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A mysterious village on stilts, which is 8 thousand years old, was found under the water of an ancient lake in Europe (photo)

Bylim Olena

A mysterious village on stilts, which is 8 thousand years old, was found under the water of an ancient lake in Europe (photo)
Divers found the remains of a village under water. Source: Adnan Beci/AFP

In Lake Ohrid, located between Macedonia and Albania, a team of divers has found an ancient village built on stilts. The structures were protected by 100,000 defensive wooden pins.

As Ancient-origins reports, Lake Ohrid is located on the mountainous border of North Macedonia and Albania, and its depths are of extreme archaeological importance, spanning more than 8 millennia. Now, scientists have discovered what they believe may be one of Europe's "oldest settled communities."

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The team of archaeologists believes that the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid was the site of houses on stilts. It is believed that the settlement was inhabited by 200 to 500 people at any one time, and that it was built between 6000 and 5800 BC. If this dating is accurate, the site is the oldest lakeside village ever discovered in Europe.

Divers find remains of village underwater. Source: Adnan Beci/AFP
Divers find remains of village underwater. Source: Adnan Beci/AFP

Prof. Albert Hafner, an archaeologist at the University of Bern, Switzerland, said the village is "several hundred years older than previously known lakeside habitats in the Mediterranean and Alpine regions." According to Prof. Ilir Jepali, an Albanian archaeologist, the team found "seeds, plants, and bones of both wild and domestic animals." This leads the researchers to assume that the villagers survived through fishing, agriculture, and livestock breeding.

Divers also found evidence that the settlement was fortified with approximately "100,000 defensive wooden spikes" driven into the lakebed.

Earlier, a demon shark with white eyes was found near Australia.

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