Geologists study a 5,600-year-old submerged bridge; new details about life in Mallorca, Spain

A study led by the University of South Florida has uncovered new details about the colonization of Mallorca, Spain.

An underwater bridge located inside Genovesa Cave was first discovered by researchers in 2000, according to Dr. Bogdan Onac, a geology professor at the University of South Florida and leader of the study, in an email to Fox News Digital.

At the time, the bridge was estimated to be 3,500 years old, based largely on pottery found near where the bridge was built, but the new study has dated the ancient limestone bridge even earlier.

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The research team studied the 25-foot submerged bridge and published their findings on August 30, 2024, in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

New research has found that the bridge was actually built almost 6,000 years ago, indicating that human life on Mallorca dates back to an earlier time than previously thought.

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“By estimating the chronology of the bridge’s construction, our research suggests that humans likely arrived in Mallorca almost 2,000 years earlier than previously believed,” Onac told Fox News Digital. “This discovery significantly reduces the gap between the colonization chronologies of the eastern Mediterranean islands (which began 13,000 years ago) and the western one.”

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To discover the age of the bridge, researchers looked at “excessive mineral growth on pre-existing stalactites near the bridge” and also “analyzed the elevation of a band of coloration” found on its upper section.

To collect mineral samples, divers were sent about five meters below the water surface.

“Both indicators suggest that these formations were formed during a period when sea level was still between 5,800 and 5,500 years ago. This implies that the bridge must have been built before this period, but not after 5,600 years ago, as sea level would have already risen above the bridge by then,” Onac told Fox News Digital.

The fact that the stone bridge was under water raises the question of its preservation.

The fact that the stone bridge was submerged contributed to its preservation. If it had been above water, it would have interacted with many elements that could have interfered with its preservation.

“The submersion of the stone bridge actually helped preserve it,” Onac said.

“Built from large limestone blocks, probably from cave collapses, the flooding served as a protective measure. Had the bridge been left exposed, especially with the impact of mass tourism in Mallorca, its fate could have been very different,” Onac continued. “Fortunately, water does not damage limestone, so the bridge is well preserved in its submerged state.”

Source of the original article: Geologists study a 5,600-year-old submerged bridge; new details about life in Mallorca, Spain