NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DISCOVERS ANCIENT ANCHORS THAT COULD REWRITE THE HISTORY OF HUMAN TRAVEL IN THE BRONZE AGE

FILMMAKERS JAMES CAMERON AND SIMCHA JACOBOVICI GO ON AN EPIC QUEST TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS IN A NEW INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - JAN. 17, 2017) - The legend of Atlantis has sparked controversy and debate for thousands of years - is the story fact or fiction? And if Atlantis was a real place, can its ruins be found today?

ATLANTIS RISING, which premieres on National Geographic on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 9/8c, follows executive producer and Oscar-winning legend James Cameron; three-time Emmy-winning filmmaker Simcha] Jacobovici; and a group of archeologists, scientists and historians as they set out to search for the true "Atlantean" civilization and for a possible location for the mother city, the lost city itself. The team draws clues from "Timaeus" and "Critias," the source of the story of Atlantis, penned by fourth century B.C. Greek philosopher Plato.

"We set out to investigate the most interesting theories that argue that there is some kind of history behind the myth of Atlantis," said Cameron.

In the course of the expedition, the investigators discovered six ancient anchors that could date back to the Bronze Age and that together may be the greatest ancient anchor hoard ever found on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar.

"These anchors could be 3,500 to 4,000 years old and establish a harbor in the Atlantic, where I didn't even dare dream to find anchors," said Jacobovici. "It's easier to find a needle in a haystack than Bronze Age anchors in the Atlantic."

"This is the world's most sophisticated and extensive search ever made," said team leader, professor/archeologist Richard Freund, from the University of Hartford. The team used cutting-edge technology and Plato's ancient writings as a virtual treasure map to lead the way. While many people search for a singular underwater site, ATLANTIS RISING will embark on a journey from Greece to the Atlantic Ocean, exploring multiple locations on air, on land and deep below the sea with the goal to unlock the secrets of this age-old mystery.

ATLANTIS RISING is executive produced by James Cameron, Simcha Jacobovici and Yaron Niski. For National Geographic, Matt Renner is executive producer and vice president, production; and Tim Pastore is president, original programming and production.

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