Over the years, the discovery of Mesolithic and Neolithic civilizations hidden for millennia under the earth’s water and sand has challenged our understanding of human history and the development of early societies. But are all of these ancient cities that we often hear about actually real, or are they mostly just wishful thinking?
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[MUSIC] >> This episode is brought to you by Microsoft Azure. Turn your ideas into reality with an Azure free account. Get everything you need to develop apps across Cloud and hybrid environments, scale workloads, create Cloud-connected mobile experiences and so much more. Discover what you can create with popular services free for 12 months. Learn more at azure.com. That's azure.com, and sign up for a free account to start building in the Cloud today. >> Hi everyone, good morning, good afternoon or good evening. Thank you for making history shorts part of your daily routine. And if you have not already done so, make sure you click that subscribe button. And welcome to the third series of the History Shorts weekend specials. Our topic this month will be history's mysteries. Some of the things or mysteries that we will be talking about have actually been, or at least officially, figured out, and the narratives of others never officially contested. Still the topics that I chose continue to solicit more questions than answers. Thus, I thought them appropriate. If you have a comment, you can find me at www.historyshortspodcast.com. If you like this show and want to support it, the best thing you can do is tell a friend. You can also spread the word on social media. Leave a review or buy me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/historyshortspodcast. Have a great rest of your day. Over the years, the discovery of Mesolithic and Neolithic civilizations, hidden from millennia under the earth's water and sand, has challenged our understanding of human history and the development of early societies. But are all of these ancient cities that we often hear about actually real? Or are they mostly just wishful thinking? Actually, while much is still unknown about these that have been discovered, at least on the surface, nopon intended, they do appear to be mostly real, mostly being the key word. I am your host, Peter Zablaki, and this is History Short. We start with La Marmota, an ancient Neolithic village located beneath the waters of Lake Braciano near Rome, Italy. Discovered in the 1980s, the site dates back to around 5700 BCE, making it one of the oldest known Neolithic settlements in Europe. The village was likely submerged due to the rising water levels in the lake, which preserved much of its artifacts in a remarkable condition. Excavations since the 1980s have uncovered well-preserved wooden structures, pottery tools, and even the remains of domesticated animals, offering valuable insights into the early agricultural practices and the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to more settled farming communities. The next civilization is perhaps the most famous, yet the idea of Atlantis being located beneath the Black Sea is considered more speculative and less supported by mainstream archaeology than our previous example. Still, the concept of a significant flooding event in the region around 7,500 years ago is actually taken very seriously. The event, often referred to as the Black Sea-dulge hypothesis, is supported by geological evidence of a rapid rise in sea levels, which could have submerged some form of an ancient city or settlement. Archaeologists have discovered traces of human habitation beneath the Black Sea, including tools, structures, and pottery, which do suggest the existence of a thriving civilization that was suddenly, somehow, flooded. This hypothesis is supported by evidence of a sudden and dramatic rise in sea levels, making the Black Sea region a potential candidate for the inspiration behind the Atlantis myth. While some researchers say that this proves that there was an Atlantis somewhere in this region, most scholars view the story of Atlantis as a legend rather than literal historical account. Moving on, according to Japanese geologist Masaki Kimura, a legendary lost continent called Mu may have been discovered off the coast of Japan. The massive underwater stone formations discovered in 1987 bear a striking resemblance to man-made structures, including what appears to be a stepped pyramid, terraces, and other geometric shapes. Some researchers have suggested that these could be the remnants of an ancient civilization linked to the legendary lost continent of Mu, a hypothetical Pacific Ocean counterpart to the Atlantis. While the exact nature of the Yonaguni structures remains controversial, with some experts arguing that they are natural formations and nothing else, others believe that they could be evidence of a prehistoric civilization that existed during a time when sea levels were much lower. As of today, the skeptics seem to be winning the argument, contradicting the area's photos of step-like angles and flat surfaces believed to be roads, by pointing out that they are consistent with formations caused by forces such as tides and volcanoes, and not chiseled out of stone by men. Moving on, today, most people would associate the Alps with the mountain region that borders Germany, Switzerland, and Italy with skiing, but it might have been the areas lakes that dominated the region during the late stone age. In the Alps, particularly in Switzerland and northern