Remains of Neolithic road uncovered in waters of Adriatic Sea off Croatia coast

Oliver Browning | 1 hour ago

Beneath the clear, pristine waters of the Adriatic Sea, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a road.

During underwater research of the submerged Neolithic site of Soline, off the Croatian island of Korcula, archaeologists found remains that surprised even them.

Beneath layers and layers of marine sediment, they uncovered a road that once connected the now sunken prehistoric settlement of the Hvar culture with the coastline.

“This submerged Neolithic site is quite remarkable because there is no other site like this in the Adriatic coast, made of dry-stone walls, in this position in a small rock in the sea, connected with the road,” Marta Kalebota, from Korcula Town Museum, said.

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/lifestyle/croatia-adriatic-sea-neolithic-road-b2354101.html

(Short article, no more at link.)

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Road Built 7,000 Years Ago Found at The Bottom of The Mediterranean Sea
HUMANS
10 May 2023
ByREBECCA DYER



A diver investigating the underwater road off the island of Korčula. (University of Zadar)
Archaeologists have unearthed the remnants of a 7,000-year-old road hidden beneath layers of sea mud off the southern Croatian coast.

Made at the sunken Neolithic site of Soline, this exciting find may once have linked the ancient Hvar culture settlement to the now isolated island of Korčula.

Once an artificial island, the ancient site of Soline was discovered in 2021 by archaeologist Mate Parica of the University of Zadar in Croatia while he was analyzing satellite images of the water area around Korčula.



An aerial image of the water around Korčula, where Soline is located. Houses on land are also visible.
The coast of part of Korčula Island in Croatia. (University of Zadar)
After spotting something he thought might be human-made on the ocean floor, Parica and a colleague dove to investigate.

At a depth of 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) in the Mediterranean's Adriatic Sea, they found stone walls that may have once been part of an ancient settlement. The landmass it was built upon was separated from the main island by a narrow strip of land.

"The fortunate thing is that this area, unlike most parts of the Mediterranean, is safe from big waves as many islands protect the coast," Parica told Reuters in 2021. "That certainly helped preserve the site from natural destruction."

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More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/road-built-7000-years-ago-found-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-sea