A significant discovery has been made in Spain involving an underwater bridge in a cave constructed by humans approximately 6,000 years ago. This bridge is located in the Mediterranean Sea and offers new insights into early human settlement in the Balearic Islands, which include Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza.
The finding was made public by researchers from the General Communications and Environment department, who studied a 25-foot-long bridge inside the Genovesa Cave. Scientists are investigating the mineral formation of the bridge and the unique color present on its surface. Previous studies suggested that the bridge was built around 3,000 to 3,500 years ago, but this new research indicates it is actually from 5,600 to 6,000 years ago.
Due to rising sea levels, parts of the cave are now flooded. Bogdan Onak, the lead author of the study from the University of South Florida, stated that this bridge indicates that people had been living on the island much earlier than previously believed—possibly as far back as 5,600 years ago. Before this discovery, scientists thought the earliest human settlement on the island occurred around 4,400 years ago, with some research suggesting humans may have been present as far back as 9,000 years ago, although this evidence was not strong.
To determine when the bridge was actually built, scientists are studying changes in sea levels over time.
The limestone bridge was first discovered in 2000 during a scuba diving trip in a flooded cave. At that time, researchers also found pottery and bones from an extinct goat-antelope species called Myotragus balearicus, which helped establish the cave’s significance.
Scientists will continue their research to explore the rich history of human life in this area.
