A group of underwater caves located along the southern coast of Sicily is helping researchers learn more about how humans migrated during the Ice Age.
This exciting discovery was made possible by a team of citizen scientists, including a tugboat captain, recreational divers and members of the Italian navy. Their combined efforts have uncovered important clues about human life on the island dating back around 17,000 years.
Ice Age Secrets in Sicilian Underwater Caves
The findings were published in a study in the journal PLOS ONE, which details the exploration of 25 caves and rock shelters. Many scholars believe that Sicily was one of the first islands in the Mediterranean where humans settled.
Researchers are particularly interested in understanding what plants and animals were present on the island before humans arrived, and the geological conditions at that time. They are also investigating how human activities like hunting and gathering might have affected the island's environment.
Ilaria Patania, an archeologist at Washington University in St. Louis, explained, "We are working to unravel a complex puzzle." She emphasized that determining when humans arrived in Sicily is just the beginning of their research.
The question of when humans first arrived in Sicily remains uncertain. There is no clear evidence pinpointing their starting point or the route they took. However, this research has opened up new possibilities for understanding a "southern approach" to the island.
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Theories on Early Human Migration to Sicily
Past studies suggested that the first humans may have settled in the northern part of Sicily. One intriguing aspect of this research is the possibility that early humans might have crossed from Italy to Sicily.
This journey could have involved navigating through the dangerous strait that ancient Greeks referred to as the domain of Scylla and Charybdis. This name may have originated from the volcanic activity, swirling currents, or shallow waters that made the area treacherous, according to Discover Magazine.
At the time of the Ice Age, the geological landscape of Sicily was quite different from what it is today. The forces of plate tectonics likely caused the northern part of the island to tilt. Additionally, lower sea levels at that time may have created land bridges, making it easier for humans and animals to travel between landmasses.
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