A 6,000-year-old settlement discovered off the coast of Croatia
"I thought it might or might not be normal," said Baritsa, a professor at Zadar University.
The images revealed a large and shallow area on the sea floor at the east coast of the island of Korčula.
Baritsa and a colleague decided to dive at the site to discover what they believe to be a Neolithic settlement dating back to 4500 BC, built on a small piece of land that was connected to the main island by a narrow strait.
The researchers found the remains of rock walls that surrounded the settlement, tools and other things used by the residents.
"We found some ceramic tools and flint knives," Baritsa said.
Marta Calibuta, who is in charge of the archaeological collection at the Korčula Town Museum, said the site of the settlement was very unusual.
"We don't know at this time if there have been similar finds elsewhere of a Neolithic settlement built on a small island connected to the land across a narrow strait," she added.
The settlement that was discovered is atypical in its location, Baritsa said, adding that most of the Neolithic finds were inside caves.
"Fortunately, this area, unlike most areas of the Mediterranean, is safe from strong waves... This has certainly helped to preserve the site from natural destruction," he added.
