Made from four different types of wood: 7,000-year-old canoes discovered in Italy

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The remains of five canoes made of hollowed-out trees, found near Lake Bracciano, not far from Italy’s capital Rome, give just an idea of ​​how extensive maritime knowledge must have been in the Neolithic period, according to research by a team of researchers. Reports in the expert magazine “Plos One”. The findings are also an indication that many important advances were made in maritime during the Neolithic period.

The canoes date back to between 5700 and 5100 BC. One of the boats is a large oak canoe, over ten meters long and three feet wide at the stern. Another canoe was said to be made of alder and was probably a fishing boat.

Analysis of the pile canoes showed that they were constructed from four different types of wood (poplar, alder, oak, beech). It also shows that they were built using relatively advanced construction techniques such as transverse reinforcements. They were probably made with special tools, including axes. It is also likely that the interior was hollowed out by burning.

What makes the finds particularly special, according to the researchers, is the technical sophistication with which the boats were constructed. A series of holes were found in the dugout canoe, which was over ten meters long and was probably used to attach ropes, possibly sails. It has been said that the construction of boats requires well-organized skilled work along with a detailed understanding of structural design and the properties of wood. Dugout canoes are the oldest known canoes in the Mediterranean region.

During the Neolithic period, farming communities began to spread across Europe and North Africa. Beginnings in the Middle East B.C. It dates back to 10,000 BC, and communities from this region date back to 10,000 BC. They settled throughout the Mediterranean around 7,500 years ago.

The team, led by Juan Gibaja of the Spanish National Research Council in Barcelona, ​​explains that it is clear that the Mediterranean was used for travel and transportation, as boats made fast travel possible. Probably at that time people mostly took short trips along the coastline.

(SDA)

Source : Blick