Archaeologists discover a mysterious 7,000-year-old stone road at the bottom of the ocean

Archaeologists have discovered an old stone road that is 7000 years old. It was found buried under a layer of sea mud in the remains of an ancient settlement on the coast of Croatia. This road was discovered by researchers from the University of Zadar in Croatia after clearing sea deposits. It was unearthed in 2021 by archaeologist Mate Parica of the University when he was analyzing satellite images of the water area around Korčula. After spotting a human-made road on the ocean floor, Parica and a colleague investigated further, according to the Independent.

According to archaeologists, the road might have connected the prehistoric settlement of Hvar culture to the coast of Korčula. Stone plates were part of a four-meter-wide platform and seemed to have been carefully stacked. "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."

Radiocarbon dating reveals the entire settlement might have existed around 4900 BC. Archaeologists have argued that ancient people walked on this road, which also connected the island to the coast. "In underwater archaeological research of the sunken neolithic site of Soline on the island of Korčula, archaeologists found remains that surprised them," scientists from the University of Zadar said in a statement on Facebook. “Namely, beneath the layers of sea mud, they discovered a road that connected the sunken prehistoric settlement of the Hvar culture with the coast of the island of Korčula,” they revealed. The road, which is now 5m (16ft) below water level, was part of an active settlement during its peak. Also, some other “strange structures” around the settlement are being discovered by archaeologists.

"People walked on this [road] almost 7,000 years ago," the University of Zadar said in a Facebook statement on this discovery. This incredible research is the result of collaboration among experts from Dubrovnik Museums, the Museum of the City of Kaštela, the University of Zadar, and the City Museum of Korčula, along with the assistance of photographers and divers. Another settlement has also been found in Soline in Gradina Bay, on the other side of Korčula Island. After diving deeply into Gradina Bay and exploring it, the presence of another “almost identical” settlement at a depth of 4-5m, similar to the one in Soline, was discovered. Artifacts such as cream blades and a stone axe, as artifacts related to sacrifices offered during rituals, were found at the site. The Hvar people were a part of the original groups of inhabitants of the island living here at the time. The people of this time showed skill, originality, and innovation by making a stone road to the artificial island, according to the Miami Herald. Moreover, this region also had settlements during the stone age.