考古学：狩猟採集民がマルタに向けて出帆

Modern humans reached Malta earlier than previously thought, around 8,500 years ago, according to evidence presented in Nature. A population of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Malta may have voyaged across the Mediterranean Sea to reach the isle, in what may be the longest yet-known hunter-gatherer sea crossings in the Mediterranean. The findings predate previous archaeological evidence and indicate that these hunter-gatherers may have been more technologically advanced than previously thought.

Malta is one of the most remote islands in the Mediterranean, lying around 100 km off the coast of Sicily, to which it had previously been connected by a hypothesised land bridge that was submerged around 13,000 years ago. It had been assumed that Malta was too small and remote to support human populations prior to the adoption of farming and development of more advanced seafaring technologies. Previously identified remains in Malta have pointed to Neolithic farmers being the first to reach the isle around 7,400 years ago.

Eleanor Scerri and colleagues present evidence from the site Latnija located in the Mellieħa region of northern Malta suggesting the presence of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers on the island. Excavations between 2021 and 2023 revealed stone tools, hearths, ash-tips and wild flora and fauna including marine mammals, gastropods and fish in sediments, which they date to between 8,500 and 7,500 years ago. At this time Malta’s configuration and sea levels would have been similar to the present day and to reach the island the authors suggest a sea voyage of nearly 100 km from Sicily would have been necessary.

Scerri and colleagues indicate their findings may necessitate a rethinking of the technological capabilities of hunter-gatherers in the region and raise the possibility of other unknown connections.