In a technological first, an international research team has successfully used Quantum-Lidar to map submerged human settlements at the bottom of the Black Sea. Unlike traditional sonar, this new light-based technology can penetrate deep water with unprecedented resolution, revealing the foundations of wooden structures and stone pathways that were drowned during the post-glacial sea-level rise approximately 7,500 years ago.
The data has produced a highly detailed 3D model of a large Neolithic village, showing clear evidence of organized urban planning and animal enclosures. This non-invasive method allows archaeologists to study the site without the need for expensive and potentially damaging excavations. The project leader noted that the high-resolution maps are already changing our understanding of how early agriculturalists adapted to the rapidly changing coastline of the ancient world.