How I Found the Lost Atlantis! by Dr. Paul Schliemann: a hilarious 1912 archaeological hoax

The article on which this audio book is based was published in the 'New York American' on October 20th, 1912. 

The author, Dr. Paul Schliemann, claimed to be the grandson of Heinrich Schliemann (1822 - 1890), a founder of modern archaeology. In this famous archaeological hoax he makes outrageous and sensational claims about the lost continent Atlantis, and his grandfather’s research. 

The text was written in an age when many of the Victorian adventure writers, like H. Rider Haggard in Britain, Emilio Salgari in Italy and Karl May in Germany topped reading lists. In 1912, the jungle calls of Tarzan echoed through American pulp magazines for the very first time. 

Paul Schliemann capitalizes on the contemporary craze for his grandfather’s archaeological discoveries, for lost worlds and legendary characters like the queen of Sheba and Prester John. Since 1907, Howard Carter had been excavating in Egypt, and in 1922 Carter made his historical discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Paul Schliemann’s article is highly entertaining, and features passages reminiscent of Indiana Jones. Michael Henrik Wynn, the editor of the educational net radio stream Historyradio.org, gives a spirited performance of what has become a classic and much loved hoax in archaeological circles.