Marine archaeologists have identified a well-preserved Mesolithic campsite on the seabed of the Dogger Bank in the North Sea. Using high-resolution sonar and underwater drones, the team recovered flint tools, bone harpoons, and charred hazelnut shells, dating back approximately 9,000 years to when the area was a land bridge known as Doggerland.
The discovery provides critical evidence of how prehistoric humans adapted to rapidly rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age. The preservation of organic materials in the anaerobic environment of the seafloor offers an unprecedented look into the daily lives of Europe's early hunter-gatherers.