Stone Age Hunter-Gatherers Reached Malta 8,500 Years Ago, Study Reveals

New evidence confirms early systematic seafaring across the Mediterranean, reshaping the timeline of human maritime activity.

Archaeological findings in Malta show that Stone Age hunter-gatherers arrived on the island 8,500 years ago, 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Excavations uncovered stone tools, animal bones, and evidence of cooking, indicating sustained human habitation for a millennium.
The journey to Malta likely involved 100-kilometer open-water crossings using dugout canoes, requiring advanced navigation skills and knowledge of currents and stars.
Radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis suggest widespread maritime activity and inter-island connections among prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities.
These findings challenge long-held assumptions that systematic seafaring was exclusive to later farming civilizations, highlighting the sophistication of Mesolithic maritime cultures.