The discovery of an ancient structure in the Baltic Sea has sparked excitement among archaeologists and researchers, reports Tag24.
Stretching nearly one kilometer, this submerged stone wall could provide a rare glimpse into the lives of hunter-gatherers from over 10,000 years ago.
A new research project will soon dive deeper into understanding its purpose and construction.
The Blinkerwall, as it is called, lies about 10 kilometers northwest of Rerik in the Bay of Mecklenburg.
It is located 21 meters underwater, consisting of nearly 1,700 stones. The structure is 971 meters long, up to two meters wide, and less than a meter high in most parts.
Researchers believe it was built by early human communities before the area was submerged by rising sea levels around 8,500 years ago.
The project to study the Blinkerwall, led by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, has been granted funding and will run from 2025 to 2027.
Collaborators include the Leibniz Center for Archaeology and universities in Rostock and Kiel.
With a budget of nearly one million euros, the team aims to explore the wall’s origins and its role in prehistoric life.
Scientists suspect the wall might have been used for hunting reindeer. The discovery challenges long-standing views about the mobility of hunter-gatherer societies.
Typically seen as nomadic, the presence of such a large, deliberate structure suggests these communities may have been more stationary than previously thought.
A 3D model of the Blinkerwall has already been created, showing a short section of the stone wall.
Researchers are eager to determine if this structure was part of a larger settlement or a unique construction.
Natural explanations, such as underwater currents or retreating glaciers, have been ruled out, adding to the mystery.
This finding not only sheds light on a prehistoric lifestyle but could also force a re-evaluation of what we know about early European societies.
