Scientists unearth Europe’s oldest lakeside stilt village behind a fortress of defensive spikes
Stilt village
Scientists have come across what may be Europe's oldest lakeside village. Guarded by a fortress of defensive spikes, what could be one of Europe's earliest sedentary communities lies beneath the waters of Lake Ohrid aka, the "Pearl of the Balkans."
The village is estimated to date back around 8,000 years, which makes it the oldest lakeside village in Europe discovered so far, reports AFP.
Ancient settlement
This ancient settlement, as per the AFP report, is located on the Albanian side of lake Ohrid, in areas regularly flooded by rising waters. Because of this, it was located on stilts.
Researchers estimate that it housed around 200 to 500 people and dates back to 6,000 and 5,800 BC.
Talking to AFP, Albert Hafner, a professor of archaeology from Switzerland's University of Bern, said: "It is several hundred years older than previously known lake-dwelling sites in the Mediterranean and Alpine regions."
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"To our knowledge, it is the oldest in Europe," he remarked.
Previously, ancient villages in the Italian Alps that date back to 5000 BC were thought to be the oldest European settlements, added Hafner.
Fortification mystery
Guarding these people and the community were defensive structures consisting of around 10,000 spikes were driven into the lake's bottom. These spikes formed defensive barricades that were revealed during recent underwater excavations.
However, this is just speculation. The exact reasons for the need for such extensive fortifications remain a mystery.
Hafner, an expert in European Neolithic lake dwellings, said that to protect themselves in such a way, the residents "had to cut down a forest".
Real treasure trove for research
As per Hafner, the discovery is "a real treasure trove for research". The Lake Ohrid region has a rich archaeological history, the lake itself has been around for more than a million years, reports AFP.
The underwater excavation is yielding valuable insights into the daily life of its ancient inhabitants. Archaeologists, assisted by professional divers, have come across fossilized fragments of wood, including prized pieces of oak.
An analysis of tree rings, as per Albanian archaeologist Adrian Anastasi provides "valuable insights" information about climatic and environmental conditions during that period.
"Oak is like a Swiss watch, very precise, like a calendar," added Hafner.
The site's lush vegetation makes excavation a slow and meticulous process, and in order to "understand the structure of this prehistoric site without damaging it" researchers are "moving very slowly and very carefully" said Anastasi.
Researchers believe that the village relied on agriculture and domesticated livestock for sustenance. According to Ilir Gjepali, an Albanian archaeology professor working at the site, they've found seeds, plants, and bones of both wild and domesticatedanimals. Archaeologists anticipate that it will take another two decades to fully explore and study the site.
(With inputs from agencies)
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