Researchers Discover Submerged Stone Age Settlements Denmark, Baltic, North Seas

Archaeologists are investigating a submerged Stone Age settlement located about 26 feet underwater in the Bay of Aarhus, northern Denmark, as part of a $15.5 million, six-year international project funded by the European Union. This project aims to map and explore sunken Mesolithic settlements in the Baltic and North Seas before the expansion of offshore wind farms and other underwater infrastructure. The site offers a unique preservation environment, with well-preserved organic materials such as wood, hazelnuts, animal bones, arrowheads, and stone tools, due to its oxygen-free underwater conditions. Researchers hope to better understand life at coastal settlements that were overtaken by rising sea levels following the last ice age, when global sea levels rose by about 6.5 feet per century approximately 8,500 years ago. The underwater excavation is led by archaeologist Peter Moe Astrup and involves institutions from Denmark, the UK, and Germany. These findings provide valuable insights into how ancient human populations adapted to climate-induced environmental changes.