Ancient (Lost) Civilization in Persian Gulf

  • Thread starter Thread starter Astronuc
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Lost
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the possibility of a lost civilization beneath the Persian Gulf, speculated to have existed between 75,000 to 100,000 years ago. Participants explore the implications of underwater archaeology, potential evidence, and connections to ancient flood myths, with a focus on both the theoretical and archaeological aspects of the topic.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the Persian Gulf may have once contained a fertile landmass that supported early human life, as indicated by recent reviews of research.
  • Others express skepticism, noting the lack of actual artifacts and viewing the claims as speculative, primarily based on climatic conditions.
  • A participant questions the extent of sand and silt that might obscure any potential archaeological evidence of this civilization.
  • There is mention of the potential for underwater archaeology to yield artifacts such as mortar, bricks, or flint knapped tools, which could provide dating evidence.
  • Some participants propose that ancient flooding in the region could be linked to flood myths found in various Middle Eastern scriptures, suggesting a cultural connection to the geological history of the area.
  • Another participant notes a significant rise in sea level during the last glacial maximum, which may explain the prevalence of flood stories across different cultures.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; there are competing views regarding the existence of the civilization, the validity of the archaeological claims, and the interpretation of flood myths. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple perspectives presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in the current understanding, including the absence of direct evidence and the challenges posed by sedimentation in the region. The discussion also reflects on the dependence of interpretations on definitions of civilization and myth.

Astronuc
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
2025 Award
Messages
22,581
Reaction score
7,536
Lost Civilization May Have Existed Beneath the Persian Gulf
Veiled beneath the Persian Gulf, a once-fertile landmass may have supported some of the earliest humans outside Africa some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago, a new review of research suggests.

At its peak, the floodplain now below the Gulf would have been about the size of Great Britain, and then shrank as water began to flood the area. Then, about 8,000 years ago, the land would have been swallowed up by the Indian Ocean, the review scientist said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20101210/sc_livescience/lostcivilizationmayhaveexistedbeneaththepersiangulf
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Science news on Phys.org
May have... as in no actual artifacts, just speculation based on climate. It looks like a zero information news article.
 
How much sand and silt might now cover any potential evidence?
 
Astronuc said:
Lost Civilization May Have Existed Beneath the Persian Gulf

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20101210/sc_livescience/lostcivilizationmayhaveexistedbeneaththepersiangulf

Here we're seeing more underwater archaeology in motion. Thanks for the info Astronuc,

If its as promising as the Bay of Cambay in India, there will be mortar or bricks with straw in them which is perfect for carbon dating. If not, there will be flint knapped basalt or quartz... etc... that will suggest a period along with the sedimentary record in-situ.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There had been flooding in some parts of this region (including the persian gulf ) in the ancient times, could this be the source of flood myth in the middle east which eventually found its way into the scriptures.

And there's a hint of mythology here, too, Rose pointed out. "Nearly every civilization living in southern Mesopotamia has told some form of the flood myth. While the names might change, the content and structure are consistent from 2,500 B.C. to the Genesis account to the Qur'anic version," Rose said.

http://www.livescience.com/10340-lost-civilization-existed-beneath-persian-gulf.html"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
thorium1010 said:
There had been flooding in some parts of this region (including the persian gulf ) in the ancient times, could this be the source of flood myth in the middle east which eventually found its way into the scriptures.



http://www.livescience.com/10340-lost-civilization-existed-beneath-persian-gulf.html"

There was a 120 ft rise in sea level during the melt water pulse of caused by the melting of the last glacial maximum. That's why there are stories about floods found throughout the world.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

How Does Great Lakes Earth's Geography Differ from Our Own?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K