00:24:16,433 --> 00:24:18,933 Fragments of the pots people cooked with. 236 00:24:20,667 --> 00:24:23,197 Charcoal from their fires. 237 00:24:23,233 --> 00:24:26,773 Tools for farming, and weapons for defending their homes. 238 00:24:27,967 --> 00:24:32,197 Any objects made of metal, clay or stone should have survived. 239 00:24:36,767 --> 00:24:39,527 But there's nothing. 240 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,470 Which means these extraordinary remains, whatever they are, 241 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:47,770 are not the relics of a lost town. 242 00:24:49,300 --> 00:24:50,770 So, what are they? 243 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,170 NARRATOR: Further analysis reveals the formations are what geologists call 244 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,430 'concretions'. 245 00:25:28,467 --> 00:25:33,997 Solid blocks of sedimentary rock formed by powerful volcanic activity. 246 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:39,970 Underwater vents release methane from deep within the Earth. 247 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,630 Combining with microbes and sediment, 248 00:25:42,667 --> 00:25:46,827 the methane causes regular circular shapes to form. 249 00:25:46,867 --> 00:25:50,127 Far from being a relic of ancient Greece, 250 00:25:50,167 --> 00:25:55,067 the structures here pre-date human activities by five million years! 251 00:25:59,067 --> 00:26:01,797 Despite all the evidence against his theory, 252 00:26:01,833 --> 00:26:05,533 Pavlos Voutos remains convinced that the fantastical 253 00:26:05,567 --> 00:26:09,127 landscape he discovered was shaped by his ancestors. 254 00:26:28,933 --> 00:26:31,073 NARRATOR: Classical civilizations dominate the 255 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:34,470 Mediterranean for over a thousand years. 256 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:39,100 Today, all around its coast, people tell stories of sunken cities. 257 00:26:42,433 --> 00:26:45,973 As the waters around Greece drain away further, 258 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,670 an extraordinary underwater vista is exposed. 259 00:26:50,833 --> 00:26:55,233 Could these patterns on the sea floor be the remnants of an ancient city? 260 00:27:00,967 --> 00:27:05,167 The village of Elafonisos sits on a small island just off the Greek coast. 261 00:27:11,767 --> 00:27:15,367 At first glance, an ordinary fishing port. 262 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:22,070 But in 1967, less than 100 yards out to sea, something attracts the attention of a 263 00:27:23,667 --> 00:27:26,697 visiting maritime archaeologist. 264 00:27:27,567 --> 00:27:32,167 Snorkeling in 13 feet of water, Nicholas Fleming catches a glimpse of 265 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,730 regular shapes on the sea floor. 266 00:27:37,667 --> 00:27:42,167 Then, exploring deeper, he sees what he thinks is evidence of human activity. 267 00:27:44,267 --> 00:27:48,827 FLEMING: I looked at these rows of stones, and I just had no idea what it was, 268 00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:53,367 but I realized immediately that it was manmade, that we were looking at a 269 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,600 large part of a town, and I mean I just went crazy. 270 00:27:58,767 --> 00:28:03,297 NARRATOR: Fleming is convinced he has found something special. 271 00:28:03,333 --> 00:28:08,203 But could these simply be natural formations, mimicking human structures, 272 00:28:08,233 --> 00:28:11,533 like the concretions of nearby Alikanas Bay? 273 00:28:12,233 --> 00:28:16,203 The following year, Fleming returns with a team of surveyors 274 00:28:16,233 --> 00:28:18,303 to discover the truth. 275 00:28:19,733 --> 00:28:23,973 Using tape measures, they document what they find. 276 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,000 And the results are astonishing. 277 00:28:28,167 --> 00:28:32,197 The site is strewn with signs of human activity. 