Village submerged for 8,000 years discovered, Europe’s oldest lakeside village

It took archaeologists four years to unearth the remains of a small prehistoric village near Lake Ohrid on the border between Albania and North Macedonia. Excavation expeditions carried out in the waters of the lake would have allowed researchers to recover Neolithic artifacts, which were then dated in the laboratory. Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest lakes in the world, was formed more than a million years ago, which may have welcomed a community that settled here. in addition to signs of constructionconstruction But stiltstiltArchaeologists have discovered defensive structures to ensure the safety of the village.

oldest lake community

In recent years the remains of many villages built on the waters of lakes or marshes have been discovered in Europe. In particular, in 2021, an expedition revealed the existence of a city of the lakeof the lake On the shores of Lake Lucerne, near the city of Lucerne, Switzerland. A relatively large number of these prehistoric communities settled in the Alps and around the lakes of central Europe.

Yet the structures found in the depths of Lake Ohrid are the oldest lake sites ever found on the continent. by conducting carbon-14 analysis on boiseboise From the fossils found during the excavation, scientists estimate that this village may have existed between 6,000 and 5,800 BC. About 200 to 500 individuals would have lived together. In addition to possible habitation sites, archaeologists found and reassembled 100,000 pieces of wood that served as shovels around the perimeter of the village. it the killingthe killing Pike thus acted in defense of the community. Interesting Fact: The wooden crates are mostly made of oak. A boon for scientists who want to reconstruct the patterns of life around the lake.

Thank you for understanding life in the Neolithic… Oak

So the pieces of oak found in the lake would find another use with academics. the latter, by dating and studying in detail levellevel The artefacts offer hope to understand the daily life of the inhabitants of Lake Ohrid. Adrian Anastasi, working at the excavation site, pointed france 24 What ” The construction of the village on stilts was probably a complex task, very difficult, and it is important for researchers to understand the reasons for such choices., Like other stilt-dwelling communities in Europe (synonymous with “lacustrine”, referring to life on stilts), the prehistoric village of Lake Ohrid could have based its daily functioning on this. fishingfishing Along with this, farming is also done on the banks of the water point.

Research is ongoing in Albania to excavate the depth of the lake. Given its diameter, teams of archaeologists will still be at work for several months. but eventually, historianshistorians Seeks to uncover questions related to lakeside villages and life in the Neolithic period, when writing did not exist.