Early seafaring activity in the southern Ionian Islands,Mediterranean Sea |
| |
Authors: | George Ferentinos Maria Gkioni Maria Geraga George Papatheodorou |
| |
Institution: | Laboratory of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography, Department of Geology, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece |
| |
Abstract: | This paper summarises the current development in the southern Ionian Islands (Kefallinia and Zakynthos) prehistory and places it within the context of seafaring. Archaeological data from the southern Ionian Islands show human habitation since Middle Palaeolithic going back to 110 ka BP yet bathymetry, sea-level changes and the Late Quaternary geology, show that Kefallinia and Zakynthos were insular at that time. Hence, human presence in these islands indicates inter island-mainland seafaring. Seafaring most likely started some time between 110 and 35 ka BP and the seafarers were the Neanderthals. Seafaring was encouraged by the coastal configuration, which offered the right conditions for developing seafaring skills according to the “voyaging nurseries” and “autocatalysis” concepts. |
| |
Keywords: | Stone-age seafaring Neanderthal Ionian Sea Mediterranean Sea Late Quaternary geology |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|