THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS
Many believe that the Greek Mythology is a figment of the vivid imagination of the ancient Greeks. Consequently, the Greek Myths are all fantastic stories. In my opinion, this view is erroneous, at least on the subject concerning the geographic and physical-oceanographic characteristics of the Atlan...
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ftektojs:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/11163 2024-09-15T18:13:38+00:00 THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS Mariolakos, I.D 2010-01-01 application/pdf https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163 eng eng Geological Society of Greece https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163/11215 https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163 Copyright (c) 2017 I.D Mariolakos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Δελτίο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρείας; Τόμ. 43 Αρ. 1 (2010): 12o Διεθνές Συνέδριο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρίας; 92-104 Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece; Vol. 43 No. 1 (2010): 12th International Conference of the G.S.G.; 92-104 2529-1718 0438-9557 Greek Mythology Cronus Ogygia Atlantic Ocean Oceanus Gulf Stream Heracles info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2010 ftektojs 2024-07-18T03:59:06Z Many believe that the Greek Mythology is a figment of the vivid imagination of the ancient Greeks. Consequently, the Greek Myths are all fantastic stories. In my opinion, this view is erroneous, at least on the subject concerning the geographic and physical-oceanographic characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean, as these were described mainly by Homer, Hesiod, the Orphics and Plutarch. In the present paper (i) some of the references made by the above mentioned authors are selectively reported, and (ii) the physical and geological validation is given, based on the present-day scientific views and knowledge. Namely, the prehistoric Greeks knew about the Hyperboreans, the island of Ierne (Ireland), the British isle etc., by the Orphics. From the writings of Plutarch, they knew (i) the relative position of the present-day Iceland (Ogygia) and its distance from Britain, (ii) that to the west of Iceland, three other islands are located, where the sun sets for only an hour a day, (iii) that further to the west there is a “great continent”, which surrounds the Ocean and more. Homer and Hesiod wrote that (i) the Ocean is a “river” that flows continuously, (ii) that this river encircles the Earth and (iii) that its flow is turbulent not only on the surface, but in depth as well. Unfortunately, all this knowledge was gradually forgotten by all. This is the reason why Odyssey is considered just an entertaining poem and Ulysses’ nostos a fantastic story, with no trace of historic reality. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland EKT ePublishing (National Documentation Centre, Greece) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
EKT ePublishing (National Documentation Centre, Greece) |
op_collection_id |
ftektojs |
language |
English |
topic |
Greek Mythology Cronus Ogygia Atlantic Ocean Oceanus Gulf Stream Heracles |
spellingShingle |
Greek Mythology Cronus Ogygia Atlantic Ocean Oceanus Gulf Stream Heracles Mariolakos, I.D THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
topic_facet |
Greek Mythology Cronus Ogygia Atlantic Ocean Oceanus Gulf Stream Heracles |
description |
Many believe that the Greek Mythology is a figment of the vivid imagination of the ancient Greeks. Consequently, the Greek Myths are all fantastic stories. In my opinion, this view is erroneous, at least on the subject concerning the geographic and physical-oceanographic characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean, as these were described mainly by Homer, Hesiod, the Orphics and Plutarch. In the present paper (i) some of the references made by the above mentioned authors are selectively reported, and (ii) the physical and geological validation is given, based on the present-day scientific views and knowledge. Namely, the prehistoric Greeks knew about the Hyperboreans, the island of Ierne (Ireland), the British isle etc., by the Orphics. From the writings of Plutarch, they knew (i) the relative position of the present-day Iceland (Ogygia) and its distance from Britain, (ii) that to the west of Iceland, three other islands are located, where the sun sets for only an hour a day, (iii) that further to the west there is a “great continent”, which surrounds the Ocean and more. Homer and Hesiod wrote that (i) the Ocean is a “river” that flows continuously, (ii) that this river encircles the Earth and (iii) that its flow is turbulent not only on the surface, but in depth as well. Unfortunately, all this knowledge was gradually forgotten by all. This is the reason why Odyssey is considered just an entertaining poem and Ulysses’ nostos a fantastic story, with no trace of historic reality. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mariolakos, I.D |
author_facet |
Mariolakos, I.D |
author_sort |
Mariolakos, I.D |
title |
THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
title_short |
THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
title_full |
THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
title_fullStr |
THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
title_full_unstemmed |
THE FORGOTTEN GEOGRAPHIC AND PHYSICAL – OCEANOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE PREHISTORIC GREEKS |
title_sort |
forgotten geographic and physical – oceanographic knowledge of the prehistoric greeks |
publisher |
Geological Society of Greece |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163 |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
Δελτίο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρείας; Τόμ. 43 Αρ. 1 (2010): 12o Διεθνές Συνέδριο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρίας; 92-104 Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece; Vol. 43 No. 1 (2010): 12th International Conference of the G.S.G.; 92-104 2529-1718 0438-9557 |
op_relation |
https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163/11215 https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/geosociety/article/view/11163 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2017 I.D Mariolakos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
_version_ |
1810451397495226368 |