278 00:28:32,667 --> 00:28:39,167 Pots, storage vessels and tools lie across a huge area of the sea bed. 279 00:28:39,567 --> 00:28:45,097 There can be no doubt: Fleming has discovered the remains of an ancient town. 280 00:28:46,133 --> 00:28:49,903 It's named Pavlopetri after a nearby island. 281 00:28:50,700 --> 00:28:53,130 But who built it, and when? 282 00:28:56,067 --> 00:28:59,327 These questions inspire a generation of archaeologists. 283 00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:04,300 JON: Well I've always been interested in submerged settlement, submerged towns, 284 00:29:04,333 --> 00:29:06,603 and I'd read about Pavlopetri as a boy. 285 00:29:06,633 --> 00:29:11,433 And this idea of an intact, prehistoric town underwater just seemed you know 286 00:29:11,467 --> 00:29:13,467 incredibly romantic, incredibly exciting. 287 00:29:21,967 --> 00:29:26,797 NARRATOR: Henderson can now fulfill a childhood dream and explore this haunted 288 00:29:26,833 --> 00:29:29,303 underwater world for himself. 289 00:29:29,767 --> 00:29:31,927 -Here we have a quern stone. 290 00:29:31,967 --> 00:29:36,227 -You can see it's got a very concave, concave surface there. 291 00:29:36,267 --> 00:29:41,267 That's for grinding grain or whatever it was that you were turning into you know flour. 292 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:44,200 That's quite a clear artifact. 293 00:29:44,233 --> 00:29:46,533 Very nice. 294 00:29:52,433 --> 00:29:54,573 There is a huge amphora. 295 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,930 One, amphora, two amphora, three, four, five. 296 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,900 This gives you an example of what's coming out of the sand, 297 00:30:02,933 --> 00:30:05,403 what's eroding out of the sand. 298 00:30:05,433 --> 00:30:08,703 Look, there's the base of an amphora, there's the amphora shape there, it's on its side. 299 00:30:10,267 --> 00:30:12,927 There's another one next to it and another one there. 300 00:30:16,433 --> 00:30:20,903 NARRATOR: And further into the bay, more evidence of human life, and death. 301 00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:27,600 -So, here's a cist grave. Edge set slabs. 302 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,100 A very small one. Possibly for a baby. 303 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,800 There are about 40 of these on the site. 304 00:30:40,567 --> 00:30:42,627 NARRATOR: Diving gives intriguing glimpses of 305 00:30:42,667 --> 00:30:45,467 objects lying upon the sea bed. 306 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,930 But it's impossible to gain a complete picture. 307 00:30:54,367 --> 00:30:58,667 To do this, it must be mapped using the latest in underwater scanning technology. 308 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,370 (waves crashing) 309 00:31:16,967 --> 00:31:22,267 Using this data, it's now possible to drain away the waters above Pavlopetri and 310 00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:28,500 bring sunlight back to a forgotten world and a true Sunken City. 311 00:31:37,033 --> 00:31:41,933 With the entire bay drained away, everything becomes clear. 312 00:31:46,767 --> 00:31:51,797 The lines are the foundations of buildings, laid out in clear streets. 313 00:31:54,133 --> 00:31:58,603 At the heart of the town is a large open area, perhaps an ancient market place. 314 00:32:04,867 --> 00:32:09,697 And nearby, the remnants of a huge structure, perhaps an important civic building. 315 00:32:13,967 --> 00:32:18,597 The remains cover 20 acres and the town could have housed 4,000 people. 316 00:32:21,300 --> 00:32:24,770 A thriving, ancient settlement once existed here. 317 00:32:26,667 --> 00:32:30,527 The next challenge is to discover who built it. 318 00:32:31,167 --> 00:32:33,067 And when. 319 00:32:35,633 --> 00:32:39,533 -We know how old the occupation of the site is, because we've got pottery. 320 00:32:39,567 --> 00:32:43,097 And pottery particularly in this part of the world is very well dated. 