Scientists have discovered what may be one of Europe's earliest settled towns beneath the turquoise waters of Lake Ohrid, the "Pearl of the Balkans," and they are working to understand why it hid behind a protective spike fortress.
A diver scouring an archaeological site at the bottom of Lake Ohrid in Albania, the site of Europe's oldest stilt village - Copyright AFP Jade Gao
Archaeologists think a town of stilt dwellings previously stood along a section of the lake's Albanian shore around 8,000 years ago, making it the oldest lakeside settlement in Europe to be found thus far.
The site was shown by radiocarbon dating to date between 6000 and 5800 BC.
According to Albert Hafner, an archaeology professor at the University of Bern in Switzerland, "it is several hundred years older than previously known lake-dwelling sites in the Mediterranean and Alpine regions."
According to our research, it is the oldest in all of Europe, he told AFP.
The most ancient of these towns, according to the authority on European Neolithic lake houses, were found in the Italian Alps and date to around 5000 BC.
The excavations at Lin, on the Albanian side of Lake Ohrid, which spans the hilly border of North Macedonia and Albania, have been conducted by Hafner and his team of Swiss and Albanian archaeologists for the past four years.
The village, which included homes built on stilts above the lake's surface or in locations frequently inundated by increasing waves, is said to have been home to between 200 and 500 people.
Spike fortification
And it is gradually exposing some astounding secrets.
Archaeologists recently discovered evidence that suggests the settlement was reinforced with thousands of spiked planks that were used as defensive barricades during the plunge.
Hafner remarked, "They had to clear a forest to protect themselves in this way.
But why, in order to defend themselves, did the hamlet construct such massive fortifications? The evasive question has archaeologists scratching their heads in search of an explanation.
Hafner described the find as "a real treasure trove for research" and researchers believe that over 100,000 spikes were driven into the lake's bottom off Lin.
Having existed for more than a million years, Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest lakes in the world.
With the help of trained divers, archaeologists have been searching the lake's bottom, frequently finding valuable oak and timber that has been preserved as fossils.
Similar to a Swiss watch
According to Albanian archaeologist Adrian Anastasi, tree ring analysis offers "valuable insights into the climatic and environmental conditions" of the time. This allows the researchers to reconstruct the daily lives of the locals.
Oak is extremely exact, like a Swiss watch, according to Hafner.
Anastasi, the leader of the Albanian research team, continued, "In order to comprehend the structure of this prehistoric site without hurting it, we are performing very painstaking investigation, working very slowly and very carefully.
The site's dense foliage can sometimes make the labor tediously sluggish.
It's crucial to comprehend why these folks made this decision, according to Anastasi, who said that building their village on stilts was a challenging and intricate undertaking.
Scientists say it is safe to presume for the time being that the village relied on agriculture and tamed cattle for food.
Professor of archaeology from Albania Ilir Gjepali remarked, "We discovered various seeds, plants, and the bones of wild and domesticated animals."
However, it will take another 20 years for the location to be thoroughly investigated, analyzed, and the results to be determined.
Each excavation trip, according to Anastasi, provides useful material that helps the team piece together a picture of life along the beaches of Lake Ohrid thousands of years ago, including the design of the homes and the makeup of their society.
These are significant prehistoric sites that fascinate the entire southwest of Europe, according to Hafner.
