All human cultures from classical to biblical to native North and South Americans share the myth of an ancient deluge often coinciding with a rain of fire from the heavens. What accounts for this shared myth of environmental catastrophe? Now in THE DESTRUCTION OF ATLANTIS author Frank Joseph links this world-wide cultural phenomenon to the story of the lost civilisation of Atlantis which in a single day and night disappeared into the sea in a violent cataclysm. In the most comprehensive account of this legendary island Joseph provides compelling evidence that Atlantis was at the root of all subsequent human civilisations. Brilliantly refuting years of modern scepticism Joseph combines evidence from archaeology geology astronomy and ancient lore to locate Atlantis in the context of Near Eastern Bronze Age society at the end of the 13th century BC. The author seamlessly combines hard scientific evidence with a stunning imaginative recreation of what it must have been like to walk the streets of Atlantis in its last days. The resulting portrait of a might empire corrupted by an overreaching lust for wealth and power offer an important lesson to our own materialistic civilisation poised on the brink of ecological disaster. ¨ Draws together compelling evidence from geology astronomy myths and ancient texts to prove the existence of Atlantean civilisation and its catastrophic end. ¨ Includes a vivid narrative that recreates the last days of Atlantis ¨ Represents 20 years of research across the globe