321 00:32:43,967 --> 00:32:46,427 What was really exciting is we actually found evicdence of pottery 322 00:32:46,467 --> 00:32:49,127 from the end of the Stone Age. 323 00:32:49,567 --> 00:32:53,867 So, we've actually got occupation here from about 5,500 years ago. 324 00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:56,270 And then we've got every single bit of pottery you would expect 325 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:58,030 up until about 1100 BC. 326 00:32:58,067 --> 00:33:00,367 There's no gaps in that. 327 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,030 So, the place seems to have been continuously occupied throughout the Bronze Age. 328 00:33:05,300 --> 00:33:09,800 NARRATOR: Pavlopetri was occupied for 2,400 years during 329 00:33:09,833 --> 00:33:13,203 a revolutionary period of human development. 330 00:33:14,633 --> 00:33:19,633 At its peak in the bronze age, around 1700BC, it looked like this: a perfect example of the 331 00:33:22,933 --> 00:33:27,903 time when Europeans start to live in stone-built towns with regular laid out streets. 332 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:33,070 But one question remains. 333 00:33:33,467 --> 00:33:37,797 Why did the builders of this town choose this particular location, 334 00:33:37,833 --> 00:33:40,603 in a remote part of ancient Greece? 335 00:33:43,167 --> 00:33:46,567 Exploring the drained landscape around the ancient city 336 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:49,300 reveals an all-important clue. 337 00:33:50,633 --> 00:33:55,873 At its edge, a huge sand bank stretches out into the ocean. 338 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:59,900 During the Bronze Age, people don't build ports out of stone. 339 00:34:00,867 --> 00:34:04,467 They bring ships up to the shore and then beach them. 340 00:34:05,967 --> 00:34:11,167 And Pavlopetri's location means it can exploit the trade routes that boom during the 341 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,070 Bronze Age right across the Mediterranean. 342 00:34:17,567 --> 00:34:20,797 Evidence of early commercial activity is everywhere. 343 00:34:21,567 --> 00:34:24,827 -The interesting thing is we've clearly got a lot of material coming in. 344 00:34:24,867 --> 00:34:28,027 We found thousands and thousands of shards of very large storage vessels, 345 00:34:28,067 --> 00:34:31,197 which have been used for storing olive oil, wine, 346 00:34:31,233 --> 00:34:33,033 that kind of thing and generally anything. 347 00:34:33,067 --> 00:34:34,467 They were like the containers of the day. 348 00:34:35,933 --> 00:34:37,533 NARRATOR: And that's not all. 349 00:34:37,567 --> 00:34:42,127 Pavlopetri is also a hub for manufactory. 350 00:34:42,167 --> 00:34:46,667 -We've got a lot of evidence for loom weights, thousands of loom weights, 351 00:34:46,700 --> 00:34:50,130 way more than you would need for domestic production so it seems that maybe textiles were 352 00:34:50,167 --> 00:34:52,427 something that were being produced on the site and perhaps exported. 353 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:00,570 NARRATOR: Pavlopetri is an extraordinary, bustling, vibrant port city. 354 00:35:01,767 --> 00:35:04,527 And an important center of trade. 355 00:35:04,833 --> 00:35:07,773 So how did such an advanced metropolis meet its end? 356 00:35:16,667 --> 00:35:20,767 NARRATOR: An ancient, submerged city off the coast of Greece. 357 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,100 How it came to lie on the sea floor is a mystery. 358 00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:27,670 JON: One of the interesting things about Pavlopetri and its submergence is that 359 00:35:27,700 --> 00:35:30,330 there are no historical references to it at all. 360 00:35:30,367 --> 00:35:33,267 It sunk under the waves and then it was out of sight, out of mind. 361 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:36,370 And there's certainly no classical sources that refer to its sinking. 362 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,530 And there's nothing until it's discovery really in the 20th century. 363 00:35:43,167 --> 00:35:48,097 NARRATOR: Scanning the drained bay could reveal what happened to Pavlopetri. 364 00:35:49,933 --> 00:35:53,473 At the edge of the town, it's possible to make out three mysterious lines. 