New underwater surveys have uncovered evidence of a sophisticated Neolithic maritime trade network linking the Iberian Peninsula with North Africa. Researchers found clusters of worked obsidian and greenstone tools at submerged sites 40 meters below the current sea level, dating back to approximately 6,000 BCE.
Chemical analysis of the obsidian confirms it originated from volcanic sources in the central Mediterranean, suggesting that early seafaring communities possessed the navigational skills to traverse the turbulent currents of the Strait of Gibraltar far earlier than previously thought. This discovery redefines our understanding of the 'Obsidian Bridge' that facilitated cultural exchange between the two continents.