A team of underwater archaeologists from the University of Zadar have discovered a submerged road from the Neolithic period off the coast of Croatia.
The road is located at a depth of 5 meters in sediment deposits at the submerged archaeological site of Soline, an artificial landmass and Neolithic settlement off the island Korčula. The settlement at Soline is associated with the Hvar culture, also known as Hvar-Lisičići culture, which was a Neolithic culture in the eastern Adriatic coast named after the Adriatic Island of Hvar.
The road is four meters wide and built with stone slabs, which the researchers suggest dates from almost 7,000 years ago. The discovery is significant because it provides new insights into the early human settlements and their transportation systems. The submerged road was originally connected to the island by an ancient road. After 12,000 BC, the rising sea-level caused by the Earth’s melting icecap began to flood what were then the Dinaric Mountains’ coastal valleys, and by 6000 BC the archipelago had more-or-less attained its current configuration.
The team has also conducted land surveys on the opposite side of Korčula around Gradina Bay, where Igor Borzić from the University of Zadar Archaeology Department first noticed strange features just beneath the waterline. This has led to the discovery of another submerged settlement at around 4 to 5 meters with a similar configuration to Soline. An initial inspection of the site has revealed stone blades, a stone axe, and fragments of millstones, again associated with the Hvar culture.
This discovery is an exciting development for archaeologists and historians alike. It provides new insights into early human settlements and their transportation systems. It is sure to inspire further research into this fascinating period of human history.