365 00:35:57,133 --> 00:36:02,103 These are strips of beach rock, formed by the action of sunlight on salt water. 366 00:36:03,500 --> 00:36:06,100 They form only near the shoreline. 367 00:36:07,033 --> 00:36:12,433 It can mean only one thing: earthquakes caused this land to subside into the sea. 368 00:36:14,367 --> 00:36:17,627 -So, there was a big earthquake, perhaps part of the remains went under the 369 00:36:17,667 --> 00:36:20,867 water, part of them are still surviving, then there was another earthquake it was 370 00:36:20,900 --> 00:36:23,230 pushed under then there was a third, and it was gone. 371 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:31,200 NARRATOR: Pavlopetri is one of the most important Bronze age sites in the world, 372 00:36:31,233 --> 00:36:34,303 and the oldest submerged town ever discovered. 373 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,430 But it's not alone. 374 00:36:49,533 --> 00:36:53,473 -A lot of the major finds in the next couple of decades are going to come from the sea. 375 00:36:53,500 --> 00:36:57,770 I think we have the potential to rewrite what we know about human history. 376 00:36:59,833 --> 00:37:05,273 NARRATOR: Pavlopetri is an extraordinary find, but it is not the legendary Atlantis. 377 00:37:08,633 --> 00:37:12,633 Various locations for Plato's dazzling city have been proposed, 378 00:37:12,667 --> 00:37:14,797 around the world. 379 00:37:15,567 --> 00:37:20,497 But most academic investigations point to one place: the Mediterranean. 380 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:26,430 As its waters continue to drain away, at its western end, 381 00:37:26,467 --> 00:37:29,827 new and tantalizing evidence is revealed. 382 00:37:30,533 --> 00:37:36,133 Could archaeologists finally have found the site of Plato's famous lost city? 383 00:37:42,333 --> 00:37:47,333 Marc Gutscher is a geophysicist, long fascinated by Plato's story. 384 00:37:47,367 --> 00:37:50,527 MARC: I do think that becoming interested in Atlantis can be almost, 385 00:37:50,567 --> 00:37:54,897 like a bug or an infection or like gambling. 386 00:37:54,933 --> 00:37:58,473 I think one can become obsessed. 387 00:37:59,567 --> 00:38:05,467 NARRATOR: Plato wrote about Atlantis in 360BC, describing an advanced metropolis 388 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:10,900 9,000 years before his own time, lost beneath the waves in a cataclysmic event. 389 00:38:14,433 --> 00:38:20,403 Marc Gutscher has analyzed Plato's texts, searching for clues to its location. 390 00:38:20,833 --> 00:38:25,933 -'This power came forth out of the Atlantic Ocean from an island situated in front of 391 00:38:25,967 --> 00:38:30,097 the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Heracles.' 392 00:38:32,300 --> 00:38:36,930 NARRATOR: The Pillars of Heracles is the name given by Plato to the maritime boundary 393 00:38:36,967 --> 00:38:39,597 of the ancient Greek world. 394 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,070 Many locations have been suggested. 395 00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:46,800 But Marc believes he has the answer: The Straits of Gibraltar. 396 00:38:48,267 --> 00:38:53,897 -So here at Cape Spartel we're at the northern edge of the Moroccan Atlantic coast and 397 00:38:53,933 --> 00:38:56,933 just at the entrance to the Straits of Gibraltar. 398 00:38:56,967 --> 00:39:01,467 About 10 to 15 kilometers off to the north west there's a submerged bank. 399 00:39:01,500 --> 00:39:04,870 Some people have suggested that it might have been inhabited and it might have 400 00:39:04,900 --> 00:39:07,970 formed the origin of the Atlantis legend. 401 00:39:09,867 --> 00:39:15,497 NARRATOR: Today, this area sits under the second busiest shipping route in the world, 402 00:39:15,533 --> 00:39:18,503 a difficult place for sub-sea investigation. 403 00:39:20,433 --> 00:39:24,703 During a project to study rising sea levels here, Marc gets his chance. 404 00:39:28,067 --> 00:39:33,267 Using a remotely operated vehicle or ROV, he sets out to map the sea floor. 