Underwater archaeologists have discovered an ancient settlement in Aarhus Bay (Denmark) that was hidden under water about 8,500 years ago. The find has already been dubbed ‘Stone Age Atlantis,’ according to the Daily Mail.
At a depth of eight metres, researchers found arrowheads, stone tools, animal bones, a seal tooth and a piece of processed wood. As excavation leader Peter Møje Astrup noted, the settlement was preserved thanks to a sharp rise in sea level after the end of the Ice Age: the oxygen-free environment literally ‘preserved’ the finds.
The excavations are part of a six-year international project worth $15.5 million. Scientists hope to find fishing hooks, harpoons and the remains of ancient fishermen’s buildings on the seabed.
The age of the settlement was determined by tree remains. According to dendrochronologist Jonas Ogdal Jensen, the forests on the coast died out about 8,500 years ago. At that time, huge areas were submerged, including Doggerland, which connected Europe and Britain.
