The common consensus among historians has long been that early humans primarily arrived in Europe by migrating out of Africa, then moving northeast through the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Plateau. However, prehistoric stone tools found in Turkey could rewrite this entire story.
Göknur, Kadriye, and HandeOne of the 130 prehistoric artifacts that researchers unearthed along the Aegean coast.
New research suggests that early humans may have migrated into Europe using a now-submerged land bridge stretching from modern-day Turkey across the Aegean Sea.
The most common theory among historians is that humans arrived in Europe after traveling out of Africa and then northeast through the Middle East, before circling back around westward to the Balkans. Now, thanks to the discovery of more than 130 prehistoric artifacts in Turkey, researchers are arguing that an alternative route could’ve been used.
Low sea levels as a result of the Ice Age would’ve revealed a continuous landmass that connected Anatolia with the rest of Europe. Researchers believe that humans could’ve used this naturally occurring land bridge as another way to cross into the continent.
The Prehistoric Artifacts Found On Turkey’s Aegean Coast
Göknur, Kadriye, and HandeIce Age tools found here in Ayvalık suggest that early humans may have migrated from Africa to Europe via this region.
During the Ice Age, sea levels would’ve dropped by about 330 feet. This means that the islands and peninsulas surrounding Ayvalık, in modern-day Turkey, would’ve been connected by a now-submerged continuous land mass.
A recent study published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology argues that this land bridge could’ve been a way for early humans to migrate into Europe. Researchers surveyed 10 different sites across the region and discovered 138 prehistoric artifacts.
The team traversed muddy sites along the northern Aegean coast by foot, uncertain of what exactly they would find. While the mud may have limited their ability to find artifacts, the team walked away with a trove of discoveries that exceeded expectations.
Archaeologists uncovered objects such as handaxes and cleavers, spanning various Paleolithic periods. More notably, they found certain stone flake tools associated with the Middle Paleolithic Mousterian tradition of Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens.
“The presence of these objects in Ayvalık is particularly significant, as they provide direct evidence that the region was part of wider technological traditions shared across Africa, Asia, and Europe,” archaeologist and study author Göknur Karahan said in a statement.
A Possible Aegean Land Bridge Could Rewrite The Story Of Early Human Migration
Göknur, Kadriye, and HandeA view of the Ayvalık region on the Aegean coast.
Researchers say the discovery of these artifacts suggests that Ayvalık wasn’t only a site for exchange of ideas and interaction between groups, but that the land itself allowed for humans to move deeper into the European continent.
The objects unearthed by the team also provide insight into the type of technology used by humans at this time. In particular, researchers found that there was a consistent use of Levallois technology, a prehistoric way of shaping stone tools that have been uncovered as far west as France.
“The findings paint a vivid picture of early human adaptation, innovation, and mobility along the Aegean,” Karahan explained. “The results confirmed that Ayvalık – which had never before been studied for its Paleolithic potential – holds vital traces of early human activity.”
Looking forward, the team wants to conduct absolute dating on the artifacts, as well as conduct stratigraphic excavation, and analyze the land through paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Researchers hope that further analysis will reveal more about what the region has to offer in terms of filling in the gaps of early human history and migration.
“It feels like we are adding an entirely new page to the story of human dispersal,” Karahan said. “Our research raises exciting possibilities for future exploration, and we hope it emerges as a body of work that will shift the approach of Pleistocene archaeology for decades to come.”
After reading about how early humans may have entered Europe using a now-submerged Aegean land bridge, discover the oldest human fossil unearthed outside of Africa. Then, learn about why early humans may have migrated to America much earlier than you think.