405 00:39:39,100 --> 00:39:41,730 (waves crashing) 406 00:39:46,700 --> 00:39:48,630 It's challenging work. 407 00:39:50,100 --> 00:39:54,200 -It was very difficult, both the towing of the camera was difficult, 408 00:39:54,233 --> 00:39:58,273 keeping the ship in place was difficult, and especially trying to keep the ROV 409 00:39:58,300 --> 00:40:00,100 in place was really, really difficult. 410 00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:08,670 NARRATOR: Finally, Marc gets the sonar scanning data that he needs. 411 00:40:14,767 --> 00:40:19,327 Now, combining this information with the latest computer graphics, 412 00:40:19,367 --> 00:40:25,267 it's possible to drain away the sea water from between the ancient pillars of Heracles, 413 00:40:26,500 --> 00:40:31,970 and attempt to solve one of the greatest archaeological mysteries of all time... 414 00:40:33,433 --> 00:40:36,673 Soon, rocks begin to emerge, and the 415 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:41,470 unmistakable outline of an island gradually appears. 416 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:47,300 Is this the site of Atlantis, exposed for the first time in 11,000 years? 417 00:40:50,133 --> 00:40:55,433 Once again, important clues lie in Plato's own writing. 418 00:40:55,467 --> 00:41:00,167 -Plato says that the city, and all of its war-like men, were destroyed in one day and night 419 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:07,570 of terrible misfortune, caused by strong earthquakes and floods. 420 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:16,130 NARRATOR: The island revealed by draining the ocean, sits on a subduction zone, 421 00:41:16,167 --> 00:41:21,767 a boundary between the huge tectonic plates that make up the Earth's surface. 422 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:26,570 The exact point where the biggest earthquakes strike. 423 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:32,330 A series of powerful earthquakes and tsunamis could have obliterated Atlantis and 424 00:41:32,367 --> 00:41:37,427 sent the island on which it rests down into the ocean depths. 425 00:41:37,933 --> 00:41:42,473 -You could imagine that during great earthquakes there might have been some subsidence, 426 00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:47,730 so if we were to take into account maybe 20 or 30 meters of subsidence due to those 427 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:53,530 earthquakes, there might have been a somewhat larger island there. 428 00:41:54,300 --> 00:41:58,770 NARRATOR: The geology supports Plato's account of the destruction of Atlantis. 429 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:02,600 But one other vital piece of evidence is still needed. 430 00:42:08,167 --> 00:42:11,327 NARRATOR: Draining the ocean has revealed a mysterious island 431 00:42:11,367 --> 00:42:15,167 exactly where Plato said Atlantis would be. 432 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:21,170 But one other piece of evidence must be present for it actually to be Atlantis: 433 00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:25,200 The remains of substantial man-made structures. 434 00:42:25,233 --> 00:42:29,673 Using the drained landscape, it's possible to study the island's surface 435 00:42:29,700 --> 00:42:32,670 in extraordinary three-dimensional detail. 436 00:42:33,767 --> 00:42:38,097 Searching carefully for the remains of walls, temples, bridges, 437 00:42:38,133 --> 00:42:41,133 and anything constructed by human hands. 438 00:42:42,333 --> 00:42:44,273 But there are none. 439 00:42:46,300 --> 00:42:49,930 Nowhere on this mysterious island are there any lines or geometric shapes which would 440 00:42:49,967 --> 00:42:53,627 indicate the presence of a great, ancient city. 441 00:42:54,533 --> 00:42:58,573 MARC: Atlantis did not exist in the tiny island of Spartel. 442 00:42:59,067 --> 00:43:02,597 If it did exist traces of it have not been found. 443 00:43:04,500 --> 00:43:09,500 NARRATOR: However, the story of this submerged island is not over yet. 444 00:43:09,533 --> 00:43:13,573 There may be no trace of a city built out of stone. 