Submerged bridge constructed at least 5600 years ago indicates early human arrival in Mallorca, Spain
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Reconstructing early human colonization of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean is challenging due to limited archaeological evidence. Current understanding places human arrival ~4400 years ago. Here, U-series data from phreatic overgrowth on speleothems are combined with the discovery of a submerged bridge in Genovesa Cave that exhibits a distinctive coloration band near its top. The band is at the same depth as the phreatic overgrowth on speleothems (−1.1 meters), both of which indicate a sea-level stillstand between ~6000 and ~5400 years ago. Integrating the bridge depth with a high-resolution Holocene sea-level curve for Mallorca and the dated phreatic overgrowth on speleothems level constrains the construction of the bridge between ~6000 and ~5600 years ago. Subsequent sea-level rise flooded the archeological structure, ruling out later construction dates. This provides evidence for early human presence on the island dating at least 5600 and possibly beyond ~6000 years ago. Early human groups were present in Mallorca, Spain, at least 5600 years ago, based on evidence from a submerged bridge’s coloration mark and speleothem-based relative sea level analysis.
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,290
Awards: G1602399518, Collaborative Research: P2C2--Constraints on Last Interglacial and Late Holocene Global Mean Sea Level and Fingerprinting Polar Ice Mass Flux from Broadly Distributed Coastal Caves, Acquisition of a MC-ICPMS for Earth Sciences Research in New Mexico, Collaborative Research: P2C2--Constraints on Last Interglacial and Late Holocene Global Mean Sea Level and Fingerprinting Polar Ice Mass Flux from Broadly Distributed Coastal Caves, Collaborative Research: P2C2--Constraints on Last Interglacial and Late Holocene Global Mean Sea Level and Fingerprinting Polar Ice Mass Flux from Broadly Distributed Coastal Caves, G8383244171
OpenAlex ID: W4402048691