Marine archaeologists have discovered a vast Neolithic trade network spanning the Aegean Sea, focused on the exchange of volcanic obsidian. Using advanced sonar and ROVs, researchers identified several 8,000-year-old "rest stops" and submerged caches of raw material on small, uninhabited islands.
The findings suggest that Neolithic mariners possessed far more sophisticated navigation skills than previously thought. This "Obsidian Route" connects the island of Melos to the Greek mainland and modern-day Turkey, highlighting an early era of intensive maritime interaction.