445 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:18,770 But evidence found on land nearby suggests that during the Stone Age, 446 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:23,070 when sea levels were much lower, people did live here 447 00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:26,070 and in many other places just like it. 448 00:43:26,100 --> 00:43:30,600 And during this period, our human ancestors make some of the most important 449 00:43:30,633 --> 00:43:33,233 breakthroughs of all time. 450 00:43:33,633 --> 00:43:39,233 They learn how to farm, keep domesticated animals, use sophisticated tools, 451 00:43:39,267 --> 00:43:43,997 build wooden houses and begin to trade. 452 00:43:44,267 --> 00:43:48,167 Then, the last Ice Age comes to an end. 453 00:43:53,433 --> 00:43:59,603 Over the course of 15,000 years, sea levels rise by 400 feet. 454 00:44:00,167 --> 00:44:03,197 And the territory of these early people vanishes. 455 00:44:05,867 --> 00:44:10,197 Their tools, homes and weapons are washed away. 456 00:44:11,167 --> 00:44:16,527 That elemental human story may help explain the timeless appeal of the Atlantis legend. 457 00:44:18,167 --> 00:44:22,427 PATRICK: There are many, many stories out there in the world that recall times 458 00:44:22,467 --> 00:44:26,567 when land that was once inhabited was submerged. 459 00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:30,930 Did that information inform Plato's fiction about Atlantis? 460 00:44:32,067 --> 00:44:36,867 JON: I think there's no doubt, that almost every culture in the world has a flood myth, 461 00:44:36,900 --> 00:44:39,970 a deluge story, because we developed, as a species, 462 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,130 within this period of rising sea level. 463 00:44:42,167 --> 00:44:46,797 So, that for me, is so fundamental to understanding ourselves as a species, 464 00:44:46,833 --> 00:44:48,303 that we should be looking into this. 465 00:44:50,433 --> 00:44:54,333 NARRATOR: Plato's story of Atlantis is about human folly 466 00:44:54,367 --> 00:44:57,997 and the destructive power of nature. 467 00:44:59,500 --> 00:45:05,370 Today, the rising level of the oceans threatens all coastal communities. 468 00:45:07,033 --> 00:45:12,303 Great port cities like Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Dhaka are all at risk. 469 00:45:21,567 --> 00:45:26,967 And in North America there's one of particular concern. 470 00:45:27,367 --> 00:45:29,767 New Orleans. 471 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:34,330 Sitting on the banks of the great Mississippi River, the city's average height 472 00:45:34,367 --> 00:45:37,397 is six feet below sea level. 473 00:45:37,767 --> 00:45:40,867 This makes it highly vulnerable to flooding. 474 00:45:42,267 --> 00:45:45,597 In 2005, disaster strikes. 475 00:45:47,533 --> 00:45:52,033 Hurricane Katrina causes a massive storm surge and the levees, 476 00:45:52,067 --> 00:45:55,127 designed to protect the city, are breached. 477 00:45:56,833 --> 00:46:00,133 The resulting floods are catastrophic. 478 00:46:00,500 --> 00:46:05,670 Nearly 2,000 people die and many more are left homeless. 479 00:46:06,367 --> 00:46:09,627 And the situation in New Orleans is getting worse, because the 480 00:46:09,667 --> 00:46:12,727 city itself is sinking. 481 00:46:13,833 --> 00:46:17,973 Due in part to the removal of groundwater, some districts of 482 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,530 New Orleans are subsiding by two inches a year. 483 00:46:22,267 --> 00:46:25,097 JIM: Given ongoing sea level rise, which is a scientific fact, 484 00:46:25,133 --> 00:46:28,833 the time will come when some of our settlements in our time are under water. 485 00:46:28,867 --> 00:46:32,827 Cities like New Orleans, they all have suffered incursions of water. 486 00:46:32,867 --> 00:46:36,467 And the time will come when we will no longer be able to battle that incursion. 487 00:46:40,333 --> 00:46:44,433 NARRATOR: By the turn of the next century, New Orleans could be uninhabitable. 488 00:46:49,467 --> 00:46:54,767 A mysterious underwater city, studied by maritime archaeologists. 489 00:46:57,800 --> 00:46:59,800 A modern-day Atlantis. 490 00:47:06,033 --> 00:47:07,033 Captioned by Cotter Captioning Services.