Italy, archaeologists have uncovered the remnants of ancient lake dwellings known as pile dwellings or stilled houses. These settlements dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age roughly around 5,000 BCE to 500 BCE were built on stilts over the water, providing protection from floods and attacks. These alpine lake towns represent some of the earliest examples of organized permanent communities in Europe. Excavations have revealed well-preserved wooden structures, tools, ceramics, and even textiles all preserved by the cold conditions of the lake beds. These finds provide crucial insights into early European social organization, technological advancements, and trade networks, as many of these communities were involved in the exchange of goods across vast distances. But then there's the Hamocar, located in modern day northeastern Syria and one of the oldest known cities in the world. In fact, the evidence of the urban settlement dates back to around 4,000 BCE. Discovered in the late 1990s, Hamocar challenges the traditional narrative that urbanization first developed in southern Mesopotamia. The city is particularly notable for its evidence of early warfare. It appears to have been destroyed in a violent conflict around 3,500 BCE, possibly related to competition over resources such as obsidian, which was used to make tools and weapons. The discovery of extensive fortifications, weapons, and the remains of buildings destroyed by fire suggests that the Hamocar was a significant center of early civilization, with complex social structure and a capacity for organized military conflict. But again, it's only been since the 90s, so there's really not much that we really know about it. Moving on, off the coast of Denmark, submerged beneath the waters of the Baltic Sea, lie the remains of a prehistoric civilization that flourished during the Mesolithic period, around 8,000 to 5,000 BCE. This area, now known as Dodgerland, once connected Great Britain to mainland Europe and was a vast fertile plain home to large communities of hunter-gatherers. Rising sea levels eventually submerged Dodgerland, turning it into the North Sea. Recent discoveries in the Baltic Sea, including well-preserved tools, bones, and even the remains of settlements have provided a glimpse into the lives of these early Europeans. The Great Danes, as they are sometimes called, were skilled hunters and fishers, with evidence suggesting they may have engaged in early forms of agriculture. Today the concept of Dodgerland, the now submerged landmass that once connected Great Britain to mainland Europe, is widely accepted by archaeologists and geologists. Yet there is one other subject in archaeology that remains ever so more controversial. The Bimini Road, located near the island of Bimini in the Bahamas, is one of the most intriguing and controversial underwater formations ever found. The Bimini Road was first discovered in 1968 by a diver named Joseph Manson Valentine. Valentine, along with the team of underwater explorers, stumbled upon the unusual formation while conducting a survey in the area. The stones, each measuring several feet across and weighing several tons, appeared to be part of a man-made structure leading to immediate speculation about their origins. The discovery gained significant attention because it coincided with a prediction made by famous psychic Edgar Case. Case had predicted in the 1930s that remnants of the lost continent of Atlantis would be found near the Bahamas, specifically near Bimini, sometime in the 1960s. This prediction, combined with the apparent artificial nature of the formation, led many to believe that the Bimini Road could be the remnants of a legendary Atlantis or another ancient advanced civilization. The stones alignment and the regularity of their shapes suggest to some observers that they were deliberately placed or carved by human hands. Proponents of this theory argued that the stones could be the remnants of a road, a wall, or a pier possibly constructed by a lost civilization. The stones are laid out in a straight line, with some sections showing a more pronounced right-angle arrangement, leading to comparisons with ancient roads, harbors, or ceremonial platforms found in the other parts of the world. Since the initial discovery, the Bimini Road has been the subject of numerous scientific studies aimed at determining its origins. The prevailing scientific view is that the Bimini blocks are just natural formations known as beach rock that forms in coastal areas when sand, shell fragments, and other materials are cemented together by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. Over time, erosion, and tectonic activity can fracture beach rock into block-like shapes, which can then be arranged by natural forces such as currents and waves, leading to formations that may appear artificial. So which theory is correct? Perhaps we will never know. And while we are on the subject of not knowing how many other sunken civilizations lay out there still to be discovered. Thanks for listening. Hello everyone. My name is Tom Kearns, and I host the Anglo-Saxon England podcast, where I cover the history and culture of England from the departure of the Romans in the 5th century to the Norman Conquest in 1066. So far we've surveyed the collapse of Roman rule in Britain, the migration of the Anglo-Saxons, and the history of Northumbria from its beginnings in the mists of legend, to its destruction at the hands of Viking raiders in the 9th century. I hope you'll come and give it a go.
