An international team of underwater archaeologists from the Wessex Archaeology research project examined samples of sediment from the North Sea and found organic matter to prove the existence of the famous Doggerland.
According to Live Science, this is the first attempt to prove the existence of an ancient, prosperous country using laboratory analysis of sediment cores. Doggerland is a code name given by archaeologist Brioni Coles.
So she called the land massif, in ancient times connecting the territories of modern Britain and the Netherlands. It is believed that there was flourishing fauna and flora, and the territory itself was inhabited by people.
About 8,000 years ago, as a result of the melting of the glacier, a gradual rise in sea level began, which cut off Britain from the mainland. It is believed that Doggerland finally went under water about 4,000 years ago.
Samples of bottom sediments were selected approximately 72 kilometers from the coast on an area of about 85 square kilometers. They found peat. According to scientists, this indicates that in ancient times, on the site of the seabed was dry land.
Also found microscopic fossils, in particular, charcoal. The researchers do not exclude that this may be traces of fires, divorced by people. By the way, a little earlier fragments of stone tools, a human skull and a processed bison bone with a pattern carved on it were found there.
A new study will determine the landscape of flooded areas. For example, according to the level of peat content in bottom sediments, scientists can now determine where the river beds were.
