Lemurians

Lemurians refers to supposed inhabitants of Lemuria, a hypothesized sunken continent in the Indian Ocean. The term Lemuria was coined in the 1860s by zoologist Philip Sclater to explain why lemurs occur in Madagascar and parts of India and not elsewhere. He proposed a lost land bridge or continent that had sunk beneath the sea; the hypothesis was later abandoned as geology established plate tectonics and fossil records.

Beyond geology, Lemuria became a focal point in some occult and spiritualist traditions. In Theosophy, founded by Helena Blavatsky and others, Lemuria was described as an ancient continent whose civilization produced the Lemurians, the third root race in a lineage of humanity. Theosophical writings depicted Lemurians as spiritually advanced and psychic, existing before the rise of Atlantis and the fourth root race. Various later authors and movements adapted these ideas in different ways.

In modern popular culture and New Age thought, Lemurians are often portrayed as survivors of a vanished civilization or as beings with heightened spiritual insight or psychic abilities. Portrayals vary widely, ranging from benevolent guides to enigmatic guardians of ancient wisdom, sometimes connected to hidden or underground realms.

Scientific consensus holds that Lemuria did not exist as a real continent, and there is no evidence for historical Lemurians. The concept persists, however, as a historical curiosity in the study of biogeography and as a fixture in occult, esoteric, and popular-lore traditions.