It has long been known that maritime trade relations in the Mediterranean Sea existed between peoples back in prehistoric times. They were established during the Neolithic era, also known as the New Stone Age, which lasted from 9 to 3 thousand years ago. However, until recently, there was very little information about ancient ships and how people coped with long sea voyages. The answer to this question was obtained by archaeologists, who analyzed five canoes about 7,000 years old, discovered in a settlement that is currently located at the bottom of the lake. To their surprise, scientists discovered that ancient sea vessels were similar to modern ones, and had some design features that are used to this day. The quality and sophistication of ancient boat design indicates that several major advances in navigation were made during the Neolithic era.
7,000 years ago, people made boats that are incredibly similar to modern ones.
Ancient Stone Age Boats
The place where archaeologists discovered the ancient boats is known as La Marmotta. About 7,000 years ago there was a human settlement here. This place is located three hundred meters from the modern coastline of Lake Bracciano, located near Rome. It is believed that people lived in this settlement between 5700 and 5100 BC.
According to scientists, La Marmotta is the oldest Neolithic coastal village in the central Mediterranean. The largest of the five ancient canoes discovered here is almost 10.5 meters long. The boat was made from a giant oak trunk. Its interesting feature is the four transverse reinforcements, which obviously increased the strength of the structure and also improved the handling of the boat.
Ancient canoes were discovered at the bottom of a lake near Rome
Did ancient sailors use sails?
Even more surprising was the presence of three T-shaped wooden pieces on the starboard side of the vessel. Each of these parts had several holes. Scientists do not know exactly what function they performed, but it can be assumed that they were used to attach ropes that were tied to the sail.
But these parts could also have other purposes, such as attaching a stabilizer or even a second boat, resulting in a double catamaran-shaped vessel. The connection of two boats could provide greater safety and stability on the waves, and also made it possible to transport more goods or, for example, animals on board the ships.
But the interesting design features of ancient boats do not end there. Another canoe, hollowed out from an alder tree trunk, contained a mushroom-shaped wooden piece with a single hole. According to scientists, this part is reminiscent of modern bollards – special elements for securing ropes when mooring or towing a ship. Perhaps this part was used for these purposes – to fix the ship in case the water level rose.
Ancient boats created in the Stone Age
The other three boats were made of alder, poplar and beech. According to the authors of the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the use of different types of wood to make canoes may indicate that prehistoric boatbuilders had a good understanding of the different properties of each material. For example, oak and beech could ensure the durability of the product, and alder was attractive for its lightness and resistance to cracking.
What did ancient people use boats for?
Despite the fact that the boats were discovered at the bottom of Lake Bracciano, scientists suggest that they were used to travel far beyond its borders. Given the size of the boats, ancient sailors could well have sailed along the Arrone River, which connects the lake to the Mediterranean Sea, and then set off on a journey to foreign lands.
Ancient canoes were quite suitable for long sea voyages
But how true is this version? According to scientists, it is confirmed by numerous exotic artifacts discovered at La Marmotta. These include Greek and Baltic ceramics, as well as obsidian items brought from the islands of Lipari and Palmarola. Moreover, experimental archaeologists built a copy of a similar canoe back in 1998, and were able to get on it from Italy to Portugal, covering 800 kilometers.
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The boats discovered at the bottom of Lake Bracciano are the oldest discovered in the Mediterranean. They provide evidence that prehistoric agricultural and pastoral communities had woodworking skills and were able to build complex ships. And finally, we suggest you get acquainted with another, no less interesting vessel that was discovered off the coast of Croatia. Its age is about 3000 years. Scientists are working to restore it.