Ancient Stone Wall Discovered Beneath the Baltic Sea May Reveal Clues About Early Hunting Practices
A remarkably well-preserved stone structure, believed to be over 10,000 years old, has been discovered beneath the Baltic Sea off the coast of Germany. The finding offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Stone Age hunter-gatherers and could reshape our understanding of early human ingenuity, and resourcefulness. This discovery highlights the potential for underwater archaeology to reveal previously unknown aspects of human history.
Researchers first identified the structure, now dubbed the “Blinkerwall,” in 2021. The wall stretches nearly a kilometer (0.62 miles) in length and is composed of approximately 1,600 stones, most of which are roughly the size of tennis balls or footballs. It lies at a depth of 21 meters (69 feet) in the Bay of Mecklenburg, about 10 kilometers from the German coast in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. ScienceAlert reports that the structure’s deliberate construction suggests it wasn’t a natural formation.
The area where the wall is located was once dry land, but became submerged approximately 8,500 years ago due to rising sea levels. Scientists theorize that the wall was built to aid in the hunting of reindeer. The structure would have acted as a barrier to funnel the animals toward hunters. Similar hunting structures have been found in Lake Michigan in the US, used for trapping caribou, suggesting a shared hunting strategy across continents.
While direct dating of the wall has not been possible, researchers believe it was likely constructed before around 9,800 years ago. They note that the region was heavily forested after that time, making a structure designed to trap reindeer less practical. The Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, the University of Rostock, and the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel jointly announced the discovery on February 13, 2024.
“The site represents one of the oldest documented man-made hunting structures on Earth, and ranges among the largest known Stone Age structures in Europe,” researchers wrote in their paper. “It will become essential for understanding subsistence strategies, mobility patterns, and inspire discussions concerning the territorial development in the Western Baltic Sea region.” The discovery underscores the adaptability and complex behaviors of early human populations.
The finding was announced on Monday evening by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), the University of Rostock and the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel. Smithsonian Magazine notes that the Blinkerwall is potentially Europe’s oldest known megastructure.
