Overview

• Researchers have identified 25 caves and rock shelters in southern Sicily, revealing signs of human occupation dating back 17,000 years.
• The study explores the possible routes and methods early humans used to reach Sicily, including travel by sea or an ancient land bridge.
• The findings challenge previous assumptions that southern Sicilian sites were too eroded to provide useful archaeological information.
• Local knowledge, including input from fishermen and divers, played a crucial role in relocating and discovering new underwater caves.
• Future research aims to understand the environmental conditions early humans faced, including sea-level changes and natural events like earthquakes.