An ancient limestone bridge submerged within the depths of Genovesa Cave on the Spanish island of Mallorca has unveiled new evidence that suggests human presence on the island occurred much earlier than previously believed. The recent findings, detailed in a study published in the journal “Communications Earth & Environment”, have provided insights into the timeline of human settlement across the western Mediterranean, narrowing the gap between the eastern and western regions.
Researchers have long struggled to pinpoint the exact moment humans first colonised the Mediterranean islands, hampered by a lack of written records and scant archaeological evidence. However, a “bathtub ring” of mineral deposits and the structural features of the 25-foot-long bridge have allowed scientists to estimate that the bridge was constructed nearly 6,000 years ago.
The bridge, composed of large limestone blocks—some as wide as 4.2 feet—remains an enigma. The methods used by ancient humans to construct this structure in the challenging environment of a cave remain unknown. Researchers believe that the bridge was likely intended to provide a dry, continuous pathway, connecting the cave’s entrance to a chamber beyond a subterranean lake.
First discovered in 2000, the bridge has been a subject of intrigue for over two decades. Initial studies, based on pottery found within the cave, estimated the bridge to be around 3,500 years old. However, subsequent research suggested that humans might have been present on Mallorca as far back as 9,000 years ago. The lack of well-preserved materials, however, led to doubts about these early estimates.
Recent studies examining ash, bones, and charcoal deposits on the island suggested a more conservative timeline, placing human settlement around 4,440 years ago. By studying the rise of sea levels and analysing the mineral deposits on the submerged bridge, researchers reconstructed historical sea levels and determined that the bridge was likely built about 6,000 years ago.
Although the precise use of the cave and its bridge remains unclear, researchers proposed several theories. Fossil remains of a now-extinct goat species, “Myotragus balearicus”, have been found by cave divers near the site, along with pottery in a dry chamber connected to the cave’s entrance by the bridge.
The purpose of crossing the lake to access that chamber remains unclear; it could have served as a refuge, a place for rituals, or a storage area to keep food cool during Mallorca’s hot days, researchers believe.
Further evidence of small stone homes and structures on Mallorca, dating between 2,000 and 4,500 years ago, supports the idea that the cave bridge was a precursor to the more sophisticated stone constructions found on the island.
Paleontologists continue to investigate why Mallorca, despite its size and proximity to mainland Spain, was settled later than the eastern Mediterranean islands. The island’s hot, dry climate, coupled with its poor soil for farming and limited natural resources, may have deterred early settlers, researchers believe.
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